May Neighborhood Meeting

The next Birchwood Neighborhood Meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 25th, 6:30-8:00pm at Birchwood Elementary School.

We are planning to have speakers discuss gardening activities in the Neighborhood and Community. Come for a slice of pizza and meet your neighbors!

Birchwood Neighborhood Association’s website

Want to know about meetings, neighborhood issues, and neighborhood contacts? Visit Birchwood Neighborhood Association’s website!  www.birchwoodneighborhood.org

On the website, you can find out when general neighborhood meetings are held, read the minutes from previous meetings, contact your BNA Board members, get information on projects that affect our neighborhood, find out about other meetings of interest to Birchwood residents, and read copies of previous newsletters. This is the place to go for current information of what’s going on in our Neighborhood.  

Airport Plans

Art Choat, Aviation Director for the Port of Bellingham, discussed plans for airport improvements at the Birchwood Neighborhood meeting in March. Mr. Choat gave a presentation covering the history of development at Bellingham Airport from 1941 to the present. Currently the airport handles over 300,000 passengers a year. Allegiant Air has the most flights per week (44). Horizon, Alaska and Allegiant Air provide the commercial flights from Bellingham Airport. Canadians make up 50-55% of the passengers using the Airport.

Mr. Choat gave details on a large project to rehab the runway. Work will start in April, with the majority of the work happening September 1st – 21st when the Airport will be closed.

A second project, the improvement and enlargement of the terminal, will be done over the next 7 years. The current terminal is operating at 300% capacity. Enlarging the baggage claim area and installing luggage carousels is first on the list of improvements If neighbors have complaints about the Airport or specific aircraft, they should call 425-227-1999.

Help Needed for Community Garden!

Faith Lutheran Church (2750 Mclead Rd) is in the planning stages for a community garden on their lot and they need our help! Contact them below so we can help make community gardens in Birchwoood a success!

Faith Lutheran Church

2750 Mcleod Rd.

(360) 733-3970

bellinghamfaithgarden@gmail.com

Little Squalicum Creek Park Clean-up

The EPA has identified several alternatives for cleaning up contaminants in Little Squalicum Creek Park. The BNA Board had a discussion of the merits of the EPA clean-up alternatives at the April Board meeting. The Board was unanimously in favor of having toxic material removed from the Park site, rather than having it capped and left in the Park. The preference is for it to be moved to a toxic waste site. The second choice would be to have it moved to the Oeser site and capped there. The Board sent a letter to the EPA expressing our opinion on the best clean-up options. The clean-up, which should begin this summer, would require the Park to be closed for 6 to 8 weeks.

Annual Birchwood Picnic is Coming

Our annual summer picnic is Sunday, August 1 from 4-6pm at Birchwood Park. People are welcome to bring a dish to share. BNA will provide the hot dogs and veggie burgers. If any acoustic musicians would like to join us please contact Adrienne at 920-7412. 

Newsletter Changes

Birchwood News will be distributed through neighborhood businesses and through our Neighborhood Association e-mail list. If you would like to be on our e-mail list, please contact: Barb Campbell  campbell2920@comcast.net 

Birchwood News is published three times a year: Spring, Fall and Winter.

You can also read the Birchwood News on our neighborhood website:

www.birchwoodneighborhood.org

Box Tops/Labels for Education

Birchwood Elementary would love for you to help them raise enough money to buy new supplies, playground equipment, field trips and more. It is as easy as looking on your Campbell’s soup labels, or on the boxes of your cereal. Each Box Top label or Campbell’s soup label is worth a certain amount to help towards funding your school. To participate simply remove the label (including the UPC) and turn them in to the office at Birchwood Elementary or call the No Fuss Coordinator and we’ll pick them up.

If you have any questions you can contact Caryn Myers-your No-Fuss Fundraising Coordinator at 360-305-0688. Every contribution makes a difference and is greatly appreciated. Here is the website link if you want to look into participating. products: http://www.boxtops4education.com/earn/clip/Brands.aspx

You Won’t Be Bored On The Board!

Here’s an opportunity for you to be more involved with neighborhood issues and the planning of neighborhood activities. The Birchwood Neighborhood Association Board will have several vacancies in January. New Board members will be elected at the January 26th general Neighborhood meeting. The Board meets once a month, usually on the 3rd Monday of the month, at Birchwood Elementary from 6:30-8:30pm. In order to be elected to a Board position you must be a member of the Birchwood Neighborhood Association (a resident or a business/property owner in the Birchwood Neighborhood) and you must also have resided within the City limits for at least one year. If you are interesting in running for a Board vacancy, please send your name to Barbara Campbell at campbell2920@comcast.net or phone 676-1390.

Celebrate Louise!

Louise Bjornson is retiring from the City Council in January after more than 20 years of service. She has been a champion of preserving the character of Birchwood and other Bellingham neighborhoods. Join us at our Neighborhood meeting on January 26th for pizza, cake, and a thank you to Louise for her outstanding service to our Neighborhood.

Birchwood’s Website

Want to know about meetings, neighborhood issues, and neighborhood contacts? Visit Birchwood Neighborhood Association’s website: www.birchwoodneighborhood.org

On this website, you can find out when general neighborhood meetings are held, read the minutes from previous meetings, contact your BNA Board members, get information on projects that affect our neighborhood, find out about other meetings of interest to Birchwood residents, and read copies of previous newsletters. This is the place to go for current information of what’s going on in our Neighborhood.

Little Squalicum Park: New Plans for a Great

Birchwood Park

The City of Bellingham Parks and Recreation Department have finished the master plan for Little Squalicum Park. The 13 acre park runs from Bellingham Techical College, under Eldridge Ave. Bridge to Bellingham Bay. It will take quite a few years and funding, but the finished Park will provide new opportunities for recreation and wonderful access to Bay. The plan will go to the City Council for approval in January.

For more information about this project, please go to the Neighborhood website: www.birchwoodneighborhood.org and find the link for Little Squalicum Park. On that site, there is a great map showing the planned features for the Park.

Newsletter Changes

Birchwood News will be distributed through neighborhood businesses and through our Neighborhood Association e-mail list. If you would like to be on our e-mail list, please contact:

Barb Campbell , campbell2920@comcast.net

Birchwood News is published three times a year: Spring, Fall and Winter.  You can also read the Birchwood News on our neighborhood website:www.birchwoodneighborhood.org

This website also has meeting minutes, announcements, and Neighborhood Association contact information

Next Neighborhood Meeting:

Tuesday, September 29^th, 6:30-8:30pm

Birchwood Elementary School

Agenda items will include:

• Neighborhood Plan Update
• Birchwood Survey results
• Birchwood Victory Gardens update

Bellingham Slow Food Eat In Hosted by Birchwood Elementary

Just a few short weeks ago, on Labor Day, our own Birchwood Elementary hosted Bellingham's first ever Slow Food Eat In. Here is what the organizers of the event reported to the National Slow Food organization:

Birchwood Elementary School in Bellingham WA sports a beautiful emerging school garden and that's where 125 people gathered to learn more about school nutrition, celebrate the garden, and enjoy some amazing food. People brought dishes of all kinds to the grassy area next to the fenced garden. It was a great outpouring of support and community. The kids loved the age-specific activities--all related to the garden—planned by teachers Nicole Bruno and Kelly Morgan and supported with a donation for supplies by the Birchwood Neighborhood Association. Word of this event spread across a network of food-related organizations in this community-focused area. Everyone I talked with in the week before the eat-in said they had heard of it from several sources. Our cosponsor Whatcom County School Garden Collective spread the word and local teachers put up posters and alerted neighborhood groups. Garden followers, parents and neighbors involved with the school, and Slow Food supporters mixed and mingled learning more about each other and the focus we all share--good food in schools. It was a win-win for everyone. –Diana Campbell

For more information on the local movement contact

diana_carol@msn.com

 

Survey Results Online

Our Birchwood Neighborhood Survey was mailed to 600 random sampled addresses. We had 319 surveys returned. Some neighbors, who did not receive a random sample survey, filled out volunteer surveys. To see the survey responses, go to our neighborhood website:

www.birchwoodneighborhood.org

Click on the Random Sample Survey Results link and/or the Volunteer Survey Results link. Our Neighborhood Plan Update Committees will be using these results to identify guidelines for parks and trails, transportation needs and safety concerns, and zoning preferences that protect the character of our neighborhood during future development. Thank you so much for your participation in this survey.

Birchwood News May 2009

Safety Night Social: To celebrate Bike to Work and School Day, a series of events will be going on at Birchwood Elementary. Join us on Wed, May 13^th, 6:00-7:30pm. for a Safety Night Social at Birchwood School. Come get fitted for a helmet, learn about bike maintenance and more.

SUMMER PICNIC--SAVE THE DATE!

Sunday, August 2^nd Birchwood Park (2709 Cedarwood) 4pm-6pm

Join the Birchwood Neighborhood Assoc. for a summer dinner in the park, catch-up on neighborhood news and more. Dinner Provided.

Do you want to host a face-painting booth, play music, or start a softball game? Call Adrienne at 738-1196

 

Have You Taken The Birchwood Survey?

You can help the Birchwood Neighborhood Association establish the criteria and vision for our neighborhood as we work on our Plan Update. We are using a survey to identify guidelines for parks and trails, transportation needs and safety concerns, and zoning preferences that protect the character of our neighborhood during future development.

The survey was mailed to 600 random sampled addresses. If you did not get a survey, you may pick one up at our meeting on May 26^th or do the survey on-line by going to our website: www.birchwoodneighborhood.org

Want the survey delivered to your home? Call Barb Campbell 676-1390.

 

Neighborhood Meeting Tues., May 26^th, Birchwood School, 6:30-8pm

The agenda items will include:

• neighborhood survey in its printed and online form
• progress report on the Birchwood Neighborhood Plan Update
• plans for our 2^nd Annual Birchwood Picnic on Sunday, August 2^nd at the Birchwood Park
• Birchwood Greeters program
• Birchwood Community Garden information
• Little Squalicum Park Master Plan update.

 

Birchwood Victory Gardens and Elementary Seeking Donations for School Garden: A dozen monetary or tool donations have been given to date! Further needs: funds or materials for a deer fence (first priority!), tool shed, greenhouse, untreated lumber, watering wands, hoses, soil sifter, wood chips, straw bales, soil/compost, wood rounds for seating, soil thermometer, outdoor thermometer, rain gauge, 8” mill file, hammer, seed starts, newspaper and a pot press. Also, adult and kid size: shovels, rakes, watering cans, garden gloves, trowels, hoes, forks, buckets, triangular weeders, spades and wheelbarrows. Information/help regarding grants/fundraisers is also requested.

To volunteer or donate, contact Nicole Bruno, teacher, (nbruno@bham.wednet.edu) or Pamela Wild, Pinewood Avenue neighbor, (671-1123). Thank you for helping our littlest neighbors!

 

Newsletter Changes: Birchwood News will be distributed through Birchwood Elementary, neighborhood businesses and through our Neighborhood Association e-mail list. If you would like to be on our e-mail list, please contact: Barb Campbell campbell2920@comcast.net

 

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Birchwood News January 2009

Map Your Neighborhood (MYN) -- Emergency Preparedness

Contact with any questions Laurie Saling 756-8050

Get Prepared for Winter Weather and other natural disasters by connecting with your neighbors for a plan to support each other in the event of an emergency.

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Birchwood Community Fun Night

Wednesday, February 25, 2009, 6pm-8pm
@ Shuksan Middle School (corner of Northwest and Alderwood)
Join Birchwood Neighbors for the 2nd Annual Birchwood Community Fun Night. Dinner will be provided with activities for all ages. Come meet your neighbors and learn about Community Gardens, Welcome Wagon and other Birchwood neighborhood projects. In addition we will have a cake walk and auction to support scholarship and development projects of Shuksan AVID students. With over 200 people attending last year we hope to see some familiar faces as well as some new!

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Community Oriented Policing:

A policing approach that builds ongoing relationships with neighbors by assigning police officers to specific neighborhoods. We met police officer Brock Crawford, assigned Birchwood, at our last neighborhood meeting.

Call 676-6920 if you see suspicious or concerning behaviors in our neighborhood.

 

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Neighborhood Plan Update Information

Our Neighborhood Plan is composed of policies and recommendations that the neighborhood would like to see considered when various proposals are brought forth that may affect residents. The plan was last updated in 1980. Based on feedback from COB Staff, we resubmitted our 2007 Plan Amendment, on December 1, 2008 back in the original Plan format. We are hopeful that COB Staff will find it more acceptable and move it through the process this year. The changes to the text are the changes that the neighborhood agreed to in late 2007.

We are also looking to retain professional services, with funding from the City, to finalize a questionnaire that will be used to survey the neighborhood on a variety topics related to the Plan. The results of the survey will be used to justify future Plan amendments.

Kurt Baumgarten
BNA President

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News from our last general meeting, November 18---

Stormwater Education

From pet waste to carwashing practices to dumping yard waste—all of these impact our stormwater drain system. Dog and cat waste contain disease-causing bacteria and microorganisms that are harmful to humans and water so “scoop the poop” and dispose of pet waste properly. Commercial carwashing is also the most environmentally friendly way to wash—they recycle water and wastewater containing heavy metals washed off your car is sent to wastewater treatment instead of washed down your street into the storm drain system.

Contact: Kym Fedale at Public Works, Environmental Resources, City of Bellingham 778-7970

 

Waterfront Redevelopment

Carolyn Casey of The Port of Bellingham and Sati Mookherjee of the City of Bellingham each shared their perspectives on the waterfront redevelopment project and its progression and process. For further information please visit both websites: cob.org and portofbellingham.com

Community Gardening

Becky Curtis of Community First Gardens, WSU, shared information about grants available to help neighborhoods start community gardens over the next five years. The goal of such community gardens is to produce healthy local foods for eating and community building.

UPDATE FROM COMMUNITY FIRST! GARDENS—

Community First! Gardens is very pleased to announce its selection of the Guide Meridian-Cordata neighborhood as its first grant recipient, and a second opportunity for Bellingham neighborhoods to apply for up to $5,000.00 in matching funds, to help in the creation of a community garden. Grant applications are due April 1, 2009.

An informational meeting, open to interested citizens, about CF!G and our grant program will be held from 7:00-8:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 15, 2009, in the Washington State University Whatcom County Extension meeting room at 1000 N. Forest St. in Bellingham.

Community First! Gardens is a Washington State University Whatcom County Extension project funded by The Mary Redman Foundation. The Community First! Gardens Project supports neighborhoods in creating and maintaining community gardens in which residents can grow their own food.

CF!G Project goals are to help expand access to community gardens, thereby increasing self-sufficiency and local food security with nutritious, fresh produce; to provide opportunities for environmental education and stewardship of land; and to help create neighborhood gathering places that are welcoming to all, while fostering cooperative, community-building relationships within neighborhoods.

Interested neighborhoods are invited to visit the CF!G website at whatcom.wsu.edu/ag/gardening/cfg. Questions may be directed to Becky Curtis, CF!G Coordinator, at community.firstgardens@wsu.edu.

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Our own Neighborhood has created a community gardening group that would be a great connection for those interested in gardening and connecting with fellow neighbors on a variety of projects---

Birchwood Community Victory Gardens*

• Next Meeting: January 20, 2009, Tuesday, 6:30 pm

Who is invited?

Adults, children, businesses, schools, churches, etc. All individuals and groups are welcomed who want to help Birchwood through gardening. All knowledge and skill levels are welcomed! Childcare may possibly be arranged.

Date and time?

Regular meetings are the 3^rd Tuesday of each month, 6:30 to 8:00 PM.

Location?

3121 Pinewood Avenue—Right between Cedarwood and Birchwood Avenues, on the westside.

Please Contact or RSVP!

Pamela Wild at 671-1123 or wildandrich@msn.com so she can arrange enough chairs and make enough chocolate chip cookies.

*The Birchwood Community Victory Gardens is a committee of the Birchwood Neighborhood Association:

A 501C3 organization and a member of the Mayor’s Association of Bellingham Neighborhoods.

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Birchwood Greeters

By Cameron Garcia (Neighbor and Community Developer) 

A few months back one of our neighbors had an idea: We should welcome new people that move into our neighborhood. That idea has become the mission of what is now known as the Birchwood Greeters. The idea is simple, when people move into the neighborhood we want to welcome them into the neighborhood, taking with us a goody basket (Most likely not an actual basket) filled with items or coupons from Birchwood businesses as well as a welcoming packet containing information about the neighborhood.

How can you help? Three ways:

1) If you are a Birchwood business owner or you work for a Birchwood business owner and are interested in donating to the Welcome Basket.

2) If you live in the Birchwood neighborhood and want to be a greeter. 3) If you notice that you have a new neighbor.

The goal is to try and get new folks to the neighborhood connected as soon as possible so that they can start benefiting from all of the wonderful things the Birchwood Neighborhood has to offer! If you want to be involved please contact Cameron Garcia cameron@mybirchwood.org or 360.393.9920