Birchwood Newsletters
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 13th, 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 2nd 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 26th 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 26th, 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 2nd Annual Birchwood Picnic on Sunday, August 2nd 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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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. *************************************************************************** Birchwood Community Fun Night Wednesday, February 25, 2009, 6pm-8pm ************************************************************************************* 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. ************************************************************************************* 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. _________________________________________________
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. ________________________________________________________________________________
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* 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 3rd 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.
________________________________________________________________________________ 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 Birchwood News January 2009
@ 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!
Kurt Baumgarten
BNA President
BNA Board
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