Hit “play” on that Seattle Channel clip and it should take you to two hours, 14 minutes, and 21 seconds into the in-person section of Thursday’s city budget hearing, last major opportunity to argue in favor or against a change to the mayor’s budget plan. That’s when a delegation from Alki spoke to urge the council to approve the amendment by District 1 Councilmember Rob Saka that would add $125,000 to the Seattle Parks budget for each of the next two years, to restore recreational programming to Alki Community Center. “It’s time to make Alki Community Center a community center once again,” Chad Kersner declared; as reported here again earlier this year, it’s been child-care-only for years. Here’s how council staff summarizes what the amendment’s Parks funding would do:
This CBA [council budget amendment] would increase appropriations to Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) by $125,000 GF in 2027 and $125,000 GF in 2028 (one-time) for restoration of public open hours and high-demand recreation
programming at the Alki Community Center and/or the Alki Bathhouse. This funding could support recreation coordination, building-monitor coverage, instructors, and selected evening or weekend activities. Priority programs include: roller skating, yoga, tai chi, drop-in basketball, and activities serving youth and older adults. It is anticipated that SPR will hire temporary labor to implement this CBA.
Other speakers in the Alki Community Center advocacy group included Liesa Rose, who spoke of how recreational activities bind a community. “We had a village looking out for each other that is not there any more.”
Also part of Saka’s amendment, extra SDOT funding for Alki street safety, about which a separate group spoke at 2:54:00 into the hearing video, starting with Alki Community Council‘s Charlotte Starck. Council staff explained this part as:
This CBA would increase appropriations to the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) by $210,000 GF in 2027 (one-time) for the People Streets and Public Spaces Capital Project (MC-TR-C147) CIP for public realm improvements along Alki Avenue, including “Restaurant Row.” Funded improvements could include: beach access improvements, seasonal crowd management infrastructure, pedestrian lighting, bike parking, wayfinding, seating, planters, etc. Projects should seek to create safer and more reliable community spaces using crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED)
strategies.
One thing missing in that part of the Alki proposals – council budget chair Councilmember Dan Strauss cut out $50,000 that would fund a traffic camera on Alki, which currently has none (closest one is uphill in Admiral Junction). Starck and others argued in favor of that funding and noted that investments in Alki safety would benefit not only the residents, but also the many who visit from other parts of the city and region. The ACC later said that Saka plans to resubmit “a self-balanced amendment, keeping the camera within the $210,000 directed to SDOT.”
Nothing is a sure bet to be in the budget until the final vote – currently expected November 20th, so community advocates are still requesting a show of support via email to council@seattle.gov – the Alki amendment is currently officially labeled SPR-005-D and is on page 194 of this document.