Leschi
Bob Santos will be the featured speaker at the Leschi Community Council (LCC) meeting on Wednesday, May 6.
A longtime Seattle activist, Santos has written the book “The Gang of Four,” which chronicles the activities of four Seattle men — Central Area Motivation Program executive director Larry Gossett, El Centro de la Raza executive director Roberto Maestas, United Indians of all Tribes executive director Bernie Whitebear and Santos, executive director of the International District Improvement Association — who each directed nonprofit organizations serving ethnic groups within the community from the late ‘60s through the ‘90s. Together, they formed an alliance: the Minority Executive Directors Coalition of King County.
Their activism included sit-ins, demonstrations, rallies, occupations, lectures and, occasionally, time behind bars (or in bars, as Santos says.).
The LCC meeting will take place at the Central Area Senior Center (500 30th Ave. S.), starting at 7 p.m.
— Diane Snell, co-president
Madison Park
How fast is too fast down Madison Street? Two decades ago, the Madison Park Community Council (MPCC) asked the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) to measure traffic speeds as the cars crested the hill and started down toward the Madison Park business district; it was a median of 42. More recently, we asked SDOT to recheck the speeds, and the median was 38. We hope that the speed reduction was, at least in part, caused by the MPCC’s efforts to install the flashing radar speed indicator sign.
This last year, MPCC expended a considerable amount of time and effort on planning a redesign for the historically dangerous Madison Street/McGilvra Boulevard intersection. Bicycles regularly travel at 30 to 35 mph down the hill, and our most serious accident there was a bicycle hitting a pedestrian. Certainly, it was entertaining to watch a young male skateboarder regularly exceeding the speed limit down the hill last summer.
Nevertheless, the MPCC has worked diligently on the Madison/McGilvra project. To date, we have been awarded $90,000 in city funds for planning and another $90,000 for design. We are now at the 10-percent design stage and had a meeting on April 20, where two SDOT representatives presented the concept and solicited feedback.
The meeting was well attended: At the peak, there were 42 adults and eight children in the room, and most people, children included, had suggestions for improvements.
The overall concept was, however, well received. It does, of course, behoove us to be wary of being too critical of SDOT’s efforts. We don’t wish to find the allocated half-million-dollar construction funds diverted to another more-timely project.
Of at least equal import to our community is the status of planning within Metro to realign, replace or remove our No. 11 bus. Metro was to present its findings to date at MPCC’s board meeting on May 4. A final concept plan is due to be widely circulated by Monday, May 11.
We were delighted to hear local and internationally famous climber Chris Burrows talk of his amazing experiences on the highest peaks of each continent during the latest in our Extraordinary Neighbors series of talks on April 29.
MPCC is still working away on the establishment of a “HUB” container for supplies for use in emergencies and concurrently on a radio communication relay network of individuals to offer emergency support.
We are looking for up to six individuals to fill upcoming vacancies on the board, to start their terms this June. If you are interested in serving or know someone who may have an interest in aiding MPCC in bettering our community, please do not hesitate to contact either myself or any other current board member.
— Maurice Cooper, president