Scramble for eggs this Saturday

April 15, 2014 by 10 Comments

[in our best monster truck voice]: SATURDAY SATURDAY SATURDAY!

Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center Spring Egg Hunt starting line in 2011.

Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center Spring Egg Hunt starting line in 2011.

This Saturday, April 19, at 10 AM SHARP, Seattle Parks and Recreation is holding Spring Egg Hunts all over the city. You can see the full, city-wide list on their website, but here are the hunting grounds closest to our area:

NORTHEAST

April 19 Spring Bunny Trail
Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center [6535 Ravenna Ave NE], 10 a.m., Ages 12 and under

April 19 Spring Egg Hunts
Nathan Hale Stadium [10750 30th Ave NE], 10 a.m., Ages 1-11
Laurelhurst Park [4554 NE 41st St], 10 a.m., Ages 12 and under

NORTHWEST
April 19 Spring Egg Scramble
Green Lake Community Center, 10 a.m., Ages 3 and under
Green Lake Community Center, 10:30 a.m., Ages 4-7
Green Lake Community Center, 11 a.m., Ages 8-10

Another option in NE Seattle is Calvary Christian Assembly’s annual Easter Egg Hunt at Cowen Park (5849 15th Ave NE). From the CCA website:

Registration begins at 11:30 am. We partner with Roosevelt Neighborhood vendors for this event that features 3 age-specific egg hunts as well as crafts, games, prizes, inflatables and more! Want to help? We will need people to donate candy and work at the event.

For all of these events, you’ll want your kids to bring baskets with which to carry their ovate loot.

20140415-122618.jpg

Ravenna Blog publisher posing with the largest holiday decoration in NE Seattle (outside of Candy Cane Lane).

Filed Under: Calvary Christian Assembly, Cowen Park, Families, Green Lake, Holiday, Kids, Meadowbrook Community Center, Nathan Hale High School, Northeast Seattle, Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center

Cafe Racer Love: Concert at the cafe and walk to Cowen Park on May 30

May 28, 2013 by 1 Comment

DSC_8412

Those lost during the shootings at Cafe Racer a year ago will be remembered and celebrated this Thursday, May 30 with music and friends and a great deal of Cafe Racer Love.

Cafe Racer’s Kurt Geissel told us that Orkestar Zirkonium will play a concert at the cafe (5828 Roosevelt Way NE) at 8 PM. An hour later, at 9 PM, Cafe Racer will close early, and everyone will walk over to Cowen Park.

Taken on May 31, 2012

Taken on May 31, 2012 at Cafe Racer.

Earlier in the month, the Seattle Weekly and the Seattle Times both published pieces about the shootings, now a year in the rearview mirror. Both, touching portraits of a gathered family hit by violence, but moving forward in love and community.

Seattle Weekly (May 7, 2013): Cafe Racer, Gun Violence, and the Power of Song

Following the shooting, [Racer Sessions] grappled with whether or not to hold the usual Sunday-night session. “Ultimately we decided that there’s no way in hell we’d cancel it,” says Icasiano. “On a Sunday night, there’s nothing we would rather be doing than hanging out and playing music at Racer. We just figured we do music, so we should do that to help.”

Seattle Times (May 11, 2013): A year later: Cafe Racer lives on.

“Knowing that so many people are there for you, it’s mind-boggling,” [Leonard Meuse] said. “Powerful.”

Moving forward? It’s simple, he said. But not easy. His advice:

“Love. Love more than you can. The more you love, the more you put out, the more it’s going to come in.”

Want to know more about Cafe Racer in general? HistoryLink.org’s Peter Bletcha published this essay on “Seattle’s Famously Quirky Dive” in October 2012.

…

Ravenna Blog posts about Cafe Racer from last year:

Shooting at Cafe Racer in Roosevelt (UPDATES) – May 30, 2012

Our post from the day of the shootings. Most recent updates were listed at the top of the post.

Cafe Racer community remembers, and celebrates (PHOTOS) – May 31, 2012

The night after the shootings, members of the Cafe Racer family met at the cafe to mourn together, and to remember their lost friends. And to make music together.

Video and impressions of Thursday night’s “Walk for Love” – June 1, 2012

Jens Wazel and Lucia Neare of Lucia Neare’s Theatrical Wonders organized a “Walk for Love” that started at Cowen Park and wound its way through the neighborhoods around Cafe Racer, before finally stopping at the cafe. Respects were paid at the houses of those killed who were locals as the walk proceeded. Participants carried bells that gently rang during the procession.

Filed Under: Cowen Park, Meeting, Memorials, Music, Roosevelt, University District

Mayor McGinn in Ravenna for tour and a town hall (LIVE COVERAGE)

November 30, 2012 by Leave a Comment

As a part of the Engage Seattle initiative, Mayor Mike McGinn is coming to the Ravenna neighborhood for both a tour and a town hall with residents on Saturday, December 1.

The town hall/Q&A portion will be held in the Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center gym (6535 Ravenna Ave NE) from 11 AM – noon. Everyone is welcome to attend. The mayor, members of his staff, and representatives from various city departments will be on hand to answer questions.

Prior to the town hall, from 10-11 AM, the mayor, members of his staff, and select community leaders and members will be touring parts of Ravenna both on foot and by bicycle (the latter for the first time for this type of event). Ravenna Blog is along for the ride, providing live coverage, and speaking at a couple of the tour stops.

Live coverage of the tour and the town hall can be found below, once the event starts. The Seattle Channel has recorded previous town halls in other neighborhoods, and should they do so for ours you will find the video embedded in this post once it becomes available.

Filed Under: Civic Envolvement, Cowen Park, Live Coverage, Mayor's Office, Meeting, Ravenna, Ravenna Park, Ravenna-Bryant Community Association, Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center, Seattle Department of Transportation

15th Avenue NE closed as police investigate ‘possible explosive devices’ (UPDATES)

September 28, 2012 by 3 Comments

Via the Seattle Police Department twitter feed:

15th Avenue Bridge closed in Ravenna as ABS investigates possible explosive devices found in the area. More info on the Blotter shortly.

The helicopter that can be heard in our area is over the scene.

More updates here when we get them.

UPDATE (12:11 PM): Police have determined the the suspected explosive devices are harmless. Via twitter:

Suspected pipe bombs deemed harmless. Everything on 15th should be back to normal shortly.

UPDATE (12:15 PM):SeattlePI.com’s Casey McNerthney has the story from police:

The suspicious devices were found shortly after 10 a.m. near the 15th Avenue Northeast bridge, which was closed for more than 2 hours as detectives investigated. The devices, made with capped PVC pipes, were also found near a regular homeless encampment, detective Renee Witt said.

Read the full story on SeattlePI.com’s Seattle 911 blog.

Filed Under: 911, Cowen Park, Crime, Ravenna, Ravenna Park, Roosevelt, Seattle Police Department, Updates

RHS cross country teams to give Ravenna Park a “trial run” (PHOTOS)

September 12, 2012 by Leave a Comment

RHS Girls Cross Country / Kevin Shear

Today, Wednesday, September 12, the Roosevelt High School girls and boys cross country teams will race the teams from Newport High School on the trails of Ravenna Park. This is a home meet for RHS, which is located just a few blocks from the park.

But Ravenna Park is not their usual home course. Lincoln Park, in West Seattle, is. 

RHS Boys Cross Country / Steve Wolfe

RHS Athletic Director, Mike Scott, explains the home course choice (via email):

For all of the past years that I have been here at Roosevelt, most of our meets have either been at Lincoln or at Lower Woodland.  Lower Woodland tends to be a METRO site, while Lincoln tends to be a KingCo site for the 4A schools, but there is no hard and fast rule regarding this.  Meets can have multiple teams involved, and the two sites listed above allow for better parking for multiple busses.

Scott says that the RHS cross country team is huge — over 100 students involved — and getting everyone (athletes, coaches) over to Lincoln Park and back requires two busses at $250-$300 (budgeted) each. And when the yellow school busess aren’t available, more costly charter busses must be hired.

A switch to a home course at nearby Cowen and Ravenna Parks would not only be great for the team, but nice on the budget.

RHS Girls Cross Country / Kevin Shear

So, what would make today’s meet a success for all involved (the team, the school, Seattle Parks and Recreation, and neighbors)?  We’ve contacted Dennis Cook at Seattle Parks and Recreation (Athletics) about what his department is looking for from the event, and are awaiting a reply.

Here’s what Athletic Director Scott is looking for:

What I am looking for is to have an event that is seen by the public and patrons of the park as a good use of this resource to provide our kids with a positive and healthy event.  It is my sincere hope that the patrons and neighbors will be understanding of the importance of this opportunity for our school to provide this for our kids and for our parents, as well as the community, and our commitment to be good neighbors and use this resource respectfully.

And if the people coming to the meet also decide to stop in the neighborhood and buy a hamburger or two from one of our local restaurants, that would be another great thing to come from this event!!

Neighbors of the park will be pleased to know that the parking plan for the visiting team’s busses has them parked at the high school campus, and not on surface streets.

Cowbells! On Aisle 12. / Maple Leaf Ace

As for today’s meet itself, the team is looking for volunteers to help direct runners at key intersections along the route. Meet the team in the grassy area of Cowen Park at 3:30 PM.

And, of course, neighbors and other spectators are encouraged to watch the races and cheer on the athletes (Girls race at 4 PM, boys race at 4:45). (See the previous photo for an Olympic-inspired way to do that). Boys team member and Roosevelt News Online Editor Mitchell Smith tells us the teams will be sporting their new uniforms today, too.

Special thanks to Frank Hodge (father of a RHS girls cross country team captain) for the original tip for this story.

……

UPDATE (6:40 PM): Here are some pictures of the meet (beforehand, and during the girls’ race).

Ah, this must be the place.

 

Big ol’ pile of Roosevelt backpacks and gear.

 

Kiosk at the entrance of Cowen Park with a pink notice posted about the event.

 

Directional marking near the start of the course.

 

The girls team practices their start.

 

The girls team during a pre-race moment, and some student photographers capturing said moment from on high.

 

Newport and Roosevelt girls teams at the start, getting directions from an RHS coach.

 

And they’re off!

 

 

 

 

I caught up with the girls again later in the course, as I peered over the edge of the 20th Ave NE footbridge:

Leading at this point in the course: Roosevelt.

 

Here’s the first Newport runner, alongside the third Lady Roughrider to pass under the bridge.

 

And what were the RESULTS of today’s races? We heard about the boys team first, from runner and Roosevelt News Online Editor Mitchell:

Later that night, however, we learned how the girls did against Newport:

Congrats to our girls cross country team!! They defended our home turf with a win of 41 to 22 against Newport! RIDERPOWER #canttouchthis

— Rider Nation (@RHSRiderNation) September 13, 2012

WELL DONE, LADIES.

Filed Under: Cowen Park, Photos, Ravenna, Ravenna Park, Roosevelt, Roosevelt High School, Sports, Updates

Python loose in the park! But which park?

August 13, 2012 by 12 Comments

We got a voice mail from North Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator Terrie Johnston this afternoon at 2:50 PM, saying, “I hope you’re not at Cowen Park playfield…uh playground. A seven-foot yellow python got loose and he’s headed for the playground.”

Now, that’s an amusing story, but Cowen Park is not in Ravenna. So I just mention the missing snake on twitter, like this:

A few minutes later, the official Seattle Police Department twitter feed says this:

Oh no! Wrong neighborhood! And wrong park! Lower case “p” or not, people are going to get confused!

But I check with Terrie Johnston again, to make sure. “61st and Brooklyn Cowen Park” is the email reply.


View Snake on the loose! in a larger map

Decidedly NOT Ravenna Park.

But the damage has been done. The SPD tweet has now been REtweeted over 300 times (probably because of that “Snakes on a Plane” movie reference being clever and all).

And, of course, someone has started a new twitter feed…FOR THE SNAKE:

Thankfully, the SPD just updated the story on their blog, and you can read it here (“Officers On Python Patrol After Snake Escapes In Ravenna Neighborhood“).

An excerpt for you:

As police officers and officials from Seattle parks department and Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife search the neighborhood and Cowen/Ravenna Park for the snake, you and your small pets should keep to the trails, and stay away from drainage ditches, thick foliage, and hollow logs, according to Seattle’s resident snake expert, Peter Miller.

Miller, reptile keeper at Woodland Park Zoo, estimates the snake is around 15-20 pounds and says it “has the potential” to be dangerous. ”These guys are ambush predators,” he says. “They find a well protected covered area and they sit and they wait.”

KING 5 news Reporter John Langeler got the location right, though:

And it looks like Seattle Parks and Recreation has put up signage.

John Langeler / KING 5

If Timid the Albino Python is found (yeah, his name is Timid), we’ll let you know here.

Filed Under: Cowen Park, Lost/Found, Ravenna, Ravenna Park, Roosevelt, Seattle Police Department Tagged With:

Video and impressions of Thursday night’s “Walk for Love”

June 1, 2012 by Leave a Comment

We were able to catch a bit of last night’s “Walk for Love,” organized by Lucia Neare’s Theatrical Wonders. Below is video of the walk as it traveled down 12th Ave NE from the starting point at Cowen Park (5849 15th Ave NE), and a bit of the music heard in one section of the walk (“Somewhere Over the Rainbow” in the style of Israel Kamakawiwo’ole).

As we joined the walk, we took to twitter to share the walk route, pictures, and our impressions. (Forgive us our misnaming the event occasionally.) Seattle P-I photojournalist Josh Trujillo was also present, and we have included some of his pictures as well.

Filed Under: Cowen Park, Events, Restaurants, Roosevelt, University District, Video

“Walk for Love” this evening, starting at Cowen Park

May 31, 2012 by 1 Comment

Jens Wazel and Lucia Neare of Lucia Neare’s Theatrical Wonders are organizing a “Walk for Love” tonight, starting at 8:30 PM, at Cowen Park (5849 15th Ave NE).

For people who didn’t have a chance to pay their respects at Cafe Racer last night, here is another chance to gather with friends and neighbors.

Via email from Jens and Lucia:

We are all deeply saddened by the recent tragic events in our city. Please join us tonight, Thursday, May 31, for an evening walk through the Ravenna and U-District neighborhoods. Let’s gather and bring our love and light to these neighborhoods and the entire city.

Please meet us at 8:30 pm on the ball field at Cowen Park, 5849 15th Ave NE, from where we will start the walk.

Come as you are. If you like, we invite you to wear white and bring a light, bell, or rose.

Love to all.

You can RSVP to the event on facebook here.

You can read about their mission here.

Filed Under: Cowen Park, Events, Ravenna, Roosevelt, University District