Buckley Gulch Park

NENC notice?

2010-02-07T17:25:00.001-08:00

I noticed the other day as I walked through by the TPU site that there's a sign up stating that if you're interested in what happens to this site go to www.nenc.org So I did that and if you can manage to find it on the front page there is a link for an email sign up. It looks like this: THOSE INTERESTED IN THE ONGOING PARKS AND OPEN SPACE DEVELOPMENT CAN SIGN UP FOR A LIST USING THIS LINK

I'm not sure what this is all about to be completely honest. I will email a council member and see what I can find out. Perhaps they are simply gauging what the interest is? If that is the case than please go to the link and sign up for email updates.

Tacoma Open Space Plan?

2009-11-27T19:23:00.000-08:00

http://cms.cityoftacoma.org/planning/OSHP/OSHRP_Maps/OSHRP%20System%20Map%20draft%208-6-08.pdf

On this map there's a proposed trail but I don't know anything else about it!
Any one?

2009-11-27T18:00:00.000-08:00

This is about where we should have turned around and headed back but for some reason, I always want to go just a little bit further...

2009-11-27T17:58:00.000-08:00

You can see that when the gulch gets deep and wide, it's really some wonderful unused park space! Imagine a trail with some benches. It's hard to believe that it hasn't been tapped into yet...

2009-11-27T17:55:00.000-08:00

Under the 21st street bridge.
A lot of graffiti and cigarette butts....

The mystery rope.

2009-11-27T17:53:00.000-08:00

There's not really much of a trail...

Down into Buckley Gulch!

2009-11-27T17:16:00.000-08:00

The other day I was over by the gulch with my six year old and noticed that the blackberries were cleared away and although still a little steep, it was actually accessible to get down into the gulch.
We ventured down for a bit and then came back-up, promising that we would soon try to get all the way through.
Today we almost made it! I went back down in the gulch with my six year old and friend's five year old, a backpack with snacks and water, walkie-talkies, my cell phone and camera.... over two hours later we finally scaled the side of the gulch with lots of ivy vines to hold onto and ended up in a very understanding man's backyard by East and North Streets.
It is necessary to come up at the end of "Buckley Gulch" and cross over a street and get back down at the start of another gulch... not sure what this one is called? It's the one that goes under 21st street and under the other smaller bridge that is closed to cars. In theory it comes out by the Tully's park in Old Town, although we didn't quite make it!
We did discover that underneath the 21st bridge there's a lot of graffiti art and it looks like it's probably a teenage hang-out. We continued on to the next bridge, the trail gets very wet at this point and this is probably where we should have turned back... but didn't. The gulch narrows quite a bit and is very shallow and then widens out and gets much deeper. This is the fun part of the gulch, where you forget that you're in a city! We ran into one deer, who pretty much ignored me while I stood a little over arms length away watching him munch on some vegetation.
The creek here gets undefined and pretty much turns the bottom of the gulch into mud. We tried our best to take the high road and stay out of the mud but ended up very muddy. Then we had no other option but to walk in the creek and our shoes gave out and our feet got wet. I could see the end of the gulch at this point and just make out some grass and picnic table... I think. Unfortunately it was so over grown and wet and the kids were already so wet and muddy I opted to scale the side of the cliff and get us out of the gulch. It was disappointing to give up after getting this far! The man who's yard we climbed up into came out of his kitchen to see what we were up to. He was surprised where we started out!

Well, what have I concluded from this adventure? Wait until summer before venturing out again! Even then we may want to wear our rain boots! I realize now the work that's ahead, if this is going to be turned into an accessible trail! I think it will be necessary to have some boardwalks over some of the wetter areas and lots of little bridges!

What is the story with the federal money to develop a trail system through the gulches, does any one know?
It would be such an awesome place to take my kids to explore there was an actual trail to walk on!
What a cool resource this is though, like I said before you forget you're in the middle of a city until you hear a siren or look up and see houses on the hillside.

News Tribune Editorial

2009-03-23T10:36:00.000-07:00

We got a shout out! Some TPU sites could be pocket parks

It doesn't solve any problems but it's nice that our efforts have at least been mentioned.

Perhaps I should find out just how much the market value is... The only idea I've come up with is that we could some how raise enough money, perhaps with the help of the NENC to purchase the property for the neighborhood.
Of course that would require that TPU give us enough time to do that...

TPU Surplus Update

2009-03-14T10:16:00.000-07:00

Here's a link to another blog with some information about what's happening with the potential sale of the Junett Street property: http://i.feedtacoma.com/morgan/call-action-this-monday-march/

Apparently TPU plans to have the properties on the market within the next couple of weeks!

They need to hear from us! Please contact City Council members and TPU director and board members and let them know we need this property to be saved for community use!

If you have any other ideas please let us know.

Monday's Meeting?

2009-03-12T20:51:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I just realized that for some reason I was thinking this meeting was this Monday... I'll blame pregnancy brain.

I will try and find out what I can about what happened at this meeting and post soon!

TPU Surplus Property Meeting Monday!

2009-03-11T10:55:00.000-07:00

From the News Tribune "Word On The Street" posted by Kathleen Merryman:

"Tacoma Public Utilities will be disposing of nine lots it no longer needs for substations.

According to state law and the city charter, they have to be sold if they're no longer playing the electricity game. The question is, should they be sold to private parties, or to a government agency that will preserve them as public lands.

Morgan Alexander has been harnessing the power of the gardening community to preserve some of the suitable lots as pocket parks or community gardens.

Who knows? Some of them might work as solar demonstration projects, combining solar panels with rows of beets and peas. If the panels feed into the grid, that might make it possible to preserve them as TPU property, and uncomplicate the process?

Alexander is making progress. Already, he is on the agenda for the Metro Parks Board meeting Monday, March 9 at 6pm, Metro headquarters: 4702 S 19th St."

Update

2009-03-04T09:14:00.001-08:00

Some of you may have noticed Kathleen Merryman's article this morning in the News Tribune. Apparently Tacoma Public Utilities (TPU) has a number of surplus properties they are deciding what to do with.

Unfortunately she didn't mention in her article our efforts the last few years to turn our space into a usable neighborhood place.

Another interesting point is an assessment of TPU's surplus land done by Metro Parks asseses that 16th and Junett as being "well served" by Puget and Franklin Parks. They list these parks as being within 3/4 of a mile of the substation property.

Having walked, with children in stroller to Puget Park many times I knew this was incorrect, so I google mapped the distance to these parks and found that Puget is actually 1.5 miles, that's a 3 mile round trip walking with children in stroller! Franklin Park is 1.4 miles one way. In order to walk to either of these parks, crossing busy streets is necessary. In my opinion that's not exactly "well served".

So what can we do? I think at this point it's important to let TPU know that we are still very much interested in the space to use as a park or a park/playground for the neighborhood. We can continue to work with the North End Neighborhood Council in an attempt to acquire the space in some fashion.

You can contact TPU by calling: (253) 502-8377 or emailing: powerinfo@cityoftacoma.com
Here is a link to the website

If any one has any other ideas, please let me know!

Land being appraised...

2008-10-29T15:39:00.000-07:00

Just now realized that I should probably update any one who is following this...

The latest twist is that the power company has decided to get the land appraised to sell! Surprising since when I spoke with a representative just three years ago she told me they have a policy of not "surplussing" or selling land any more because it's impossible for them to buy land again if they need to.
So what has happened to change that in three year? I have no idea.

It would be wonderful if Metro Parks bought the land and turned it into a little park for the neighborhood but I know that's unlikely.

So a new house? An apartment building? I guess time will tell.

If you have any connections at Metro Parks, mention the property to them!

Monday's North End Neighborhood Council Meeting

2008-06-10T09:58:00.001-07:00

Last night's meeting brought us some new information. Tacoma Power has now offered us use of the space in the fenced in area. This is wonderful news as that was the area we had intitially envisioned using for the play area.

The original idea Kassi and I had three years ago was to develop a play area where kids of all ages, toddlers through elementary, could play, and the parents could sit, talk, monitor, and not have to worry about the kids running out. We could get to know our neighbors, meet other families with kids, and have a local community gathering place. We now have the opportunity to create a wonderful multi-use little park!

The only drawback to this new benefit is that we now have more decisions to make which means more time, more brain-power, and more energy. I'm working to stay in the frame of mind that this will result in bringing a much greater asset to our neighborhood than we were able to bring yesterday.

There were many people in support of the park and several opposed. Those opposed had the same concerns they shared at the April meeting. We are definitely aware that there will be areas that need attention, and we are working to establish a long-range management plan to address those areas.

Also, there were some wonderful community members who spoke to community-building, enhancing our area, safety, and an overall concern and passion for the neighborhoods in which we live, work, play, and raise our children. I am touched, inspired, and optimistic about the future Tacoma my children will enjoy and to which they will become contributing members!

Park and Playstructure Idea

2008-06-01T14:41:00.000-07:00

It's Official!

2008-06-01T13:32:00.000-07:00

The postcards have been mailed and received by the neighbors in the North 8th Street to North 21st Street and North Alder to North Steele area.

The meeting is on for Monday, June 9th at 6:00pm. Please come with support to the North End Neighborhood Council general meeting at Trimble Hall, UPS. http://www.nenc.org/

I'll be the one with posterboard...see you there.--Sandi

Meeting Notice

2008-05-14T23:27:00.000-07:00

This is the information going out to the neighbors:

POCKET PARK?
Come to a meeting on Monday, June 9 at 6:00 pm

Discuss possible uses for the Tacoma Power greenspace at North 16th and Junett

Trimble Hall Forum, University of Puget Sound (entry near North 15th and Lawrence)

General meeting of the North End Neighborhood Council www.nenc.org

Meeting Scheduled June 9th!

2008-05-08T12:20:00.000-07:00

No confirmation back from UPS yet, so it's not an absolute. When that happens postcards will go out "roughly between 21st, 6th, Alder and Steele".

I'll post more information about this meeting when I hear more.

Please show up and show your support if you can!

Meeting Today

2008-04-19T21:09:00.001-07:00

We had a nice meeting today, not a big one but a nice one!
Unfortunately none of the neighbors with concerns showed up, so we didn't get a chance to hear more concerns and answer any questions.
There will be a meeting at UPS soon, I'll post that as soon as I know anything. The NENC will pay to post notices to neighbors about that meeting.
I did enjoy meeting with some of my neighbors and having a nice talk about our neighborhood and it's history.

Everyone seemed pretty pleased with the idea of the Evos System, which is pictured below. This link has a nice video that talks about the play structure more and shows it being used by children.

We are hoping with one play structure, the nice native garden next door, and some good benches for setting, to create an environment that will be nice for people with and without children to stop and take a break for bit.

Thank you to everyone who did show up, I really enjoyed talking with you. I look forward to meeting you again at Buckley Gulch Park!

Keep posted for next meetings.

2008-04-11T18:40:00.000-07:00

Friends of Buckley Gulch Clean-Up Day!

2008-04-11T17:59:00.000-07:00

April 19th & 20th
From about 9:30 to 3:30
Where: Buckley Gulch Native Garden Park
Right next to Buckley Gulch Park
Remove Invasive plants and Ivy, plant native plants

Stop pulling weeds around 3 and walk around the corner on the 19th for coffee, tea, and treats and discuss the future of the area! (2914 N. 15th)

For more info about helping out,
Call: 272-0817

Here's one possiblity

2008-04-10T09:16:00.000-07:00

It seems rather large in this picture, I'm not sure if the scale is totally accurate.
The nice thing about this one is it comes in different color options and we can also start smaller, scale down the structure and add more on later (if we can't get all the funds right away).
We would also have a concrete barrier, with dip for wheel chair access. A couple of benches around the structure and we were thinking of putting a picnic table in the drive space. The area would also be contained in some way, landscaping rocks were suggested or a small, attractive fence to keep children out of the alley and street.

2008-04-10T08:55:00.000-07:00

2008-04-09T16:04:00.000-07:00

Buckley Gulch Park/ Old Junett Substation Park

2008-04-09T13:05:00.001-07:00

I thought we should start a blog to keep interested neighbors posted about our progress with this park. The site is an old substation on Junett Street between 15th and 16th Streets. The land is owned by the power company and they have agreed to lease the land to the neighbors to use as a pocket park and put a small play structure on.
It's really an excellent location for a small neighborhood pocket park, the land next to it use to be a vacant lot owned by the city and that land is up next to the edge of Buckley Gulch. There is only one neighbor bordering the property directly.
The vacant lot has been fixed up over the last couple of years and turned into a nice path with native garden. A huge improvement over the muddy path and sometimes garbage dumping ground that it once was! The only "complaint" is that children can no longer run around in there freely because there are so many wonderful things being planted and trying to grow.
After speaking with several of the surrounding neighbors with small children I realized we all had the same dream: to turn the old substation into a neighborhood play area. There's a wonderful example of just such a thing several blocks away in the North Slope neighborhood, on the corner of 8th and K Streets. Here's a link: North Slope Park
If you've ever been there and sat for awhile to enjoy the lovely plants the neighbors have planted and maintained, you'd realize it's a fabulous way to strengthen the sense of community in the neighborhood. Neighbors sit and talk while their children play and get to know each other and also discuss neighborhood happenings, much like the Safe Streets program. It's a great way to get to know your neighbors and stay informed.
I made a few calls and was informed by the power company representative they would not "surplus" the land. They officially will no longer sell land off to the city after selling the K St. land because they realized how difficult it would be to obtain land again, if needed, in a urban area.
Not yet detoured, my neighbor and I (who coincidentally I met at the North Slope Park and she lived right around the corner from me and had children the same age as mine) went to a neighborhood council meeting to see if there was some other way to use the space. We suggested the possibility of sharing the land. A man on the council volunteered his time and energy to look into it. We heard nothing for many months and assumed the power company would not go for the deal. Then we heard they had agreed to it but the lawyers were ironing out the details and then we had a lease agreement!
The only disappointing news was that we couldn't use the space inside the fence! They did agree to letting us use the grass space in front of the fence. Pretty pleased with something instead of nothing, we got to work.
Months, many meetings and looking at many different play structures later we were at a point to approach the council with our ideas and get their feedback and also get a better idea about how much they were willing to spend and if we needed to come up with other funding.
We let the neighbors know, as best we could with printed out fliers from my home computer and three kids in tow! That our presentation was on the agenda for the April North End Neighborhood Council meeting. We were anxious to get the ball rolling so we could have a structure up for the good weather coming! I put my home phone number and received a couple of calls from people who weren't happy about our play ground idea. Rather surprising but only a couple of people and they mostly seemed surprised. For those two calls I received I got twenty times the positive feedback. So off we went to the meeting....
Many supporters showed up, thank you!!! And... a few concerned people.
So our efforts have been derailed a little. Mostly the meeting went as planned, the council gave us some feedback, we have a couple more details to look into. We are setting up another meeting. We are also having a less formal meeting in my home, inviting the neighbors in to discuss what their issues are in a less sterile, warmer environment! We really want to hear what the issues are and see if there's a way to make every one happy. Many issues were, I felt, really adequately addressed at the last meeting, with the North Slope Park being a wonderful example of how successful pocket parks are and what great assets they are to the surrounding neighborhood.

Here are most of the concerns we heard as I remember them:

A) Will there be a homeless problem- No reason to believe that this pocket park would attract homeless folks. We specifically looked at open structures, with no place for someone to hide or sleep. Also we purposely did not look at swings because they take up a lot of space but they also have a tendency of attracting drunk teenagers in the night.

B) Will it create a parking problem- This will be a very small neighborhood pocket park, people walk not drive to these parks. Again, North Slope Park being a wonderful example, with a slightly denser population and no parking problem.

C) Litter- A trashcan will be provided with garbage service, no litter issues at the North Slope Park, no reason to believe this will be an issue here.

D) Lawn Maintenance- We had originally planned to hire the same person who is currently doing the maintenance for the power company. Park of our lease agreement stipulates that we keep the property in the same condition it is in now. Again, using North Slope as an example, the space there looks better than before with neighbors volunteering time and effort to plant and maintain attractive plants.

The next meeting is the home meeting April 19th at 3 pm. You should receive a flier with more info, if you don't for some reason email me or ask your neighbor for more info. I'd rather not post my home address and phone number on the web!
I hope to have some photos of the space posted soon. Meanwhile you can check it out on Google Earth.
Thank you to everyone for all the positive feedback and continuing support with this effort!