We need your help to save Sand Point in Seattle. See following. We would appreciate your help in contacting the Seattle City Council members, even if you do not live in the area. Another case where the local Government not only does not support Community Sailing, but could also eliminate the programs.
Caleb Tarleton
Sail Sand Point
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CITY COUNCIL ACTION THREATENS COMMUNITY BOATING CENTER
Seattle, Washington - July 20, 2008
The Seattle City Council is holding a meeting at 9:30am on Tuesday, July 22nd that may effectively close the Community Boating Center and various recreation opportunities at Magnuson Park's North Shore. Only one year after the completion of the Seattle Parks Department first phase of rehabilitation of the North Shore Recreation Area, at a cost of well over 2.1 million dollars, the City Council may vote to shutter the building and close the area off. Occupants of Building 11 were told only Friday afternoon of this important vote, leaving them precious little time for action.
Sail Sand Point, a community boating center in that building, serves thousands of Seattle residents. Everyone from 6 year old children in their first day camps, to the disabled sailing community, to the Hawaiian Canoeing families stand to lose access if the Council votes to close the building. At a time when opportunities for safe physical activity is in decline, the closure of yet another place for families is devastating.
Locally and nationally Sail Sand Point has been recognized as an important part of Seattle. The possible ending of their tenancy has come only 6 months after being named US SAILING's Community Program of the Year. Locally, Kirkland and Mercer Island have asked Sail Sand Point to open programs in their parks in the past two years. Both these programs continue to grow.
"I'm stunned," reports Executive Director Morgan Collins. "We have been working for ten years to build a great community here in Magnuson Park, and for the city to suddenly turn on us and our thousands of families, well, I just don't understand it."
The city can not afford to repair Building 11 nor can it demolish the building and create green space. If the city council rejects the proposal to repair Building 11 using private funds at their meeting on Tuesday, the building will likely be abandoned in the near future. This will create yet another blighted space attracting crime and vandalism to the area currently enjoyed by the entire Seattle community.
For more information on Sail Sand Point:
Morgan Collins
morgan@sailsandpoint.org7777 62nd Ave NE #101
Seattle, WA 98115
206-525-8782
Save Sail Sand Point!
Dear Sand Point sailors, supporters, and neighbors:
We need your help.
We were informed this afternoon that, despite 3 years of negotiations with the City and individual meetings with 6 City Council members over the past few weeks, Council Member Tom Rasmussen-- the head of the Parks Committee-- is ready to kill our proposal to renovate Building 11 and thus evict-- almost immediately-- Sail Sand Point, Seattle Raft and Kayak, Hobie Cats Northwest, and all other tenants of Building 11.
Apparently, there is absolutely no support on the Parks Committee to even forward our proposal to the full Council for a vote. It seems our City Council Members have no idea about the impact our programs and services have on the community.
The only way we can conceivably get a supporting vote is for our supporters, sailors, kids, neighbors, etc. to pack the house and make the Council realize that we are not happy with this decision.
While both the committee and time are working against us, we believe that, with the steadfast support you all have shown in the past, we can make them see that we are an integral part of our community.
This is a very real threat to all of us here at Building 11 and we need your support more than ever, now that the impending meeting is scheduled for this Tuesday, July 22, 2008 at 9:30 am.
Again, we realize it is late notice, but please mark your calendars for this upcoming Tuesday, July 22, 2008 at 9:30 and make an appearance at Seattle City Hall to show your support for Sail Sand Point.
The meeting will be held at the Seattle City Hall, second story Council Chamber (at the top of the grand stairway).
The official City Hall address is 600 4th Avenue, but the building takes up the entire block bounded by 4th, 5th, James and Cherry. There is a convenient parking garage on 6th between Cherry and James-- City Hall is a block west (toward the water).
If you are coming from Magnuson Park, take I5 south and get off at Exit 165A towards James Street. Merge onto 6th Avenue. The parking garage is just past Cherry.
Please arrive a little early (at least 9 am) and if you can speak in support of the programs at Building 11 that would be fabulous. Even just showing up in support would be greatly appreciated. The more kids, the better!
Let's show the City Council how important saving Building 11 and Sail Sand Sand Point is!
Important Update--Please Read!
The underlying issue is not that the city council doesn't love SSP and the tenants of Building 11. The issue is that the city council is against the city signing a long-term contract with a private organization.
There is no funding in the city or parks budget to maintain Building 11. If the building is not maintained, it then becomes a hazard, and the fire department will be obligated to shut down Bldg 11. Since there are no funds to tear down Bldg 11 or turn it into a green space, Bldg 11 will become an empty, unusable shell like Bldg 27, the hangar across the parking lot.
This is the bottom line:
The city cannot afford to maintain the building, and it is therefore necessary to have the city partner with someone who can. Saving the building saves the tenants. If the building closes due to lack of funding, the tenants will be forced to vacate.
We need to encourage the council to approve a long-term contract with a private party so the building can be maintained and the tenants of Bldg 11 will be allowed to stay. With a stable landlord the tenants of Bldg 11 will be able to enter into long-term leases and and the future of their programs will be secure for many years-- not the month-to-month situation we are in now with the city.
This type of long-term contract is not unusual or new. The city has precedence for making these types of contracts, such as the city's contract with the Seattle Supersonics/Storm and their use of the Key Arena.
So, to summarize, it is the idea of the building's contract and not the legitimacy of Sail Sand Point that the council is questioning. But Sail Sand Point will cease to exist if they lose their location because Bldg 11 is not maintained.
For those of you who saw the KING 5 newscast on Saturday, you know that Tom Rasmussen intends to kill the Bldg 11 proposal Tuesday morning. That is why it is so important that you attend the City Council meeting Tuesday morning at 9:30 am to show your support.
If you cannot attend the meeting on Tuesday, July 22, 2008 at 9:30 am, you can still help to save Sail Sand Point! We need supporters to write a message of support for the plan to renovate Building 11, and email the individual members of the Parks Committee listed below.
Please put "Building 11 at Magnuson Park" in the subject line.
Remember... They are being told there is NO SUPPORT in the community for Building 11. They haven't yet heard from the actual park users.
The writer should indicate why they feel strongly that the City should maintain the existing programs in Building 11, ask for their strong support for our plan, and encourage them to vote to move the issue out of the Parks Committee and on to a full council vote as soon as possible. A form letter is written below.
Here's the list of emails for the council:
Tom Rasmussen
tom.rasmussen@seattle.govRichard Conlin
richard.conlin@seattle.govJan Drago
jan.drago@seattle.gov Tim Burgess
tim.burgess@seattle.govSally Clark
sally.clark@seattle.govJean Godden
jean.godden@seattle.govBruce Harrell
bruce.harrell@seattle.govRichard McIver
richard.mciver@seattle.gov Nick Licata
nick.licata@seattle.gov And finally, even people that do show up should consider sending emails as well.
Thank you for your continued support!
Form Letter for the City Council
Example of a letter to the City Council:
It is my understanding that on Tuesday, July 22nd, at 9:30 am, the Parks and Seattle Center Committee will meet to discuss a proposal from a group known as Building 11, LLC. By not voting FOR the proposal the City will be effectively closing the Community Boating Center and various other recreational activities at Magnuson Park's North Shore.
Only one year after the completion of the Seattle Parks Department first phase of rehabilitation of the North Shore Recreation Area, at a cost of well over 2.1 million dollars, the Parks and Seattle Center Committee and potentially the City Council is now considering a vote that, if not approved, could result in shuttering Building 11 and closing the area off for good.
The mission of Building 11, LLC is to renovate the building which currently houses Sail Sand Point. I am deeply concerned about the future of Sail Sand Point, and would ask the Committee to consider the impact on youth sailing should Sail Sand Point cease to be.
Sail Sand Point, a community boating center in Building 11, serves thousands of Seattle residents. Included are 6 year old children in their first day camps, the disabled sailing community, and the Hawaiian Canoeing families. All these groups and more stand to lose access if the Committee and subsequently the Council votes to close the building. At a time when opportunities for safe physical activity is in decline, the closure of yet another place for families is devastating.
Locally and nationally Sail Sand Point has been recognized as an important part of Seattle. The possible ending of their tenancy has come only 6 months after being named US SAILING's Community Program of the Year.
The City cannot afford to repair Building 11 nor can it demolish the building and create green space. If the committee rejects the proposal to repair Building 11 using private funds in their meeting on Tuesday, the building will likely be abandoned in the near future. This will create yet another blighted space attracting crime and vandalism to the area currently enjoyed by the entire Seattle community.
Please vote to approve the proposal with Building 11, LLC. This proposal will save the City the $2 million cost of tearing down the building or the $500,000 needed to mothball it. This is precious money the City could use elsewhere. A vote for the proposal will save Sail Sand Point, the other recreational activities currently operating out of Building 11 and insure that there is a safe place for Seattle’s families to come and enjoy Lake Washington.
2007 Seasonal Program of the Year
Sail Sand Point has been named as the outstanding seasonal sailing program for 2007. That's right.. you're the best in the nation! We were chosen because of our work in creating programs that open Lake Washington and provide sailing to everyone in Seattle. All those hours of sailing, sunshine and fun have finally paid off. Congratulations to our great staff and all our sailors.
