City hosts “12th Man” party to open Cross Kirkland Corridor
KIRKLAND, Wash. – Fans of the Cross Kirkland Corridor (CKC), and of course, the Seattle Seahawks, are invited to put their best “12th Man” costume on, dress up the kids, decorate a bike or stroller, gussy up the dog and join the Kirkland City Council on the Cross Kirkland Corridor to celebrate the opening of the newly completed Interim Trail.  The “Trail Great” party will start at 12 p.m. on Saturday, January 31, 2015 at the Northeast 68th Street Bridge. Come hear 12 people announce 12 different ways to enjoy the Corridor, watch the Council wave a 12th Man flag on the 12 foot wide bridge at Northeast 68th Street, and celebrate with friends from all of Kirkland’s neighborhoods. Limited parking is available at Lakeview Elementary School, 10400 Northeast 68th Street.  Walking, biking or strolling are highly recommended and remember, if you go out and back the full distance of the CKC – you will have gone nearly 12 miles.

“This is another exciting milestone for the Cross Kirkland Corridor and we are so pleased to officially join the community in the opening of the Interim Trail,” notes Mayor Amy Walen.  A grand opening event is being planned for later in the spring.

At the end of January 2015, work on the Interim Trail will be completed.  A compacted crushed gravel surface is now in place the full length of the trail, which extends from 108th Avenue Northeast and ends at Slater Avenue Northeast.  With the exception of the Northeast 124th Street and Totem Lake Boulevard intersection, the rail ties have been removed, the crossings have been paved, and rapid flashing beacons have been installed.  Additionally, asphalt approaches to intersections, concrete sidewalks, and safety fencing along sensitive areas have been installed.

Following the City’s “Trail Great” party, at 2 p.m., the Kirkland Chamber of Commerce is hosting a Seahawks Rally at Marina Park.  For rally information, visit www.kirklandchamber.org or call 425-822-7066.

For more about the CKC Interim Trail, visit www.kirklandwa.gov/crosskirklandcorridor and get project updates on the CKC Facebook.

How was your MLK Day here in Central Houghton?

LWSD Boundary Change Process
To find out more information about the process go to http://www.lwsd.org/News/Reboundary/Pages/default.aspx
To provide your input for the Lake Washington area go to http://www.lwsd.org/News/Reboundary/Pages/LWLC-2015.01.09.aspx

Park Board Chair Adam White
The Park Board Chair was at the meeting. He provide us with an update on some of the park projects. Park meetings are the second Wednesday of the month, same as the KAN meetings.

• ARC (Aquatic Recreation Center) – still looking for locations. Totem Lake is always interesting but looking at multiple locations including Parmac (over by Pump it up). Juanita had too much opposition, the area doesn’t want park turned into a building or have the additional traffic. LWSD is doing a study for new boundaries of building usage. They are not looking to add swimming facilities. PeterKirk pool does not have the infrastructure to handle year round. The city still has time since the school bond did not pass so a decision is not needed immediately. Ideally, they would find a property with first right refusal so it could be put on the ballot for 2016.
• Waverly Beach and Terrace park are to be updated in 2015.
• Houghton Beach is getting WIFI
• Google is developing along the trail

Neighborhood Matching Grant Update
The Neighborhood Matching Grant Program provides Kirkland neighborhoods the opportunity to apply for City funds to improve the quality of life in neighborhoods. Neighborhood matching grant funds have resulted in many physical improvements in the neighborhoods as well as community building activities.

We will be using our grant money to pay for our website, the HoughtDown picnic, H style signs and recruitment efforts.

Thanks to Brian for submitting the paperwork!

For more information see - http://www.kirklandwa.gov/depart/CMO/Neighborhood_Services/Matching_Grants.htm

Neighborhood Safety Program Update
The City Council authorized the Neighborhood Safety Program (NSP) in June 2014. The purpose of the Program is to reenergize Neighborhood Associations by empowering them to work collaboratively to identify, prioritize and address pedestrian and bicycle safety issues in Kirkland neighborhoods.

Three preliminary projects were submitted: 1) Improvements to the NE 60th Street connection to the Cross Kirkland Corridor 2) Improvements to the asphalt at the base of NE 60th Street pedestrian bridge and 3) Addition of a sidewalk on the east side of 112th Avenue NE between ICS and 68th.

Next update on the submitted projects will be at the NSP Workshop on Jan 22. Brian and Lisa to provide update after meeting.

For more information see - http://www.kirklandwa.gov/depart/CMO/Neighborhood_Services/NSP.htm 

Goals for the upcoming two year cycle 
Discussion of what CHNA meeting attendees would like to see happen in the next two year cycle. Events - HoughtDown, Green Kirkland, CKC Opening day event. Meetings - joint meetings with Everest, Lakeview, and Moss Bay Neighborhood Associations. Land use issues - Houghton/Everest Business center, neighborhood plan update, city council, Sound Transit, safety. Community Service. 

Please provide us with your feedback (either by reply email or post on FB) on what you think the CHNA goals should be over the next two years. We would also like to get your input on the following questions:

• What values are most important to CHNA?
  
• What symbols would you like to see associated with CHNA?
  
• Are there programs/organizations you’d like to see CHNA work closely with?
  
• What ideas do you have to invigorate our neighborhood?
  
• What would motivate you to get involved with CHNA?
  

Do you want to have input on what goes into the Houghton-Everest Neighborhood Business Center (Met Market area)? As part of our goals for 2015, we would like to engage the other neighborhoods in discussions of their vision for  Houghton-Everest Neighborhood Business Center. We hope to get joint meetings with Everest, Lakeview and Moss Bay in April, June and October. Please join us in this process.

Our next meeting is Wednesday, Feb 4th, 7pm at Fire Station #22.

Stay in touch!!
Join our group on Facebook    https://www.facebook.com/groups/1376693919236398/
Check the website www.houghtonlives.com

Kirkland has made a couple changes to their recycling service in 2015 to make their recycling process more efficient. Plastic bags and aluminum foil are no longer accepted in your curbside recycle bins and dumpsters. Plastic bags can still be recycled at drop points throughout the region (in Kirkland, the Parkplace QFC and Totem Lake Fred Meyer) as well as at Styrofest. Aluminum foil should be thrown away.

At the recycling center, the vast majority of plastic bags are not actually getting recycled; they are ground up, contaminating other commodities, or get wound up in the machinery, causing downtime for the whole recycling plant. Aluminum foil burns up in processing, according to our recyclers, and is usually food-soiled anyway.

Agenda for Central Houghton Neighborhood Association Meeting
Wednesday, January 7, 2015 at 7:00pm
Houghton Fire Station 22
6602 108th Avenue NE

1) Neighborhood Matching Grant Update
The Neighborhood Matching Grant Program provides Kirkland neighborhoods the opportunity to apply for City funds to improve the quality of life in neighborhoods. Neighborhood matching grant funds have resulted in many physical improvements in the neighborhoods as well as community building activities. In the past, Central Houghton has used its grants primarily for the HoughtDown and neighborhood communications (website, newsletter, mailings, etc.). We will be finalizing our grant requests for the upcoming cycle.

- Top of the list will be the HoughtDown
- H style signs for meetings
- HoughtDown recruitment event at the Lakeview PTSA
- Adverts in Kirkland Reporter


Key dates for Neighborhood Matching Grants
Application due - no later than January 31, 2015
Awards Announced - February 16, 2015
Projects Commence upon receipt of signed contract
Project end - December1, 2016
Reimbursement Deadline - December 10, 2016
Final Reports Due - January 31, 2017
For more information see - http://www.kirklandwa.gov/depart/CMO/Neighborhood_Services/Matching_Grants.htm

2) Neighborhood Safety Program Update
The City Council authorized the Neighborhood Safety Program (NSP) in June 2014. The purpose of the Program is to reenergize Neighborhood Associations by empowering them to work collaboratively to identify, prioritize and address pedestrian and bicycle safety issues in Kirkland neighborhoods.

Three preliminary projects were submitted: 1) Improvements to the NE 60th Street connection to the Cross Kirkland Corridor 2) Improvements to the asphalt at the base of NE 60th Street pedestrian bridge and 3) Addition of a sidewalk on the east side of 112th Avenue NE between ICS and 68th.

Key Dates for NSP
NSP Workshop - January 22, 2015
Applications available - January 22, 2015
Applications Due - No later than February 9, 2015
Panel Review - March 11, 2015
Panel Decision - March 25, 2015
City Council Decision - April 21, 2015
Projects Announced - By end of April 2015
Projects End - June 1, 2016
For more information see - http://www.kirklandwa.gov/depart/CMO/Neighborhood_Services/NSP.htm 

3) Goals for the upcoming two year cycle - discussion of what CHNA meeting attendees would like to see happen in the next two year cycle. Events - HoughtDown, Green Kirkland, CKC Opening day event. Meetings - joint meetings with Everest, Lakeview, and Moss Bay Neighborhood Associations. Land use issues - Houghton/Everest Business center, neighborhood plan update, city council, Sound Transit, safety. Community Service things.