What is the Squire Park Community Council (And Why Should You Care?)
The Squire Park Community Council is a neighborhood organization recognized by the City of Seattle Department of Neighborhoods as the council for the area bounded by E. Union Street, 23rd Avenue, S. Jackson Street, and 12th Avenue. There is no “Squire Park” in Squire Park, in case you were looking. The name comes from William Squire who was the first governor of Washington State and the first developer of much of the real estate that is currently within the area of the present community council boundary.
SPCC was incorporated over 20 years ago and has met continuously since then. The board meets monthly and, four times a year, Saturday meetings are held with the goal of bringing together all residents interested in working together for the community, or simply meeting neighbors face to face.
Our neighborhood is one that has been changing quite recently. One of the clear needs is a greater range of opportunities for people to meet each other and share views and hopes for the community. A lot of people have ideas for building community. Most of those ideas could be better accomplished through working with other neighbors. SPCC meetings are a way of getting in touch with those other neighbors.
At SPCC quarterly meetings, we try to invite guests who will contribute to informative or provocative discussions. Guests at recent meetings have included Darrell Vange, developer of the Goodwill/Dearborn Street project, Larry Evans, coordinator of the Coalition to Prevent Black against Black Crime, Seattle City Council members, representatives of the East Precinct Crime Prevention Council, representatives of the Parks Department, and many, many more.
At the January 10 meeting, we will be joined by Seattle School Board Director Mary Bass and Darren Redick of Swedish Medical Center. More information about current issues relating to Seattle Public Schools and proposed development by Swedish and Sabey can be found elsewhere in this issue and on www.CentralDistrictNews.com.
The Squire Park neighborhood is big and its population is diverse. SPCC Board members and other dedicated residents deliver, door-to-door, almost 3,000 SPCC Newsletters each quarter. Each one of us expects (well, maybe hopes) that every person to whom we deliver the Newsletter will read it and decide to attend a meeting. We do take it personally when you don’t accept our invitation. If you haven’t been to a meeting, or if it’s been a while, why not this time? Besides “business,” there will be refreshments and informal socializing. This month we’ll be meeting again at the CAMP Firehouse—one of our neighborhood’s historic landmarks.
The SPCC board, a group of approximately 13 people, elects new members each January.
There are openings this year, and all interested people are encouraged to consider running for board election. To learn more about that, come to the SPCC board meeting on January 6 at 7:00 P.M. at Pratt Fine Arts in the orange building, or contact a SPCC board member.
SPCC does not charge dues and does not receive regular financial support from any source other than neighborhood residents. (The Seattle University Bookstore generously photocopies our newsletter.) For meeting space, refreshments at meetings, and for all other expenses such as office supplies and postage, we rely on donations from residents. Contributions of any amount are very much appreciated. To make it easier for you to contribute, we have set up a Pay Pal Account.
See you on January 10!
—SPCC