SAMI Move Starts Today

Contacts:         

Michael Thompson, Public Information Officer, (253) 305-1092; michaelt@tacomaparks.com

 

SAMI portables in Point Defiance will relocate to former Camp 6 Site starting Monday

Public advised to plan for traffic disruptions on Five Mile Drive – move anticipated to take several days

 

Tacoma Public Schools will begin moving the portable classrooms used by the Science and Math Institute (SAMI) from the Triangle area of Point Defiance Park to the former Camp 6 Site beginning Monday, June 29.

 

The move will take several days and the public is advised to expect traffic disruptions at the park’s Mildred Street entrance and along Five Mile Drive between the entrance and the former logging museum site.

 

Waterfront Phase 1 construction is scheduled to begin the week after Independence Day as the  City of Tacoma launches work to create a stormwater treatment facility. The new stormwater facility is designed to protect the health of Puget Sound by filtering pollutants from the runoff of the neighboring 754-acre watershed which currently flow directly into the sound. Contaminated soils will be excavated from the area in conjunction with the construction.

The urgency of these Waterfront Phase 1 projects has increased the need to relocate SAMI portable classrooms from the Triangle, located to the right of the Pearl Street entrance. Construction of the treatment facility will reduce parking in this and the relocation of the  will provide temporary boat trailer parking until a larger, improved parking area opens in 2017. 

 

To make way for the construction, Metro Parks and Tacoma Public Schools decided to temporarily move the portables to the former Camp 6 Logging Museum site.

 

After a shared-use environmental learning center opens at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in the 2016-2017 school year, phase-out of the portables from the former Camp 6 can begin.

Metro Parks has a longstanding commitment to use Point Defiance Park for educational opportunities. The SAMI experience in the park has been a success that shows with a 98 percent graduation rate. The park and school districts will continue to explore opportunities to enhance additional environmental learning spaces throughout the park during the detail planning phase. 

 

Waterfront Phase 1, the environmental learning center at the zoo and planning for the former Camp 6 are all part of Destination Point Defiance, a long-term planning initiative to enhance the experience and honor the character of Point Defiance Park. More information is available at www.DestinationPointDefiance.org.

 

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Blue Octopus Hosts Alternative Taste Party

If you are looking for something food and beverage related without the crowds, local art shop (and the only champagne room in the state) is hosting a Taste event to meet your needs. Details about the Blue Octopus party below (5013 N. Pearl) or respond via this link.

One block from Point Defiance Park...The The Blue Octopus will host a Craft Beer/Champagne/Wine garden and offer specials inside the boutique as well. The VietNom Nom food truck will be here Saturday and Sunday 12-sold out. Champagne, Banh-Mi, Egg Rolls and Champagne or Beer in 90° weather? Oh yeah...we have air conditioning! Face painting for the kids in the parking lot, working on Live Music....great atmosphere and fo sho great food

Come See Us!
.
We love you Tacoma!!

Rust Granddaughter Visits

Ruston's founder, William R. Rust, is long since gone. But a few of his family remain. Today one of his two living granddaughters paid a visit from southern California. Helen Rust Watts and her nephew came by town center to view the new bust of her grandfather. Ms. Watts and her sister, along with a great-granddaughter helped make the statue a reality by giving generously to the fund raising efforts.

To honor her visit, several local dignitaries joined Ms. Watts. Pictured are Ms. Watts and her nephew, Bill Baarsma, former mayor of Tacoma and current leader in the Tacoma Historical Society, Ruston council members Jim Hedrick, Jane Hunt, Lyle Hardin and his wife Patti, Ruston-Point Defiance Business District president John Trueman, Cliff Kendall of Wren & Willow who donated the labor for the base,  Loren Cohen of Point Ruston who also contributed to the fund raising, artist Paul Michael and Shari Hart with City of Tacoma. 

The business district is selling bricks to help off-set costs. They will be added to a plaza around the statue. You can purchase your own piece of history via this link.

Business District Banners Flying

After four long years of poking and prodding and begging and pleading and planning, the Ruston - Point Defiance Business District banners are installed on the new light poles along the Ruston side of Pearl Street. Work is underway to get banners on the Tacoma side soon. The project was designed and spearheaded by district members LILT, a local graphics design firm. In keeping with the octopus design started with Point Ruston's mural, the sea-life theme carries up the hill to the business district. With these new colorful banners, hopefully folks will make their way up the hill as well and visit our great shops.

Free Boot Camp At Rust Park

Heidi Grace Kress, local artist, blogger and mom extraordinaire has another talent - she runs boot camps and does training. She is offering a free boot camp at Rust Park all summer, free to anyone who wants to join. She is asking for a head count, so if you want to get in on the fun, contact her on Facebook here.  All the details are below:

Hello!!!

💪🏼Summer boot camp 2015!!!!

The details are as follows:

📍It's free!!
(Some of you have asked me to train you...my plan is to do this program free for all this summer and I'll see where it goes from there.) so...yes...it's free!!
📍We will be holding class Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 10 AM.
📍it starts June 23rd and will go through summer
📍it's at the Rust park in Ruston (north Tacoma) it's right across from my house.
5336 north commercial street
Ruston, Wa 98407
📍kids are welcome!
(It is sitted down low and fully fenced in)
📍bring friends...it's open to all!
📍 it focuses on strength and conditioning with Boot Camp style coaching.
📍be prepared...it'll be tough!😁and... awesome !😀

I'd love to gauge how many of you are going to be there...this is the first year I have been able to accommodate this and I think it's going to be a pretty good sized group! so...text back if you're interested so I can make sure to plan workouts that will accommodate everybody!!

Equipment: I have some equipment and have purchased some for this group...
But...although it is NOT required...it would be helpful if you could come with your own
-kettle bell
- Medicine ball
- dumb bells
- jump rope
- mat
let me reiterate it is absolutely not required that you bring these items!!!

On a separate note there are many people that have been in my classes that I don't have information for but I know you are your friends so please feel free to spread the word!! I'm planning to bring in a couple of guest instructors and do a couple "adventure" workouts too this summer.

Keep in mind I am coming out of two years of injury...some health issues and well...life with four babes...so I'll be getting back in shape and sweating right along with you... I am also more than willing to do a lifting and cardio schedule that you can do on the off days. -let me know if there's interest and I'll prepare that. I promise I'll make it worth your time!

I think that's it...but seriously I am forgetful and love gentle reminders, so if I forgot something please tell me!! I am super excited 😊and look forward to seeing you and reconnecting with you!!

Heidi

Taste of Tacoma This Weekend

The 30th annual Taste of Tacoma starts at our doorstep this Friday, June 26th. Get the "Parking For Sale" signs out of the garage, fill up the water bottles and get ready for the usual ride! The first 300 entrants get a free cupcake from Hello Cupcake - the popular bakery in downtown Tacoma. More details and schedule available at www.tasteoftacoma.com.

Sound to Narrows Race This Weekend

 Metro Parks released the following today:

June 10, 2015

 

Contacts:         

Michael Thompson, Public Information Officer, (253) 305-1092; michaelt@tacomaparks.com

 

Road access into Point Defiance Park will be limited Saturday morning; Vassault Park also affected

 

The 43^rd Running of the Sound to Narrows Race will take place Saturday, June 13, and road access into Point Defiance Park will be limited:

·         Mildred Street entrance: Closed from 6 to 11 a.m.

·         Pearl Street entrance: Closed to all traffic until the last runner/walker is through. Metro Parks anticipates all runners will be out of the park by 11 a.m.

 

Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium and Point Defiance Park will be open during the event Parking can be found nearby in Ruston or North Tacoma. The outer loop gate to Five Mile Drive will open at its regular time of 1 p.m.

 

Vassault Park’s parking lot also will be closed Friday, June 12, and Saturday, June 13, to allow for race staging. The park’s field will be closed all summer to allow turf to grow after last year’s soil remediation program.

 

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Established in 1907 by Tacoma voters, Metro Parks Tacoma was the first independent park district created in Washington State.

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