The Seattle City Council took its final votes on the 2011-2012 budget last Friday.
Unfortunately, as per a recent email from a Councilmember's Aide,
the Council DID NOT alter the Mayor’s proposal for
Carkeek's Environmental Learning Center (ELC) and its public programs.
Carkeek Environmental Learning Center WILL BE CLOSED to the public -
and its public programs will NO LONGER CONTINUE -
EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2011.
Official announcement of these closures will be made Monday, November 22nd.
Sadly, Here's what Seattle residents will loose because of this ill-guided decision:
· Carkeek Park and Llandover Wood trail maintenance & development
· Piper’s Creek Orchard care
· Carkeek Park Beach Docent Program
· Master Foresters Program
· Salmon Stewards Program
· Demonstration gardens
· Preschool environmental education programs (Tot Treks/Tyke Hikes)
· Senior environmental education programs
· An outstanding staff Naturalist
And to make matters worse, in a surprise decision from the City Council,
The Carkeek ELC will be open for rentals ONLY.
School day programs will NO LONGER CONTINUE at Carkeek Park.
School programs will continue ONLY at Discovery Park and Camp Long
The Parks Department states that it is reaching out to partners in the community that will hopefully be able to use the ELC for educational programming. If you’d like to get more updates on this, please stay in touch with Councilmember Sally Bagshaw’s office, as she Chair’s the Council’s Parks Committee.
Contact information for Councilmember Sally Bagshaw is below:
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The staff and volunteers at Carkeek have done more for the community than I can express. Thank you all so much!
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