Celebrate the holidays Saturday in Lakewood
Join us this Saturday (Dec. 9) to celebrate the holidays in Lakewood at our annual Holiday Parade of Lights, followed by a countdown to a lighting of the Lakewood Christmas Tree.
The parade starts at 4:30 p.m. Arrive at Lakewood City Hall early to line the parade route and check out the festivities. We’ll have roaming entertainment from Vuelta La Luna variety circus, carolers singing holiday favorites inside Lakewood City Hall, kid’s activities and food from local food trucks.
Don’t forget to swing by to see Santa. One will be inside and one will be outside in front of the tree for the perfect photo op. Bring your camera (or smart phone) to snap a pic! We also expect a special appearance by the Grinch.
Gravelly Lake Drive and Main Street will close at 12 p.m. Dec. 9 and remain closed until after the parade.
Are you ready to Jingle?
The City of Lakewood and the Lakes Cross Country Boosters Club partnered to return the Jingle Bell 5k run/walk & 1-mile Kid’s Run to Fort Steilacoom Park.
Join this family-friendly fun run on Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023. The 1-mile Kids’ Run starts at 9:30 a.m. The 5k walk/run starts at 10 a.m.
Strollers, well-behaved dogs on leashes and participants of all ages are welcome. Wear your best holiday outfit – costumes are strongly encouraged!
Pre-register and save money. Pre-registration is $10 for kids 12 and under; $30 for 13+. Race-day registration is $15 for kids 12 and under; $35 for 13+.
This is a chip-timed event. A portion of the race proceeds benefits the Lakes XC Boosters Club, which supports the Lakes High School Cross Country team.
License plate readers identify stolen vehicles in Lakewood
To equip Lakewood police officers with additional tools to assist in the recovery of stolen vehicles, the Lakewood Police Department uses license plate reading technology around the city.
This summer the City of Lakewood contracted with Flock Safety to purchase and deploy the technology, including license plate readers at key locations across the city. The technology identifies stolen vehicles and alerts officers to the general area of the vehicle so they can respond and try to locate it. The system is also a valuable investigative tool that can assist with solving crimes that have already occurred.
Information collected does not compromise individual privacy. Part of the software includes a “transparency portal” which shows how the city uses the information, how long it is kept, what information is reviewed and how many “hotlist” (or stolen) vehicles are identified through the system.
The City of Lakewood transparency portal is now live and can be viewed here.
Hipkins Road to close Dec. 11, 2023 for road improvement project
Road improvement work begins Monday, Dec. 11 on Hipkins Road. The road will close in segments so work can go faster. The first segement to close is between Angle Lane and Steilacoom Boulevard.
The detour will route people around the closure using 104th Street, Hipkins, Angle Lane, Elwood Drive and Steilacoom Boulevard.
The first part of the construction replaces the water main underground. This work is expected to take up the majority of the first few months of the project.
Other improvements include the addition of curbs/gutters, sidewalks, stormwater systems, asphalt paving and streetlights.
Residents in the closure area received information from the city’s contractor about accessing their residences during closures. If you live in the area affected by the closure and did not receive information, please contact Project Manager Kyle Tokita at 253-589-2489 or email [email protected].
This project is being done now before the city continues with improvements to Steilacoom Boulevard between 87th Avenue SW to Weller Road SW. That work is expected to begin this spring/summer.
Over the next year and a half the city expects to complete five more road improvement projects in this area, including near Farwest Drive, Interlaaken Boulevard, 112th Street near Holden Road, 112th Street near Idlewild and along Idlewild.
Council Corner: Dec. 4, 2023 recap
The Lakewood City Council took action on the following items at its regular meeting:
- Authorized the execution of an interlocal agreement with the Washington State Department of Transportation for the Olympic Region Traffic Management Center Communications Services
- Authorized the execution of an amendment to the agreement with Heritage Bank Northwest for banking services
- Authorized the execution of an amendment to the agreement with Systems for Public Safety for fleet maintenance services
- Authorized the award of a construction contract to Miles Resources, LLC, in the amount of $882,340.40, for the construction of the Pine Street Sidewalk project
- Authorized an amendment to the BERK Consulting services contract related to the 2024 Comprehensive Plan Periodic Review and reallocating ARPA funds for the expansion of the Comprehensive Plan Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
- Canceled its Dec. 18 and Dec. 25, 2023 meetings
- Appointed Mark Herr, Philip Lindholm, Ellen Talbo and Sharon Kay Wallace to serve on the Planning Commission through Dec. 15, 2028
- Reappointed Bethene Campbell and Christina Manetti to the Landmarks and Heritage Advisory Board through Dec. 31, 2026
- Adopted the 2023-2024 Mid-Biennial Budget Adjustment ordinance
Watch the meeting
What’s on Deck: The Lakewood City Council meets Monday, Dec. 11, 2023 for a study session at 7 p.m. in Council Chambers. Tentative agenda items include:
- Municipal Court Update
- Review of Public Art Policy
- Reader Board Update
- Review concept of establishing a creative district in Lakewood
- Review options and alternatives related to City Council Rules of Procedure related to Public Comments
How to attend: Attend in person at Lakewood City Hall, 6000 Main Street SW; Join via Zoom (or dial 253-215-8782 and enter meeting ID: 868 7263 2373), or watch live on the city’s YouTube channel.
Police Chief’s Corner
Each week Lakewood Police Chief Patrick D. Smith shares a summary that includes a look at total calls for service the Lakewood Police Department responded to for the prior week. The intent of the summary is to share a snapshot of how the department works each week to keep the community safe. To see quarterly statistical analysis, visit the Lakewood Police Department crime statistics page on the city website.
Weekly Summary, Nov. 28-Dec. 5, 2023
- Calls for Service: 849
- Arrests: 54
- Violent Crime: 22
- Property Crime: 89
- Traffic Stops: 75
- Collisions (reportable): 21
Community Events
Winter Solstace at Lakewold Gardens
Dec. 14-31, Thursdays-Sundays, from 5-8 p.m.
The Winter Solstice marks the shortest day and longest night of the year, bringing with it the promise of increased sunlight in the days ahead. In honor of the occasion, Lakewold Gardens will present a celebration of light featuring art, music and literature from diverse traditions.
Celebrate in the cozy, festively decorated Wagner House, enjoy live music by local musicians, participate in a luminary making activity, take evening walks in the darkened winter gardens, listen to dramatic readings of solstice-themed poems and short stories by Creative Colloquy (Thursdays only), and experience Coming to Light, a new exhibit by the Contemporary QuiltArt Association, with each work inspired by the theme of light.
West Pierce Fire & Rescue Santa at the Station
Visit Santa’s workshop at West Pierce Fire & Rescue: Dec. 12 in Lakewood or Dec. 14 in University Place.
Bring the kids to meet Santa, let him know what they want for Christmas and take a photo. (Parents should be prepared to take the photo). Please bring non-perishable items with you to support a food drive also happening at the event. Thank you in advance for your support.
Don’t forget to bring your letter to Santa. He will take all of the letters back to the North Pole and personally answer as many as he can. Don’t forget to include a return address so he can write back!
Details:
Tuesday, Dec. 12, 5 – 7 p.m.
West Pierce Fire & Rescue Station 21
5000 Steilacoom Blvd SW, Lakewood
Thursday, Dec. 14, 5 – 7 p.m.
West Pierce Fire & Rescue Station 31
3631 Drexler Drive W, University Place
Sign up for Lakewood Alert
The City of Lakewood uses an alert service: Lakewood Alert to notify residents of important information. If there is an emergency in the city that requires public notification, we will use this alert system to send out information related to the emergency.
Subscribers can sign up to receive text and email alerts. People can also sign up for important non-emergency updates including information about road impacts from large events in the city or information about special events.
Find out more and sign up today.
Work for the city of Lakewood
We’re hiring! Looking to change careers? Looking for a new job? Ready to re-enter the job market?
Join the city of Lakewood! We have a variety of positions open across multiple departments. Lakewood offers a competitive benefits package. We are part of the state retirement system (PERS). And the city is a beautiful place to work.
Find a current list of open positions online.
Road project updates
Washington Boulevard
The city’s contractor will continue work finishing concrete, landscaping and electrical connections on Washington Boulevard from Lake City Boulevard to Interlaken Boulevard next week.
Ardmore/Whitman/93rd
Work continues on Ardmore Drive with a full closure of the road from Steilacoom Boulevard to the intersection at Whitman Avenue and 93rd Street. Whitman and 93rd remain open to traffic.
Hipkins Road
This project is scheduled to begin Monday, Dec. 11. The contractor will close the road from Angle Lane to Steilacoom Boulevard, with the first few months of the project focusing on water main replacement along Hipkins Road.
Union Ave: Orchard to Spruce Street
Minor utility work is scheduled next week during the week. Once the utility lines have transferred to new poles, the concrete sidewalk will be poured. Streetlights should arrive soon.