Jingle Bell 5k/1-mile Kid’s run is Saturday
The City of Lakewood Jingle Bell 5k is back and better than ever! The city partnered with the Lakes Cross Country Boosters Club to return the Jingle Bell 5k run/walk & 1-mile Kid’s Run to Fort Steilacoom Park.
Haven’t registered yet? It’s OK there’s still time! Register before Saturday and save. Or register day-of at the event.
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-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.
Thanks for joining our parade!
It was a wet one for our annual Holiday Parade of Lights and Tree Lighting, but that didn’t stop our most dedicated parade participants.
We are so grateful and thankful for everyone who entered the parade and helped celebrate the holidays with us. We are even more grateful for the people who lined the route to cheer them on!
The Lakewood Arts Commission announced the following winners of this year’s parade awards:
- Most Spirited: Clover Park School District
- Best Theme (tie): Cub Scout Pack 32 – with Troop 436
- Best Theme (tie): Gene’s Towing
- Most Original (tie): Northwest Trail Rider
- Most Original (tie): PNW Broncos
Congratulations to the winners.
Help us celebrate Councilmember Don Anderson
The public is invited to help us celebrate and recognize Lakewood City Councilmember Don Anderson. We will hold a public event Monday, Dec. 18 from 6-7 p.m. in Council Chambers.
Anderson served the city for 16 years – the longest-serving member currently on the City Council. He held the title of Mayor and Deputy Mayor in that time and made a significant impact on the city and its residents.
We will recognize Anderson with a short program. There will be light refreshments and an opportunity to mingle. The event is at Lakewood City Hall, 6000 Main Street SW.
Register today for 2024 City of Lakewood Wellness programs
From martial arts to meditation, we have it all.
The City of Lakewood is excited to announce a new lineup of wellness-related programming for 2024. Fifteen, multi-week classes were added to the city’s recreation program opportunities.
Most classes begin the second week of January. Registration closes Jan. 4, so don’t delay – sign up today! Classes that do not have enough people signed up by the registration deadline will be canceled.
Find class descriptions, session dates and costs online. Each class has a link to register using ActiveNet.
Road closure detour maps
Two road projects in the city have drivers routed on side streets to avoid the closures.
Ardmore Drive is closed between Steilacoom Boulevard and Whitman Avenue. A detour routes people from Whitman Avenue to 93rd Street over to Bridgeport Way and then to Steilacoom Boulevard.
Once work is done on Ardmore, construction with occur on a segment of Whitman Avenue and 93rd Street, resulting in detours while that work is done. The project is expected to be finished by summer.
Hipkins Road closed this week to traffic between Steilacoom Boulevard and Angle Lane. A detour routes people around the closure using 104th Street, Hipkins Road where it is open, Angle Lane, Elwood Drive and Steilacoom Boulevard. Work is expected to be complete by early summer.
Council Corner: Dec. 11, 2023 recap
The Lakewood City Council held its last study session of the year Monday. Items reviewed included:
Municipal Court Update. Lakewood Municipal Court Judge Lisa Mansfield provided an update on the court’s operations and services it provides like access to therapeutic court to help break the cycle of recidivism in the community.
Review of Public Art Policy. The Lakewood Arts Commission reviewed the city’s existing public art policy and brought forward some proposed updates for the City Council to review and consider.
Reader Board Update. The City Council reviewed proposed locations where an electronic reader board could be installed to communicate information to Lakewood residents and visitors about city happenings. The group identified the entrance to Fort Steilacoom Park and the corner of 96th and South Tacoma Way in front of the Pierce Transit Headquarters building as the two preferred locations for signs.
Creative District. The City Council hear information about what it would take to establish a Creative District within the city. Items reviewed included whether it would be an economic boost to have a district, as well as add support to a local arts and culture scene. Ultimately members agreed it was not the right time to pursue this designation.
City Council Rules of Procedure related to Public Comments. The City Council reviewed its current policies around public comment at its meetings and discussed how it might respond to hate speech or misuse of the public comment period by people wanting to disrupt a meeting.
Watch the meeting
What’s on Deck: The Lakewood City Council does not have anymore public meetings in 2023. It’s first meeting of 2024 is Tuesday, Jan. 2 at 7 p.m. in Council Chambers.
Meeting with state legislators and Pierce County Councilmember Jani Hitchen
The Lakewood City Council held two special meetings this week. The first was with state legislators to review the city’s legislative agenda for 2024. Legislators from the 28th and 29th legislative districts were invited to attend.
The city’s legislative priorities for 2024 at the state level include:
- Continued refinement and updates to new public safety laws (PDF)
- Geographic equity in the discharge of people from state-run facilities (PDF)
Read the City’s full 2024 Legislative Agenda online (PDF)
The City Council met Thursday with Pierce County Councilmember Jani Hitchen. The meeting included a review of the City’s county-level legislative priorities and discussion with Councilmember Hitchen.
The city’s Pierce County priorities include:
- Promoting middle housing development like accessory dwelling units by addressing sewer fees
- Allocation of Opioid settlement funds.
- Identifying ways to respond to the rise in juvenile crime.
- Support for the partnership with the Pierce County Library System to address the urgent need of permanent and safe library spaces in Lakewood.
Read the City’s 2024 Pierce County Policy Manual (2024)
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, Dec. 5-12, 2023
- Calls for Service: 889
- Arrests: 60
- Violent Crime: 28
- Property Crime: 89
- Traffic Stops: 77
- Collisions (reportable): 24
Calling all artists: Utility Wrap designs
Do you have an original design you think would look good on a utility box in the City of Lakewood? Submit your work for review and consideration. Art work must be able to be digitally reproduced.
Submit an application by Feb. 20, 2024 by emailing Sally Martinez at [email protected].
Find out more in this call for artists application (PDF).
Sound Transit Open House summary
Sound Transit is collaborating with the City of Lakewood to build a better-connected network, so more people can walk, roll, bike, and take transit to Lakewood Station and other neighborhood destinations.
After gauging interest on multiple proposals in the winter of 2022-2023, Sound Transit hosted an online open house in the fall of 2023 to share updates and seek feedback on which improvements to prioritize. The online open house was open from Sept. 19 through Oct. 12 and drew over 475 visitors, including 14 visitors to our sites in Tagalog and Spanish.
Read the Executive Summary of the survey and Sound Transit’s next steps.
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.
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
Final asphalt work is complete. The City’s contractor is near the end of this project and expected to continue finishing the remaining concrete work, which is weather dependent.
Ardmore/Whitman/93rd
Ardmore remains closed while crews work on stormwater infrastructure. They will also begin grading for concrete curbin. Whitman Avenue and 93rd Street remain open. Local traffic on Ardmore should continue to use Lexington as access to Ardmore.
Hipkins Road
Closed this week from Angle Lane to Steilacoom Boulevard. The first three months will focus on installation of a new water main. Residents should continue to use the posted detour route, or find alternate routes. The detour uses 104th to the portion of Hipkins that is open, to Angle Lane, to Elwood Drive, 87th Avenue and Steilacoom Boulevard.
Union Ave: Orchard to Spruce Street
Minor traffic impacts will occur when the streetlights are installed.