Truck & Tractor Day is Saturday
Truck & Tractor Day is here! Head to Fort Steilacoom Park Saturday from 12-3 p.m. Let the kids climb on big rigs, honk the horn, ride around the park in the hay wagon and enjoy free activities.
Stroll the pumpkin patch to find the perfect pumpkin to transform into a spooky jack-o-lantern. Stop by the City of Lakewood booth to outfit the kiddos with a yellow hard had. (Pumpkins and hard hats available while supplies last.)
Enjoy a free hayride around Fort Steilacoom Park. Don’t forget to visit the giant slingshot to send mini pumpkins soaring into the sky and crashing to the ground.
While you’re there make sure to visit the local vendor booths. Come hungry. The following food vendors will be on site:
- Manic Meatballs
- Puerto Ensenada
- Taste of Samoa
- Uncle Mike’s Filipino Comfort Food, LLC
- Kona Ice of Lakewood and Puyallup
- Neighbors Mobile Coffee
- Original House Of Donuts
- Squishy Pop Bubble Tea
- Sugar + Spoon
- Old Red Barn Popping Corn
Thank you event sponsors WSECU and Harborstone Credit Union for supporting this family event.
West Pierce Fall Safety Day
Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023 West Pierce Fire & Rescue will host its annual Fall Safety Day event in Lakewood. This event is fun for the entire family. Every child receives a free pumpkin! There will be a food drive held at the event, so please bring non-perishable donations.
Lakewood Police Recruiter Officer Lesha Cockle will be there, so make sure you stop by to say hi and snap a picture with her. Fall Safety Day is held at West Pierce Fire & Rescue Station 21 in Lakewood, 5000 Steilacoom Boulevard SW.
Edgewater Park Master Plan meeting
The City of Lakewood Parks and Recreation Advisory Board invites the public to a community meeting to continue the conversation about updating the Edgewater Park Master Plan.
The meeting will include review of previous work done by the community to create the draft master plan. At the meeting additional information will be gathered around the site, issues it faces and ideas for its future.
The meeting is Oct. 24, 2023 from 5:30-7 p.m. at Lakewood City Hall, 6000 Main Street SW. The meeting will be held in Council Chambers.
Learn more about Edgewater Park and the master plan process.
Council Corner: Oct. 9, 2023 meeting recap
The Lakewood City Council dedicated its time Monday to focus on its legislative priorities for the coming year. This includes priorities at the county, state and federal level.
The City Council continues to push for improvements to state law to increase public safety. This includes changes that address vehicle thefts and increased property crimes across the region. The Lakewood City Council will continue to work with state leaders to encourage changes to the restrictions on vehicular pursuits, and request continued state funding allocations for therapeutic courts to satisfy the state’s new drug possession law. Lakewood also supports continued funding to keep local police co-responder programs operational. These programs pair behavioral health professionals with law enforcement.
Read the proposed legislative agenda. Council is expected to adopt the agenda at its Nov. 6, 2023 regular meeting.
Watch the meeting.
What’s on Deck: The Lakewood City Council meets Monday, Oct. 16, 2023 for a regular meeting at 7 p.m. in Council Chambers. Tentative agenda items include:
- Police Commissioning and Awards Ceremony
- Authorizing the execution of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Nisqually Indian Tribe
- Authorizing the execution of an agreement for the 2023 Electrical Services project
- Appointing Amelia Escobedo to serve on the Landmarks and Heritage Advisory Board through December 31, 2026
- Reappointing Linda Smith to serve on the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee
- Appointing Shauna Alexander and Laura Martinez and reappointing Earl Borgert, Sylviann Estrella, Paige Hansen, Lani Neil and Faaluaina Pritchard to the Lakewood Arts Commission through October 15, 2026
- Appointing Parks and Recreation Advisory Board members
- Resolution naming the plaza area on Motor Avenue “Colonial Plaza”
- Reports by the City Manager: Review of 3rd Quarter (2023) Police Report
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
Lakewood Police Chief Patrick D. Smith wants Lakewood residents to know how the department is working for them. Each week he shares a summary that includes a look at total calls for service for the prior week and the types of crimes reported and responded to by police.
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, Oct. 3-10, 2023
- Calls for Service: 1,063
- Arrests: 57
- Violent Crime: 25
- Property Crime: 79
- Traffic Stops: 126
- Collisions (reportable): 17
Comprehensive Plan Open House
As part of the city’s 2024 Comprehensive Plan Periodic Review process a public open house is planned for Nov. 15, 2023, at 5:30 p.m. The event is hybrid, offering in-person and virtual attendance.
The open house will review the process and general requirements governing the 2024 Periodic Review update. The event will last 45 minutes.
Attend in person at Lakewood City Hall in Council Chambers, 6000 Main Street SW. Attend virtually through Zoom. Or dial 253-215-8782 and enter meeting ID 873 5008 5037. Use passcode 751617 to join the meeting.
Stay up to date on the process by signing up to receive email updates.
Join the Lakewood Planning Commission
Interested in getting involved in city government? There are four vacancies on the Lakewood Planning Commission. Applications are now available for consideration for this all-volunteer commission.
If appointed, the term begins Dec. 16, 2023, and is for five years. The roles and responsibilities of the position are described in the Notice of Vacancy.
Interested? Submit your application by 5 p.m. Nov. 10, 2023. Find the application online.
Be in our holiday parade
Interested in getting your product or goods in front of Lakewood residents?
The application period is also open for anyone interested in participating in our annual holiday celebration. The Holiday Parade of Lights & Christmas Tree Lighting is Dec. 9, 2023 from 4:30-5:30 p.m.
This success of this event relies on community participation. Individuals, groups, businesses, nonprofits, organizations, cub scouts, sports teams, school groups – everyone is invited to join the parade! Find more details in the parade entry application.
Thriving Together Resource Event
The Pierce County Community Navigator team and the City of Lakewood are hosting a FREE Pierce County Thriving Together Small Business Resource event on Oct. 18, 2023 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the McGavick Conference Center at Clover Park Technical College, 4500 Steilacoom Boulevard SW.
This event will offer small business owners and entrepreneurs the opportunity to connect with Pierce County non-profit organizations, government agencies, and community lenders that offer small business support programs and services. Register here.
Sound Transit South Sound survey
Sound Transit launched a survey to solicit public input on the Sounder South Strategic Plan, created in early 2020, which prioritized longer trains to provide more capacity during peak commute periods. The public is being asked whether they prefer new trips, such as on weekends, evenings or midday, rather than longer trains. Survey participants will be entered for a chance to win two tickets to the Nov. 12 Seahawks game versus the Commanders, a $100 gift card (five available) or Sound Transit swag bags (10 available). Take the survey.
Are you a military spouse? Take this survey
The Department of Defense is funding a study of barriers to military spouse employment in Washington to understand ways that the military, local and state governments, and community partners can better support military spouses and families. They want to hear about your experiences with work in Washington – whether you’re currently employed, looking for work, or not employed. Take the 5-minute survey today to help other military spouses and for a chance to win one of several gift cards, up to $200!
www.surveymonkey.com/r/milspouses
If you’re a military member, please share this information with your spouse!
Upcoming community events
Lakewold Gardens: October events
Visit Lakewold Gardens on the weekends in October for activities for all ages. Stop by on Halloween for a Trick-or-Treat scavenger hunt from 6-7:30 p.m.
Starting Oct. 20 Lakewold Gardens kicks off its All Hallows’ Eve: Eerie Enchantments: Poe’s Garden of Shadows. This event runs Friday-Sunday, Oct. 20 to Oct. 29, from 6-9 p.m. Tickets are $20 General; $16 Students, Seniors and Military; $10 for 5-17 years (5 and under free).Learn more.
Then visit the garden on Tuesday, Oct. 31 for a special trick-or-treat scavenger hunt. Kids can search for 10 menacing ravens hidden around the gardens. Find a raven, get a treat. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated. Learn more.
Centerforce Auction is Oct. 27
Don your spookiest or most fun Halloween costume and support a great cause at the same time as Centerforce hosts All Hallows Eve: A Just Like You mixer and auction, presented by KeyBank,on Friday, Oct. 27.
Wine and beer will be available, along with hors d’oeuvres, while visitors browse the silent auction and dance to the DJ spinning tunes. Grab a bottle of wine from the wine pull or try a chance at winning two tickets for travel valid on Alaska Airlines. Tickets are $45 each for the 21-and-older event at Lakewood Elks Lodge #2388, 6313 75th St. W, Lakewood. Doors open at 5 p.m. Costumes are welcome but not required. Purchase tickets.
Do you ‘know when to go’ in an emergency?
With recent wildfires and corresponding smoke inundating our region on people’s minds, the four Western Washington counties of King, Pierce, Snohomish and Thurston are joining forces, along with partners, to launch a regional “Ready, Set, Go!” evacuation campaign.
Learn the evacuation levels and read more.
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. An example of when we recently used this is the Aug. 16 fire in Fort Steilacoom Park. In partnership with West Pierce Fire & Rescue and our West Pierce Emergency Management Coalition, we used the system to notify people of voluntary evacuation orders.
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 continues to grade the roadway. Pavement is expected to be poured at the roundabout at Lake City Boulevard and Washington Boulevard Monday and Tuesday. This work is weather dependent. Work will continue forming and pouring sidewalks in the coming weeks. This is all preparation work for the first layer of asphalt to be laid. The asphalt work is scheduled for Nov. 8-9. The date could change based on unforeseen circumstances.
Angle Lane/Elwood Drive
The contractor is still waiting for replacement lights on the Elwood Trail, but all the other lights are working. The replacement lights will be installed once they arrive in November. The installation of the lights were derailed by theft of materials. The contractor will be on site next week repairing roundabout landscaping that was damaged.
Union Ave: Orchard to Spruce Street
Asphalt paving is expected to begin Monday and continue through Wednesday next week. Concrete and sidewalk and driveway work began this week and will continue through next week. This work is weather dependent and could be bumped if conditions are bad. Access remains open to all businesses and residences along Union Avenue while work is done. People may experience delays due to the number of trucks and the type of work being performed. Please show support by continuing to shop/purchase items from these businesses during construction. This project will add curbs, sidewalks and street lighting on the side of Union Avenue closest to Interstate 5.