Fiesta de la Familia is Sept. 9
Last year our Fiesta de la Familia was such a hit we decided we needed more room to spread out all the fun. This year’s event is Saturday, Sept. 9 at Fort Steilacoom Park from 12 to 7 p.m.
This celebration of Hispanic culture is focused on family and bringing generations together. There will be free activities for children, live music, live performances that include crowd participation like Flamenco and Salsa lessons, a judged art show showcasing art from local Hispanic artists, car show, mural unveiling and Q&A with artist Angelina Villalobos Soto, traditional foods for sale and more.
- Day-of registration for the car show is $25. Move-in is 11 a.m.
- Bring the kids to decorate Sugar Skull cookies, get their face painted, make balloon art and participate in other free arts and crafts activities.
- Meet Alma from KBTC TV’s Alma’s Way.
- Share your creativity by adding poetry to the poetry tree.
- Bring items to place at the Offrenda, or purchase items to honor loved ones at the event.
- Visit the Print NW booth to see photos of all the utility box wraps recently added around the city and vote on your favorite.
Performances kick-off at 12 p.m. with a salsa dance party and the fun continues into the afternoon and evening. Learn more.
Labor day closure
Lakewood City Hall and city operations will be closed Monday, Sept. 4, 2023 in observation of the Labor Day holiday. Regular operations resume Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2023. City Hall opens at 8:30 a.m.
Parking lot closure at Fort Steilacoom Park
Beginning next week (Sept. 6) the parking lot between the baseball fields and Steilacoom Boulevard at Fort Steilacoom Park will be closed from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. The closure is for public safety while construction crews work in the area to upgrade the fields. Please obey all posted signs.
The closure is in place Monday to Friday only. The lot will be open on weekends. The closure will remain in place through the duration of the construction project, which goes into 2024.
Please also note there is a traffic revision to the one-way loop through the parking lot.
Council Corner: Aug. 28, 2023 recap
At its meeting Monday, the Lakewood City Council heard from the city’s Communications team about the creation of a brand guide to govern city communication and marketing materials. It also received an update from the city’s long-range planning team on the 2024 Periodic Update related to transportation.
State law requires many cities, including Lakewood, to complete a periodic review of its entire Comprehensive Plan and development regulations, including regulations for critical areas and natural resource lands. Lakewood must complete this review by Dec. 31, 2024, and then future reviews every 10 years after. The comprehensive plan and planning regulations must be up-to-date with Growth Management Act regulations to be eligible for grants and loans from certain state infrastructure programs.
Find out more about the 2024 Periodic Review Update process.
Watch the meeting.
What’s on Deck: The Lakewood City Council meets Tuesday Sept. 5, 2023 at 7 p.m. for a regular meeting (note the change in meeting day). Tentative agenda items include:
- Proclamation declaring September 11, 2023 as Patriot Day and Day of Remembrance
- Proclamation recognizing September as National Hispanic Heritage month
- September Business Showcase: Lakewood Barbershop
- Reports by the Lakewood Youth Council & Clover Park School District
- Authorizing execution of an amendment to the agreement with Tetra Tech for Waughop Lake Alum Treatment
- Authorizing the purchase and execution of Microsoft 365 subscription agreement
- Amending Lakewood Municipal Code Chapter 2.14 related to training required of Court Compliance Officer
- Reports by the City Manager: Sewer Connection Update
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, Aug. 22-29, 2023
- Calls for Service: 1,125
- Arrests: 45
- Violent Crime: 30
- Property Crime: 93
- Traffic Stops: 158
- Collisions (reportable): 16
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.
Join the Parks & Rec Advisory Board
Are you looking to get involved with the City of Lakewood? We have two vacancies on our Parks & Recreation Advisory Board. Board members serve in a volunteer capacity and advise the City Council on matters related to parks and recreation within the city.
Members must be Lakewood residents and able to attend regular meetings. Learn about the Parks & Recreation Advisory Board and find the application here. Deadline to apply is Wednesday, Sept. 6 by 5 p.m.
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 continued work grading for curbs, concrete pavement and sidewalks.
Angle Lane/Elwood Drive
Striping of Angle Lane and 87th Avenue SW started Friday and will continue next week. The contractor installed light poles along the Elwood Drive path and at the intersection of Dresden Lane and Elwood Drive. The lights will be turned on as soon as Puget Sound Energy is available to energize the system. Final landscape restoration will occur within the next couple of weeks. Once this is done, the project will be complete.
Union Ave: Orchard to Spruce Street
The City’s contractor will be on site the week of Sept. 11. Construction begins that week. This project will construct curbs, sidewalks and street lighting on the side of Union Avenue closet to Interstate 5. It will be a quick project, taking no more than 6-7 weeks to complete.