June 3, 2022: Lakewood Headlines
The summer edition of Lakewood’s seasonal community magazine was delivered last week. The magazine previews Lakewood’s upcoming special events and takes a close look at the work of code enforcement and the police department.
The most painful phase of construction in Lake City is nearly over. Gravelly Lake Drive, Washington Boulevard, and Veterans Drive should all be completely open by late Friday. Only a few final touch-ups remain, and will be performed during occasional late-night closures in June.
City Council gathered for a special retreat focused on homelessness on Tuesday, the latest in a string of retreats and listening sessions. The county is considering construction of a “tiny home village”, inspired by the success and value of a project in Austin, Texas.
Tomorrow is “Row, Paddle, Canoe Day” at Harry Todd Park, and Tuesday is Opening Day for the Lakewood Farmers Market. Our exciting summertime special events are back!
Summer Edition of Connections Magazine Delivered
Another edition of Lakewood’s seasonal magazine should have hit your doorstep this week. The magazine is mailed quarterly to every Lakewood residence.
In this edition, we preview the City’s jam-packed calendar of exciting summer events. SummerFest returns to Fort Steilacoom Park on Saturday, July 23. Four ‘Saturday Street Festivals’ will be held at Colonial Plaza. The Lakewood Farmers Market season begins next Tuesday, and six outdoor concerts are scheduled.
This edition also features “ride-alongs” with our code enforcement team and police department. Lakewood’s code enforcement team has an important role in ensuring safe and sanitary rental conditions. Our police department is reckoning with inhibitive new legislation.
We hope you enjoy the magazine. If you didn’t receive a print copy, you can pick one up from City Hall or review the online version here.
Phase 1 of JBLM North Access Road Improvement Project Nearly Complete
The most painful phase of construction on Gravelly Lake Drive is just about over. Washington Boulevard is now completely open, and Gravelly Lake Drive will completely open today. New roundabouts are operational at Washington Boulevard and Interlaaken Drive, Washington Boulevard and Gravelly Lake Drive, and Gravelly Lake Drive and Veterans Drive.
Lake City commuters can expect occasional late-night closures throughout June as some final paving and striping is performed. Aside from those overnight closures, the most inconvenient detours and closures will be complete by late Friday.
Sign up for email updates on the project here.
Lakewood City Council Hard At Work To Address Homelessness
Following a fruitful Community Coffeehouse conversation last week and a special City Council retreat dedicated to homelessness in March, the City Council gathered for another homelessness-focused retreat on Tuesday evening.
Representatives from the South Sound Housing Affordability Partners, Pierce County, and the City of Lakewood presented trends and solutions related to homelessness. From subsidized housing, entry-level housing, housing preservation, homelessness outreach, rental assistance, and shelter expansion are all ongoing throughout Lakewood and Pierce County.
Row, Paddle, Canoe Day is Tomorrow and the Farmers Market Opens Tuesday
Lakewood’s exciting summer events are back. Row, row, row a kayak around American Lake with us tomorrow at Harry Todd Park for Row, Paddle Canoe Day.
You might also join us at Fort Steilacoom Park on Tuesday, June 7 for the opening day of the Lakewood Farmers Market.
Lakewood Row, Paddle, Canoe Day
Saturday, June 4 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Harry Todd Park
8928 N Thorne Ln SW, Lakewood, WA 98498
Lakewood Farmers Market Opening Day
Tuesday, June 7 from 2:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Fort Steilacoom Park
8714 87th Ave SW, Lakewood, WA 98498
More Headlines
- Registration for our summertime youth Outdoor Adventure Camp is now open.
- The downtown Lakewood library closes Sunday, June 5. A temporary location will be established.
- Pierce County Specialized Recreation programs are open to kids with and without disabilities.
- Free or discounted internet service is available to low-income residents
- The City invites public comments related to tree code following a report produced by a tree advisory committee
Events
| Event | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Paddle, Row, & Canoe Day | June 4, 2022 | Harry Todd Park |
| Lakewood Farmers Market | June 7, 2022 | Fort Steilacoom Park |
| Lakewood Farmers Market | June 14, 2022 | Fort Steilacoom Park |
| Saturday Street Festivals: Carnival of Cultures | June 18, 2022 | Colonial Plaza |
| Lakewood Farmers Market | June 21, 2022 | Fort Steilacoom Park |
| Lakewood Farmers Market | June 28, 2022 | Fort Steilacoom Park |
| Summer Nights Concert: Afrodisiacs | June 28, 2022 | Fort Steilacoom Park |
| Lakewood Farmers Market | July 5, 2022 | Fort Steilacoom Park |
| Lakewood Farmers Market | July 12, 2022 | Fort Steilacoom Park |
| Summer Nights Concerts: Herding Cats | July 12, 2022 | Fort Steilacoom Park |
| Lakewood Farmers Market | July 19, 2022 | Fort Steilacoom Park |
| Summer Nights Concerts: Olsen Brothers | July 19, 2022 | Fort Steilacoom Park |
| SummerFest | July 23, 2022 | Fort Steilacoom Park |
| Lakewood Farmers Market | July 26, 2022 | Fort Steilacoom Park |
| Summer Nights Concerts: Candy Shoppe | July 26, 2022 | Fort Steilacoom Park |
| Lakewood Farmers Market | August 2, 2022 | Fort Steilacoom Park |
| Lakewood Farmers Market | August 9, 2022 | Fort Steilacoom Park |
| Summer Nights Concerts: Good Co. Swing | August 9, 2022 | Fort Steilacoom Park |
| Saturday Street Festivals: Jazz Night & Car Show | August 13, 2022 | Colonial Plaza |
| Lakewood Farmers Market | August 16, 2022 | Fort Steilacoom Park |
| Summer Nights Concerts: Paperback Writer | August 16, 2022 | Fort Steilacoom Park |
| Lakewood Farmers Market | August 23, 2022 | Fort Steilacoom Park |
| Lakewood Farmers Market | August 30, 2022 | Fort Steilacoom Park |
| Saturday Street Festivals: Fiesta de la Familia | September 17, 2022 | Colonial Plaza |
Roads
- Gravelly Lake & Nyanza: Phase 1 of the JBLM North Access Project is nearly over, and so is the most inconvenient portion of construction. By late Friday, Washington Boulevard, Veterans Drive, and Gravelly Lake Drive should all be completely open, although utilities are dealing with an emergency repair of a wire damaged by squirrels…
- Steilacoom & Weller: Sidewalks will be installed along the south side of Steilacoom Boulevard between Weller & Custer beginning in June.
- 59th & Bridgeport: Sidewalks will be added along the east side of 59th Avenue between Bridgeport & 100th. Construction will begin in June.
- South Tacoma Way & 512: An overlay will be applied to resurface South Tacoma Way between SR-512 and 108th. Work will begin later this isummer.
- Phillips & Onyx: Construction of sidewalks along Phillips Road between Agate Drive and Onyx Drive will begin soon. Expect lane reductions and flaggers directing traffic once work begins.
City Council Summary: May 31, 2022 (Special Retreat)
The Lakewood City Council gathered for a special retreat focused on the topic of homelessness on Tuesday night. This retreat was a follow-up to their March 12 retreat.
South Sound Housing Affordability Partners Director Jason Gauthier presented regional efforts related to subsidized housing, entry-level housing, and other topics. SSHAP’s core purpose is to accelerate regional housing construction to improve the economics of affordability.
SSHAP has developed a work plan based on three core principles: affordability, attainability, and accessibility. The work plan is approaching its final approval by the SSHAP Executive Board, comprised of regional leaders including Lakewood Mayor Jason Whalen.
Pierce County Senior Counsel Steve O’Ban discussed a successful program in Austin, Texas to address homelessness. The “Community First Village” in Austin is a tiny-home community in which residents pay a small rent and are accountable to rules.
The program has been extremely successful. It has attracted significant private investment, relieving some load from taxpayers. Originally planned for 250 residents, the program will soon accommodate 1,900. Relative to hotel conversions and other shelter models in this region, the per-unit cost and tenant retention rate for the tiny home village program are superior.
The Pierce County Council adopted a $22 million conditional budget to address homelessness in December. The County is now evaluating potential siting and land acquisition needs. A full proposal will be presented on October 1, 2022. Permitting and construction would likely occur in 2023-2024.
The City of Lakewood has invested significant American Rescue Plan Act funds into homelessness prevention. Lakewood’s ARPA investments contributed to the joint purchase of the Aspen Court shelter and helped Living Access Support Alliance (LASA) build a shower and laundry center.
Lakewood still has over $6.5 million in unallocated ARPA funds. Some of these funds might be appropriated to address homelessness by investing in shelter expansion, behavioral health outreach, or affordable housing construction.
Until Next Week…
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