The following letters are from an archive on the Fire Station 39 at the City Clerk's office. They were written to the Fire Chief shortly after Lake City was annexed into Seattle and the Fire Station was transferred to City ownership. As mentioned before, the Fire Station was used for more than just the Lake City Volunteer Fire Department. It housed the library and had a community space for many neighborhood organizations. After the City took over the space that was purchased and built with community resources, they removed the library and stopped providing space for community groups.
The first letter is from the Lake City Grandmother's Club - no kidding. The City response is written on the bottom left.
The next letter is from a group of 50 families with children who play accordions. The City denial of request follows in the second letter.
The next letter is from the Lake City Orthopedic Auxiliary who leased the Fire Station community room for years prior to the annexation. City's denial of request follows.
Here is part of the problem: For decades Lake City was run by the Colacurcio family and others with interests that didn't jive with Seattle government leaders. Much of what happened in Lake City was funded by the Colacurcio's donations to the community. Local neighborhood leadership therefore did not work in tandem with City leadership, creating a disconnect.
ReplyDeleteNow that that family's influence in neighborhood affairs is gone with the death of the elder Colacurcio and the disassembling by the Feds of his family empire, there has been a vacuum.
Lake City is now struggling to find a voice as the City of Seattle foists a disproportionate amount of societal problems onto a neighborhood that was already struggling.
The neighborhood needs to strengthen and maintain channels with city government to give our neighborhood more of a voice.
Hell, I'd go so far as to say that someone from our community should run for City Council or Mayor.
Any volunteers?
Nice research on the letters!
ReplyDeleteAgreed to the comment above; there is zero representation from our area and the current Seattle civic leaders don't seem to have a clue about what life up here is really like (good and bad). Would love to see someone from DPC or Families for Lake City run. Represent LC and the greater NE Seattle community -- Meadowbrook, Cedar Park, Pinehurst, etc.