Friends of Marymoor Park

July 22nd, 2009 Meeting Summary

-- see also the June 24, 2009 meeting summary

1. Introductions - Norah Gaynor (King County Parks), Greg Helland (SODA, FOMP President), Jack MacKinnon (Marymoor Community Gardeners Association), Christina Merten (Marymoor Community Gardeners Association, FOMP Board),  Michael Hobbs (Eastside Audubon, FOMP Secretary), Barbara Dickson (neighbor)
    

2. CIP/Project Updates:
   1. Pet Garden – Norah has found a contractor to get the archeological survey work done before the last gates can be installed, but is still wading through paperwork.
   2. Birdloop – Boardwalk extension almost finished; next work party scheduled for August 8.  Habitat restoration work is also underway.  Eastside Audubon is requesting a small maintenance shed to be installed somewhere along the East Meadow edge.
   3. Boathouse Project – Conditional use permit has been granted.  Phase 1 may start in 2010.
   4. East Lake Sammamish Trail – No update
   5. Maintenance & Art Barn Roof Replacement – Work scheduled for August (delayed from July).   Staging will be on the west lawn of the maintenance barn.
   6. NE Marymoor Way - Road overlay work to be done in August, west entrance to Velodrome.
   7. Community Garden – Expansion complete   New kiosk project by Eagle Scout in progress.  Will recycle and refurbish the old surplus RV kiosk to replace the existing bulletin board.
   8. Electrical Work - Some solar parking fee stations are being converted to electric (less maintenance, more reliable and faster service).  Lights are being added to fee stations in areas of scheduled evening use (esp. near athletic fields near the tennis courts and velodrome).  Security light to be installed at turf soccer complex entrance.  Work is in progress - Lot B machines have been upgraded.
   9. Garden Loosestrife Control Project - Some spraying to start next week.  2010 grant pre-application was submitted June 30.  Eastside Audubon, Marymoor Community Gardeners, and FOMP are on-board.  A meeting will be set for late-August to discuss final grant application, due September 30.
       
3. Parking Fee Violation Penalty – Tickets are now being issued for non-payment.  Almost 300 tickets have been issued so far. Pass sales have been higher this summer than last summer.
    
4. New Concessions: Two new concessions have been approved by KC Parks:  A Mexican food mobile taqueria, Sundays only, at the Soccer complex; and a caricature artist near the off-leash area (intermittent)
    
5. Other:
   • Greg Helland answered an email from a Mr. D. R., who wrote to the Board expressing dissatisfaction with the concert venue, event pad, and other matters that have occurred as part of the revenue-generation program at Marymoor.  Greg's response indicated that FOMP meetings are probably the best way for concerned citizens to express these views.  Greg noted that there had been many discussions at FOMP meetings in which views similar to those that had been expressed in the email.  Finally, Greg invited the emailer  to attend FOMP meetings.
      
   • Greg asked if anyone had been able to attend the University of Washington Restoration Ecology Network symposium in June.  Both Christina and Michael had expressed interest, but neither had been able to attend.  Greg also remembered that Michael had sent out a link to Seattle Urban Nature, http://www.seattleurbannature.org/Services/ecological.html.  Greg expressed interest in (and frustration with past attempts at) getting some assistance with a tree plan for Marymoor, as well as help with ecological restoration projects.   Things to be pursued in the future...
      
   • Marymoor Park Map wins national award: Matt Stevenson, who was the designer of the Marymoor Park map, attended the ESRI User Conference (ESRI is the company makes the GIS technology that Matt used to create the map).

     The new Marymoor Park map, which Matt worked on, won an award.  Follow this link for more details:

     http://kingcountyparks.wordpress.com/2009/07/20/new-marymoor-park-map-wins-national-award/
      

   • Michael Hobbs mentioned some of the raptor nests at Marymoor this year.  Bald Eagles, in their (hidden from view) nest in the southeast corner of the park, fledged  three young this year.  The visible Bald Eagle nest in the cottonwood forest near the boardwalk, was again apparently unused this year.  The Osprey nest near the velodrome has two almost full-grown babies.  The Barn Owl nest box between the mansion and the concert stage had one baby, who was last seen fully-feathered in the maple near the nest box last week.  The Red-tailed Hawk nest on the old snag just southwest of the west entrance to the park, was raided by a Bald Eagle this spring, and apparently the baby bird(s?) were killed.  Michael did not know the nesting success at the other two Red-tailed Hawk nests that are located near the park.

 Next Meeting: 

Wednesday August 26, 2009 7:00 – 9:00pm. Marymoor Art Barn.  

These notes were made by Michael Hobbs, and they do not constitute an official record of the meeting.  They may have inaccuracies and omissions.  If anyone has any complaints about the content of these notes, they should direct them to Michael Hobbs at fomp@marymoor.org, and he will endeavor to correct them.