City news in Mercer Island.
Calkins Point re-opens Thursday
Calkins Point at the northernmost tip of Luther Burbank Park will have a grand re-opening at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, after months of restoration work by Mercer Island city staff.
The city’s Parks and Recreation Department invites everyone to bring a lunch and a lawn chair, enjoy a special outdoor piano concert and explore the newly renovated shoreline area, which features a cove beach, two wheelchair-accessible picnic tables and new plantings.
Funding for the construction of this project was provided by a King County Flood Control District Cooperative Watershed Management Grant and the city of Mercer Island. Contact Alaine Sommargren, natural resources manager, at 206-275-7879 with questions.
New public kiosk maps will teach about watershed education
The city’s sustainability team announced the installation of two new large-format interpretive maps at outdoor information kiosks on the Island. One map is now mounted to the readerboard at the Boat Launch (3600 E. Mercer Way) and the other is located near the waterfront sailboat docks at Luther Burbank Park (2040 84th Ave. SE).
The laminated, metal-backed maps are designed to last for years, and are part of an educational series with many dozens of installations across the region. Residents and visitors alike will be able to locate their position on the maps, understand watershed boundaries and functions, learn about salmon habitat and discover how to be better environmental stewards.
Mayor makes proclamations
At the July 5 Mercer Island City Council meeting, Mayor Bruce Bassett proclaimed July 2016 as “Parks and Recreation Month” and summer 2016 as “Mercer Island Summer of Music.”
The Island community is invited to enjoy the city’s parks and recreation programs, and to celebrate music this summer at events such as Mostly Music in the Park concerts, the Calkins Point piano concert, the Russian Chamber Music Foundation of Seattle concert and the Summer Celebration festival, themed “Symphony of Summer,” which occurred July 9-10.
Bassett also recognized the Joint Planning-Design Commission for its work on the Town Center vision.
