Saturday, April 14, at 10:00 A.M. all are invited to the quarterly meeting of the  Squire Park Community Council (the community council for the neighborhoods bounded by E. Union Street, 23rd Avenue, S. Jackson St., and 12th Avenue).  Get together at the Central Area Motivation Program (CAMP) Firehouse building at 722 18th Avenue. There’ll be a chance to hear information and talk about:

• An update on the plans of the Seattle Housing Authority to rebuild Yesler Terrace and expand its presence in the neighborhood. The first new building is planned to start construction within a year at 11th/Fir/Boren.  In the near future, SHA will choose a developer to build a new mixed-use building at the currently vacant lot at the northwest corner of 12th/Yesler.  Representatives of SHA and a citizens groups critical of some of SHA’s plans  have asked for an opportunity to speak and are expected to attend.
• The King County Council is proposing that, in the election next August, voters be asked to approve a property tax levy to fund the replacement of the existing Juvenile Justice center and Detention Center with a facility that is safer and more comfortable for all.  The plans also include the potential for the County to more productively use some of the excess land (parking lots) at the Youth Services site on 12th and Alder.  Land could be leased or sold and the proceeds used for County services.  New housing for families and individuals with a range of incomes, and new retail space needed by the neighborhood could be built.  Representatives of King County will tell us more.
• The Streetcar is coming.  Construction on the streetcar that will connect  Pioneer Square and the future Capitol Hill light rail station is beginning soon.  The streetcar will travel on Jackson Street, on 14th Avenue from Jackson to Yesler, and then on Yesler to Broadway.  When completed there will be a stop on 14th Avenue, serving the southwest part of our neighborhood.  (One detail — southbound 14th Avenue between Yesler and Jackson will be permanently closed to vehicle traffic, except for streetcars.  This will create some changes in auto traffic patterns in the neighborhood.)  A representative of the streetcar project will attend the meeting to answer questions.

The meeting takes place from ten A.M. to noon.  Come and hear more about important neighborhood projects.  Meet your neighbors.  All are welcome.