The Wallingford Chamber has been busy building up their plans for this weekend’s Operation Beautify Wallingford, where they hope the community will come out and help spruce up the ‘hood just in time for Spring (and, not coincidentally, next week’s 40th anniversary of Earth Day).
Things will kick off at Wallingford Center around 1o am, with coffee, drinks, tools and assignments for volunteers. Come by and help out!
From 1 to 3 pm, returning volunteers can enjoy music, food (courtesy of QFC, Bartell’s, Fainting Goat, Caffe Appassionato, and other), and entertainment. They’ve got some speakers lined up, a martial arts demonstration and music, we understand, though it sounds like the details are still getting locked in.
Perhaps Senor Tyler will return?
Why is the Chamber interested in cleaning up but once a year? Why are they not encouraging retail establishments to clean up outside their enterprises every day? Some do, of course, but others seem oblivious to need for beautification.
That is mystery to me too. One would think store owners are eager to keep the area in front of the store clean to make themselves look good! It seems so do-able to add this task to the to-do list for the employees.
I know many people are trying to do their part but apparently not enough neighbors/store owners care. It would make so much more sense if we prevented such garbage buildup rather than spending a few times a year trying to make the best of the situation. I think a lot of Wallingford is not embarrassed by its filthy streets but I sure am…
it’s great to see some community interest in cleaning up Wallingford! i just heard from an employee at Alliance Healing Arts near Dick’s that there is a lot of Dick’s garbage up toward 50th. (!!) it’s been very bad up and down 45th, and the chamber has just put in for a city grant to help get more trash cans. i also have been trying to reach the Spady sons (Dick’s sons) to talk again about trash cans they might help with.
my first thought is: why don’t people pay attention in this day and age, and still throw trash on the ground??
BUT – the chamber has been actively trying to do a lot around this whole issue. we hope to also get some “butt cans” for cigarettes near Murphy’s, Goldie’s (assuming that building stays as a bar), and elsewhere. i have spoken w/ the city a number of times about just getting us more trash cans (well, budget problems now), as apparently Wallingford has had several trash cans stolen over the years. (again, !!) in posts to chamber members, other businesses, WallingfordSaves businesses, and at monthly meetings, i mention frequently the need to go out and clean up in front. i have gone into certain banks and called certain theater chains, and picked up myself and taken the trash into a nearby business to tell them “hey, this came from in front – please get your employees out there more!”
blocks away from my own business, a driver shouted a big thank-you to me when he saw me pick up a couple of big pieces of trash to put in a nearby trash can. WE SHOULD ALL DO THESE THINGS.
i love an idea straight from Wallyhood (and want the chamber to partner with): threaten to “out” publicly the businesses who won’t clean up! what do you all think?
(BTW, i do hope the community is noticing that the chamber got someone again to work on those curb bulb gardens, which now look EXCELLENT!)
…oh, and since no one’s updated the original posting – Seattle City Councilmember Mike O’Brien will be there at 1pm! then we hope Cathy Tuttle will speak at 1:30 on Sustainable Wallingford….