Police and Neighbors walk Beach Drive Parks in an effort to improve safety

If not for our youngest son graduating from Kennedy High School last night, we would have joined our neighbors on the Beach Drive Community Walk.  Thanks to West Seattle Blog and West Seattle Herald for covering this.  And a huge thanks to the neighbors who were able to participate in the safety walk and have shared their views about last night's walk.

 

It's interesting to me that the representative from the Seattle Parks Department expressed concern about maintaining privacy in a public park.   

Did you participate in last night's walk?  We'd love to have your input on how you thought it went.

Hopefully this will be an event that will cause more action to be taken by the City to improve the safety of these parks.

Mark Solomon with the Seattle Police Department indicated to me that it's possible that we may have more community safety walks in the future.

Now that the safety walk has happened, and the various representives from the police and parks department have talked the talk, will they walk the walk?  Only their actions will tell.

Don’t Forget the Beach Drive Community Safety Walk on June 1

I just confirmed with Mark Solomon with the Seattle Police Department that the Beach Drive Community Safety Walk is still taking place tomorrow night at 6:30pm.  The plan is to "muster at Emma Schmitz Park and canvas a portion of Beach Drive, completing our walk at Me Kwa Mooks Park".  

I'm not sure exactly where at Emma Schmitz this will be commencing, if I find additional information, I will share it with you.

This event is as a result of the tragic unsolved murder of Greggette Guy that took place over two months ago.  

We're hoping for a huge turn-out!  Please spead the word to your Beach Drive neighbors.

Community Safety Walk on Beach Drive

We have been notified by Mark Solomon, Crime Prevention Coordinator for the Seattle Police Department, that a community safety walk has been scheduled for June 1, 2012 at 6:30 pm.

Following the tragic murder of Greggette Guy two months ago, several in the Beach Drive community have been expressing concern about the safety of Emma Schmitz and Mee Kwa Mooks parks in the evening.  This walk is to give us an opportunity to point out areas that could have improved safety.

When and if I have more information from Mark Solomon or any other City officials, I'll let you know.

 

Seattle Police Department Newsletter

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You can read the most recent Seattle Police Department Newsletter by clicking the link above.  

 

West Seattle Crime Prevention Council Meeting Tonight at 7pm

Via West Seattle Blog:

PARKS SUPERINTENDENT AT WEST SEATTLE CRIME PREVENTION COUNCIL: Issues of safety and security at city parks arose after last month’s murder of Greggette Guy, believed to have happened at West Seattle’s waterfront Emma Schmitz Viewpoint. Tonight, acting Seattle Parks Superintendent Christopher Williams is the guest at the WS Crime Prevention Council‘s monthly meeting; Southwest Precinct police leadership also will be there as always to discuss the latest crime trends and answer community questions. 7 pm, SW Precinct meeting room (Delridge/Webster).

 

I'm just learning of this now, thanks to Suzanne, if any of our readers are going – please feel free to share your comments or what you learn at tonight's meeting.

UPDATE:  Here is West Seattle Blog's coverage of what was discussed regarding the murder of Greggette Guy.

Seattle police increasing their presence along Beach Drive SW

By land and by sea, Seattle police are keeping their word regarding increased visibility along the Emma Schmitz Memorial Park.  This cruiser was spotted off the park Monday afternoon…

SafeParks

Is this show of force making you feel safer? According to Captain Paulsen of the SPD during his report to concerned residents on March 20, he stated:

One of the things I have done is thrown some extra patrol cars down in the area, it’s not so much going to catch somebody or anything, but … this type of crime causes a lot of fear and we want to subside that fear by having this presence down there for you all. … Trying to think what else I’d like to say in regards to that. (watch video on West Seattle Blog

According to many of the neighbors within a stones throw of Emma Schmitz, shedding some light on the park would help the nerves a whole lot more.  A little digging has uncovered a successful attempt to light up a nearby park just north named Cormorant Cove (just so happens that Greggettes body was recovered at this park).

ParkLighting

When asking Seattle City Light what needs to happen to get the same treatment for Emma Schmitz, a representative responded…

The flood light on the pole by Cormorant Cove Park is being paid for by HARBOR WEST CONDO HOA which is the condominiums right next door. The light is actually angled toward the condo's although it is illuminating the park area too. If you'd like a flood light at Emma Schmitz Park my advice is to contact and get approval from Sea. Parks & Recreation at (206)684-4075. The monthly fee for a 400 W flood is $17.64. 

Well, I can tell you that this particular light is squarely focused on the park. There's another light on the pole just to the south that illuminates the condos parking lot. Less than $20 bucks a month?… I'll bet 2 months of park lighting that other Beach Drive neighbors would kick into a fund for lighting the lower section of Emma Schmitz for years to come. 

 Scupper for Beach Drive Blog

Tonight’s Vigil along Emma Schmitz Park in Memory of Greggette Guy

Tonight about 70 or more people gathered at the north point of Emma Schmitz Park and walked the park to Jacobsen and back. Neighbors reunited and perhaps met for the first time during this calm, cool evening at this event organized by Judy Bentley.  

Candles and flashlights were lit as we stood together in silence.  Ms. Guy's father appeared to thank everyone for the vigil and for remembering Greggette.  He said that they used to walk this area together and that she enjoyed walking here during storms. He called the lower area of Emma Schmitz (which is out of view from the street) a "death trap" and he wants Seattle's Mayor McGinn to do something to remedy this.  He would like to see the park closed at night with better lighting and a memorial to be created for his daughter.  Several people came forward to offer condolences and hug Greggette's father.  He said that had he known she was going to walk Beach Drive that night, he would have joined her.   

The media was quick to interview Greggette's father after his words to our group.

Neighbors held several casual discussions with many ideas of what can be done to make this area of Beach Drive a safer place.  Many have offered to volunteer their services or time.  A neighbor is organizing a sign up so that people don't need to walk alone along this stretch of an area that "should" be safe. I believe that in Greggette's memory, many of us will work toward making this park a safer place through our own actions and by contacting our local politicians so that we can hopefully deter something like this from happening again.

 

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Click here for West Seattle Blog's coverage, including a video of Greggette's Father and what he had to say to our neighborhood. 

Beach Drive neighbors organizing a vigil and walk tonight at Emma Schmitz

We received word this morning from a Beach Drive neighbor that a vigil and walk has been planned tonight, March 18th at 7:00 PM to remember Greggette Guy and to claim the parks as safe public space.

We'll gather at the north end of Emma Schmitz Park on the waterfront side of Beach Drive and walk the length of the park, carrying candles and flashlights as needed.  We'll accompany anyone who needs company on the walk home.

A warm thanks to our community for organizing this event! 

Making our Beach Drive area parks safer

In light of the recent unsolved murder along Beach Drive, we're hearing from several neighbors that would like to make the Emma Schmitz Memorial Viewpoint/Mee-Kwa-Mooks park a safer area for both visitors and residents.

The most obvious area of concern is the lower, out of sight walkway that runs along the beach.

KidsandWalker

This section of Emma Schmitz Memorial park is known for it's drug scene, costly graffiti and now the likely scene of a second murder. For years, we have warned our kids to never walk down there when headed out towards Alki.

ViewFrmAbove

The first improvement should be better lighting… or any lighting at all given that there isn't any at this time. Another idea we're hearing (and totally behind of) is a permanent surveillance camera along with a few posted signs making people aware of it. A little less privacy is a small price to pay for being able to safely stroll on our sidewalks.

Beach Drive Blog is asking for help from any of you that have connections with the City or Parks Department to find out what it would take to make these improvements a reality. Several folks have already mentioned that they would chip in if necessary. 

God bless and rest in peace Greggette Guy

MemorialFlowers

Another wind storm coming Sunday

Weather forecast can and do change.  At 4:30 this morning, we issued a "barking dog" report which basically means that we're preparing to possibly flood or lose power because of high winds, tides and waves slurping over the bulkhead.  A "barking dog" would be like your neighbors friendly retreiver who howls when he thinks something may be wrong – sometimes he's right, sometimes not…but always on the lookout with best intentions. 

We indeed have water coming over our bulkhead and thankfully have a back-up pump since the first one failed.  

This photo is of our neighbors patio where the waves knocked some of the brick pavers out.

 

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Our next high tides are an 11.3 at 2:25 this afternoon and a 12.3 at 5:08 Sunday morning followed by a 11.2 at 3:20 pm Sunday afternoon.

Here's what the NWS has now:

Today: A 40 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, with a high near 46. Breezy, with a south southwest wind around 28 mph, with gusts as high as 44 mph. 

Tonight: Showers likely, mainly after 4am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39. Breezy, with a south southwest wind between 14 and 22 mph, with gusts as high as 33 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Sunday: Rain. High near 46. Southeast wind between 10 and 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Sunday Night: Rain. Low around 40. Windy, with a south southeast wind 18 to 21 mph increasing to between 28 and 31 mph. Winds could gust as high as 55 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Monday: Showers likely. Cloudy, with a high near 44. South southwest wind between 17 and 20 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%

Seattle area forecast via UW:

TODAY…WINDY THIS MORNING. SHOWERS. HIGHS IN THE 40S. SOUTH WIND 20 TO 30 MPH EASING TO SOUTHWEST 15 TO 25 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON.

TONIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF RAIN SHOWERS. LOWS IN THE MID 30S TO LOWER 40S. SOUTH WIND 10 TO 20 MPH.

SUNDAY…RAIN LIKELY IN THE MORNING…THEN RAIN AT TIMES IN THE AFTERNOON. HIGHS IN THE 40S. SOUTHEAST WIND 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 30 MPH.

SUNDAY NIGHT…WINDY. RAIN AT TIMES. LOWS IN THE MID 30S TO LOWER 40S. SOUTHEAST WIND 10 TO 20 MPH BECOMING SOUTH 15 TO 30 MPH AFTER MIDNIGHT.

 

Puget Sound Marine Forecast:

…GALE WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON…

TODAY…SW WIND 25 TO 35 KT…EASING IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 3 TO 6 FT…SUBSIDING. SHOWERS.

TONIGHT…SW WIND 15 TO 25 KT…EASING AND BECOMING S AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT…SUBSIDING. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.

SUN…SE WIND RISING TO 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES BUILDING TO 2 TO 4 FT. RAIN.

SUN NIGHT…S WIND RISING TO 25 TO 35 KT. WIND WAVES BUILDING TO 3 TO 6 FT.

We hope you stay warm and safe!