Tomorrow night (Thursday, June 29), a group of Ballard residents will be gathering at a pop-up park party at the Seattle City Light substation in Loyal Heights (7750 28^th Ave NW).

They’re calling it the “Let’s Put a Park on It” Block Party, and are hoping to bring attention to the abundance of surplus electrical substations in the city, many of which have been sitting idle for decades ever since the city switched to new technology. Ballard has a few such surplus stations including Sunset Hill (3209 NW 65th St), Loyal Heights (7750 28th Ave. NW), with others in central Ballard at 6730 24th Ave. NW, 1405 NW 65th St., 3209 NW 65th St, and one right on Market Street at 2826 NW Market St.

“Residents in Ballard have wanted to repurpose the surplus Seattle City Light substations for many years. It was a dream of the late Carrie Gustafson to have public space at the Sunset Hill location,” Peggy Sturdivant, organizer of the pop-up park block party tells My Ballard. “Cass Turnbull saw a future P-Patch at one across from Ballard High School. Another former substation on 24th already looks like a park.”

Sturdivant and others would like the city to consider turning the substations into parks, and the pop-up party will provide an opportunity for residents to talk about what they’d like to see. There will be refreshments and cake at the Loyal Heights site, with the party planned for 7 to 9pm.

The event is a collaboration of the Seattle Green Spaces Coalition and UW Design Program graduates, who will be taking photos for their final design project.

Photo courtesy Peggy Sturdivant

The Ballard twins at the helm of Anchor End Pretzel Shoppe food truck  have won a cooking show on the Food Network.

Amanda and Jessica Lewis, 27, opened Anchor End in 2015, and were cast on Guy’s Grocery Games after a casting agent saw them on Zagat’s 30 Under 30 list last year. The show was planning a “Twin it to Win It” episode, which included three twins from around the country to compete. The Lewis twins were the youngest, and the only women on the show. Their competition was a set of twins who own a restaurant in Virginia Beach, and a duo known as the Burgess Brothers, who own a barbecue restaurant in Sacramento.

“When we met the other twins, I think it was automatically assumed that we were the underdogs, because we were the youngest, and we had a food truck, and the least amount of experience,” Amanda Lewis said. “I don’t think anyone saw us as a threat, which I think that made it better for Jess and I, because we’re so used to that in our industry. Being women, and being young – there are so very few of us.”

The competition consisted of two challenges: the first was to include four mandatory items in a dish: milk, vanilla, chocolate and eggs. The Lewis twins made a pepper-crusted filet mignon with roasted asparagus, potatoes and herbs on top of a spicy chocolate pudding, seasoned with cayenne. They were the only team able to incorporate the four mandatory ingredients on the same plate; the other two teams made a separate dessert. The second challenge was to create a classic duo dish; the Lewis twins’ winning meal was shrimp and grits, beating out the Burgess Brothers’ chicken and waffles.

“It was really cool to see the looks on everyone’s faces, because I don’t think they anticipated how well we would do,” Lewis says. The Ballard twins won $16,000 from the show, which they plan to use towards opening a brick-and-mortar bakery. The details are still in the works, but Lewis says they’re crossing their fingers for a location in north Seattle, opening this winter.

In the meantime, business is booming; they’ve had to hire another baker and are fully booked for the summer. To get a taste of the twins’ winning culinary skills, check out Anchor End food truck every other Thursday at Stoup Brewing in Ballard. They have a busy summer schedule; click here to find them.

The city’s emergency management department has announced that P-patch gardens will now be designated as meeting places during an emergency.

The Seattle Office of Emergency Management (OEM) has partnered with the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods P-Patch Community Gardening Program to establish the gardens as Community Emergency Hubs, which are places where people gather after a disaster to help one another. Other types of hubs are homes, apartments and condos; with the addition of P-patches, there are now 150 established hubs in Seattle.

There are four P-patches in Ballard (for a map of all the city’s P-patches, click here):

• 8527 25th Ave NW
• Thyme Patch Park, 2853 NW 58th St
• Kirke Park, 7028 9th Ave NW
• Greg’s Garden, 14th Ave NW & NW 54th St

For more information about the function of emergency hubs and locations, click here.

The Metropolitan King County Council celebrated the Ballard Locks’ 100th anniversary this week, issuing a nostalgic statement of recognition (full statement is below).

“The Ballard Locks are a local treasure for residents, visitors and school classes,” Councilmember Jeanne Kohl-Welles said in statement. “History and function come together at the Locks to create an experience that can include walking through the surrounding botanical gardens, learning about the locks as an essential pathway for migratory salmon and enjoying the fish ladder viewing room, or touring the vital infrastructure.”

There are a number of upcoming events to celebrate the centennial, including a boat parade on the 9th of July.

Here is the recognition statement, posted on the King County Council’s website.

RECOGNITION

WHEREAS, Maj. Hiram M. Chittenden found the need for a masonry lock in 1907, with federal funds allocated in 1910; and

WHEREAS, 63 years before its completion, Thomas Mercer first proposed the unique idea of creating a connection where fresh and salt water meet in Seattle; and

WHEREAS, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers oversaw the construction of the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks and has managed its operation to this day; and

WHEREAS, on July 4th, 1917, more than half the City of Seattle’s population lined the shores and watched as more than 200 boats paraded through the cuts and Lake Union into Lake Washington;

WHEREAS, the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, also known as the Ballard Locks, has provided a critical passage for commerce and recreation for the people of Seattle and King County for 100 years; and

WHEREAS, with nearly 50,000 vessels per year, the Ballard Locks move more traffic than any other in the United States; and

WHEREAS, the Ballard Locks’ fish ladder provides an invaluable educational experience for visiting school children; and

WHEREAS, the Ballard Locks are a designated National Historic Site and attract more than one million visitors per year; and

WHEREAS, HistoryLink and over 30 historical museums and societies lining the waterways of King County have brought these events to life for the people of Washington State; and

WHEREAS, there will be a centennial commemoration at the Ballard Locks on July 4th, 2017, at 10:00 a.m.;

NOW, THEREFORE, we, the Metropolitan King County Council, recognize the

HIRAM M. CHITTENDEN LOCKS

upon its centennial for its continuing significance and service to the people of Seattle and King County.

Photo: Representatives from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Historylink.org and the Queen Anne Historical Society with members after the Council recognized the Centennial of the Ballard Locks

It’s the last day of school for Seattle Public Schools today, so expect to see a lot more kids out and about as they start their summer holidays. The last day was supposed to be on Friday, June 23, but was changed to today due to a snow day on February 6.

The 2017-2018 school year starts on September 6. There will be a few changes to the school hours next year; every Wednesday, students will be let out 75 minutes early, and all other days, school will be 20 minutes longer.

If you know a student who is looking for some volunteer opportunities for the summer months, click here.

An application to subdivide one site into three separate lots makes up today’s development update from the City of Seattle’s Department of Planning and Development (DPD) as posted in the Land Use Information Bulletin.

Application:

2424 NW 62ND ST

Land Use Application has been submitted to subdivide one development site into three unit lots. The construction of residential units is under Project #6544029. This subdivision of property is only for the purpose of allowing sale or lease of the unit lots. Development standards will be applied to the original parcel and not to each of the new unit lots.

Comments on this application may be submitted through 07/10/2017.

A Loyal Heights resident has organized a concert to raise money for the ACLU. It’s part of a community project called Rock in Action, which founder Luke Anderson aims to “empower musicians to put their talents towards great causes.”

On July 15, Anderson’s band Undercover will play at the Salmon Bay Eagles club. His band plays, “an eclectic mix of covers by artists like Journey, Pat Benatar, Amy Winehouse, Bill Withers, Prince, Pixies, just to name a few.” He’s called the all-ages event RESIST!, happening from 7pm to midnight in the upstairs ballroom of the Eagles club. It’s a $20 suggested donation at the door, with extra RESIST! merchandise for larger donations. Anderson asks that people RSVP to luke.anderson.1969@gmail.com.

“Please gather to enjoy a special evening together in the spirit of resistance, right in the heart of Ballard! A community in action is the antidote to isolation and despair.”

For more information, visit the RESIST! Facebook event page.

A cat by the name of Simon has gone missing in Ballard.

He lives at 7528 27th Ave NW with his owner Joanna Luporini, who says he was last seen Friday morning (June 23). She tells us that Simon is striped, with a white spot on his head.

If you have any information about his whereabouts, contact Luporini by phone at 206-854-7683 or email at joalup03@gmail.com.

Updated 8:45 p.m. Firefighters have pulled a man out of Salmon Bay after a search involving the fire boat and a dive team.

He’s being transported to Harborview Medical Center in critical condition.

Firefighters responded shortly after 8 p.m. to the Magnolia side of the water, off Nickerson near the Fishermen’s Terminal. The fire boat and a dive team was called in to assist.

Over half-hour later, Seattle Fire reported that they had found the man.

Water rescue going on now at fishermen's terminal. #komonews pic.twitter.com/1vubMo0H66

— Frank Koumaros (@FrankKOMO) June 25, 2017

We’ll update as we learn more, and please remember to stay safe on the water this weekend.

It’s expected to be another busy weekend in Seattle, with Pride festivities taking over the city for most of the weekend, and the annual Pride Parade happening downtown on Sunday. If you’d like to see your event listed here, email us at tips@myballard.com.

Here’s what’s happening in our ‘hood this weekend:

Friday, June 23

• Live Music
  • Chuck Ragan with Arthur James at Tractor Tavern (5213 Ballard Ave NW) from 8pm, $20.
  • Quinn the Band, Human Ladder, and Red Heart Alarm at Conor Byrne Pub (5140 Ballard Ave NW) at 9PM, $8.

Saturday, June 24

• Annual Greenwood Car Show on Greenwood Ave. 8am to 4pm, classic cars, food trucks, live music, beer gardens and more.
• National Heritage Galleries closing at Nordic Heritage Museum. The galleries will soon be moved to the new museum, so it’s the last chance to see them until the new museum opens. Open house 10am – 5pm.
• Live Music
  • Chuck Ragan with Jason Dodson (of The Maldives)at Tractor Tavern (5213 Ballard Ave NW) from 8pm, $20.
  • Scott Bemis Trio ($10 cover/$8 students) at 7pm and Chaz Lipp Groove Tripp “Good Merlin” CD Release party ($10 cover) at 9pm at Egan’s Ballard Jam House (1707 NW Market St)
  • Planes on Paper, Christopher Paul Stelling, and Mikey and Mattyat Conor Byrne Pub (5140 Ballard Ave NW) at 9PM, $10 advance/ $12 door.

Sunday, June 25

• Ballard Farmer’s Market along Ballard Ave from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Click here to see this week’s specials.
• Seattle Pride Parade: Parade begins at 11am on 4th Ave from Union St to Denny Way, then west on Denny Way to 2nd Ave N, ending at Seattle Center. Streets closed from 7am to about 5pm More than 200,000 people are expected to attend.
• Body-positive figure drawing at Populuxe Brewery (826B NW 49th St) Comic artist Tatiana Gill will lead a class from 3-5pm. Free, but must bring own supplies. Drinks available for purchase.
• Live Music
  • Edmund Wayne, Joseph Hein, Yaroslav Levkiv at Sunset Tavern (5433 Ballard Ave NW) 8pm, $8.