The Seattle Park District Annual Report for 2017 is now available. Want to know how your tax dollars are being spent, what projects have been worked on, and what the priorities are? You can download the PDF file of the report from this Parkways blog post.
Tangent
Arts in the Parks
Seattle Parks and Rec offers dozens of events every summer that promote the arts and culture and which also celebrate community and diversity. The Arts in the Parks program supports art happenings, neighborhood festivals, and music concerts. All events are free to the public.
If you want more info and a link for downloading the 2018 brochure, see this Parkways blog post.
Shilshole Boatfest
The free Shilshole Boatfest takes place tomorrow, Saturday June 9th, from 11 am to 4 pm at Shilshole Marina in Ballard.
Free sailboat and power boat rides, boat safety information, children’s activities, live music, food trucks, and free sailing lessons for kids age 6-14.
See this website for details, then weigh anchor and cast off your line for some salty fun.
Free Swim Lessons at Seattle Parks
I took my very first swimming lesson at the park on Blackmans Lake in Snohomish when I was 8 or 9. I loved it so much I continued taking lessons, first at the YMCA in Everett, then went on to get my Red Cross Junior Lifesaving certification (no longer a thing) at the YWCA in Spokane by the time I was 13.
Swimming lessons are not only fun for kids like me, who was part fish, but they are an important part of safety for families that spend any time around the water, even just wading, on piers, or in boats. Almost 4,000 people drown in the US every year, and while knowing how to swim can’t prevent all drownings, it can prevent many of them.
Seattle Parks and Rec is offering free daytime swim lessons for youths aged 6-16 at all nine city lifeguarded beaches, and evening lessons at Madrona, Mt.Baker, Seward, and Pritchard beaches. Registration starts June 1st. For more info see this post on the Parkways blog.
Park Preview 