Some Seattle Parks Stats for Summer 2018

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Seattle Parks and Rec had a busy and productive summer. Here are some fun statistics.

* 1287 different summer camps were held, including activity camps, nature camps, and sports camps. There were 24,341 registered participants.

* There were 226,481 visits to the 9 lifeguarded beaches and 115,033 visits to the 22 wading pools.

* 892 children and youth took free swimming lessons at city swim beaches.

* There were 41,359 visits to the Japanese Garden, which is an increase of 9000 over last summer and set a record.

* 282 volunteer events were held for restoration work, with 12,023 hours of labor donated. 25 acres had invasive plants removed and 65,154 new plants were added.

* 12 downtown parks were host to 3,032 events (wow!), which included 221 hours of free concerts, 44 hours of free health and fitness programs, and 13 outdoor movies.

* Permits were issued for 2,513 picnics, 107 ceremonies, and 447 special events.

* 54,291 people attended Bicycle Sundays on Lake Washington Boulevard, an increase of 12% over last summer.

* 5,239 tons of trash was hauled away!

Source: Seattle Parkways blog.

Street Art Hunt for Rainy Days

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Photo credit: Rainworks.

Seattle has been having some gorgeous sunny weather this October, but the November gloom is right around the corner. If you’re looking for something different to encourage you to don the Gortex and get outside on drizzly days you might want to consider hunting down some Rainworks.

Rainworks are street art that only show up when it’s raining (or you pour a bucket of water over them). Perfect for Seattle, which is probably why the guy who started the whole thing got his idea here.

The designs are created with a stencil and a biodegradable water-resistant solution that creates a thin seal on the pavement surface. When it rains pavement darkens as it gets wet but the stenciled design remains the original pavement color and is revealed.

Rainworks are temporary, lasting 2-4 months on average, so you never know most of what is out there until you stumble over it yourself.

For more info about Rainworks and a map showing a few of the many locations around the greater Seattle area and the world see their webpage here. If you’re the artistic type and would like to create your own there is also info on how to do that. (The small size bottle of Invisible Spray is only $20 and can be ordered on the website.)

Photography for Beginners Part 21: Should You Buy a New Camera?

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Each post in this series builds on information discussed in previous posts. See the Photography for Beginners page on the menu for links to all the posts.

Part 20: Buying a Tripod

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When talking about photography gear it’s natural to want to discuss which new camera to buy. The thought of new gear is exciting. But that’s often the wrong place to start.

The first question shouldn’t be which camera. The first question should be, do I need a new camera?

This question assumes that you already have a camera and that you can’t afford to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on every whim. The money spent needs to be justified as a worthwhile purchase.

Continue reading →