A few years back I was working in the Eastlake neighborhood. I walked to work almost every day, down the stairclimb, across the treacherous I-5 onramp, and down the hill to the startup by the lake. One morning there was a flyer posted at the top of the stairclimb – an Eastlake neighbor was looking for assistance getting city funding. The goal? Transform the blackberry and beer infested patch of dirt underneath the freeway into a park. <\/p>\n
I signed up to help. I posted petitions, gathered signatures, attended a few city meeetings, wrote a truckload of letters to local officials… Cnce, I was on the evening news – with my bicycle – talking about how bike and pedestrian unfriendly the crossing was and how great it would be if the Eastlake and Cap Hill neighborhoods, divided by I-5, could be connected again. <\/p>\n
Today when I got home from yoga, there was a message on my machine from Chris, that Eastlake neighbor, asking me if I could attend the opening of the park this weekend. He said he really appreciated my work and wanted to introduce me at the festivities! I was touched and honored by that, though I’m not really sure I deserve any recognition. Writing down what I did, makes it seem significant, but it didn’t feel like much at all. <\/p>\n
Still, it’s a very sweet success! It’s just like that Talking Heads song: “This was a parking lot, now it’s a peaceful oasis!” This used to be thorns and trash, now it’s all covered with bike trails. That’s exactly how it is.<\/p>\n