Eastside Neighborhood Council applauds upcoming Hillsdale Lumber cleanup efforts

The Eastside Neighborhood Council heard positive news about the Hillsdale Lumber property at last night's public board meeting.

Several community members have expressed concerns to the Eastside Neighborhood Council regarding the former Hillsdale Lumber site at 628 E 60th St., which has been abandoned and an eye sore for several years.

Tacoma Housing Authority is now the official owner of that land, and last night they announced that work will begin immediately on continually cleaning up the site until redevelopment of the property begins. This news was greeted with applause from the board and community members alike.

Tacoma Housing Authority is in the process of setting up their financing and creating a development plan for the site, which will include input from the Eastside Neighborhood Council since one of our board members serves on the steering committee for this project.

We'll keep you updated through Eastside Pride News on how this development is shaping up, along with the ways you can provide input during the process.

During the meeting, the Eastside Neighborhood Council also heard an update from Tacoma City Manager Eric Anderson on the City's nuisance code changes and that the City is working with the community to consider how City processes could improved related to rental units in Tacoma.
In addition, Metro Parks Tacoma described master plans to improve four of the Eastside's key parks and recreation areas: Stewart Heights, The Portland Avenue Community Center, McKinley Park and McKinley Playfield. These plans include a total of more than $4 million of improvements to and investment in these Eastside assets.

Through its own investment, the Eastside Neighborhood Council approved a $500 contribution to go toward a consultant that will work with the Eastside and the Tacoma Police Department to create an Alcohol Impact Area that spreads throughout our community. We need EVERY Eastsider to participate in the research that will occur over the next six months, and we'll provide information on how you can participate through Eastside Pride News.

Lastly, Habitat for Humanity offered information on two new Habitat communities that will go in at approximately 48th and Pipeline and East T and Gregory streets. Habitat will be in need of volunteers for these two projects and all of the others they coordinate. For more information, go to http://www.tpc-habitat.org/

Hearing this great news in person and interacting with the representatives from these organizations are excellent reasons to attend our Eastside Neighborhood Council meetings that take place on the third Monday of each month. For more information, go to http://www.eastsidetacoma.com/.

The McKinley Street Festival needs your help

All Eastsiders are invited to join a volunteer party in preparation for this year's McKinley Street Festival. The festival will take place on Aug. 11 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and the volunteer party will occur on April 25 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at Tacoma Christian Center, Celebration Hall.

Pizza, salad and beverages will be served.

The planning committee is in need of section managers and team members for this year's function. An estimated 10 section managers and 75 volunteers will be required.

The great news is that the 2007 festival will be even larger than ever with more activities, including a school supply giveaway, which served over 1000 children in 2006 as well as the Animalocity Pet Parade and Auction, which was held on Opera Alley last year and included hundreds of participants.

With your invovlement and ideas, we know there will be even more exciting news to come about this important festival.

Be sure to attend the volunteer party to learn about the plans underway and how you can be involved with either planning or day-of activities. Several types of skills are needed, from finance, organizational, clerical, set up and tear down, marketing, etc.

This is one of the most positive events on our Eastside and the community needs your help to make it happen!

RSVP via e-mail to jeshart@harbornet.com with Volunteer Party in the subject line or call 253-230-4867.

Welcome to Eastside Pride News!

Hello Eastside residents, activists, business owners and fans!

Welcome to this very first post to your Eastside Pride News publication.

Please allow me to introduce myself as your editor.

My name is Roxanne Murphy, and I'm one of the many dedicated board members from your Eastside Neighborhood Advisory Council of Tacoma, commonly known as ENACT.

We're working to unite the Eastside and we want you to keep you informed on how our Eastside is changing, how your involvement can truly make a difference and the important steps you can take right away to make our neighborhoods safe and vibrant.

We hope you'll add this publication as one of your favorites and check back here often as we become your trusted resource for frequent updates on the news that will continue to foster more and more Eastside Tacoma Pride.

To submit feedback or story ideas, contact me at eastsidetacomapride@hotmail.com.

Thank you for reading, and stay tuned!