Celebrate Spring and Downtown with the Walk Tacoma 2016 Kickoff

Following the success of the 2015 Walk Tacoma series, this year’s walking series of downtown Tacoma is scheduled to begin on National Walking Day, April 6^th, 2016 at noon on the south side of Wright Park.

Starting with a 1.7 mile historical walking tour of Tacoma’s Historic Schools, the seven-event series aims to provide an easy and active way for Tacoma residents to enjoy downtown Tacoma on foot. With events scheduled at noon and just after five p.m., the 1.5 to 2.0 mile walks provide the perfect opportunity for downtown students, workers, and residents to take a break during or after work and explore new walking routes and attractions with a guided tour.

This year’s themes for the free walking tour series include a Theatre Walk, a Cultural History Walk, a Museum Walk, a Scavenger Hunt, and more.  For a complete list of themes, times, and locations, click here.

Tacoma Bike Share Open House

The City of Tacoma is hosting a public open house on February 25th to discuss the prospects of introducing a public bike share system to Tacoma. The City launched an investigative study to explore the viability of bringing a bike share program to Tacoma. The bike share program would be put in place to increase the use of bikes for short-range travel, decrease the use of single occupancy vehicles traveling to Tacoma, and shift to more sustainable transpiration options. 

The open house will teach those who are interested in the types of bike share systems that will work for Tacoma. There will also be an opportunity to provide feedback on the viability, station locations, and the types of technology being proposed. 

The public open house will be held on February 25th, 5:00-7:00pm at 

The Evergreen State College in the Main Hall. 

For additional information you can contact 

Diane Wiatr at dwiatr@cityoftacoma.org or at 253-591-5380.

Read more on the City's work and plans on the bike share program here.

Rad more here: http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/politics-government/article26287957.html#storylink=cpy

University Y One Year Later

One year ago on January 4th, the University of Washington Tacoma and the YMCA opened a student center unlike any in the country. The University-Y Student Center is so much more than the run of the mill student center. First off, one thing that is very unique about this facility is that it is open to not only students but to the public and regular YMCA members as well. As of today the University Y has 4,406 members, with roughly 80% of membership being represented by the UW Tacoma student population. 

People from all walks of life are able to come together under one roof to workout, play volleyball, come to an event, or be introduced to a college setting for the first time in their lives. 

For the students, this is a place to have fun, workout, build relationships, start a club, or go to work. UW Tacoma has all of their clubs housed at the student center along with programs from student involvement and student government. In the Student Center you can find the Associated Students of the University of Washington Tacoma, Student Activities Board, and others. All of these resources are provided for students and open for all students to join or apply to. The University Y is also proud to offer students a reflection room, where any member can come and take time out of their day for quiet reflection, prayer, or meditation. 

The University and the YMCA are big supporters of giving back to the community and are proud to offer services such as the Juvenile Justice Program, clothing and toy drives, health awareness months, and supporting shelters and soup kitchens in the Tacoma area. 

Some of the exciting things that are going on this month at the Y are that they are having their January promotion that waives their joining fee until January 18th, intramural registration is open January 4-18th, and the New Year will bring the new Jillian Michael’s BODYSHRED classes that are sure to ramp up your workout routine.

To find out more on their website here.

Resident Engagement this Week - Be Informed, Give Input, and Have Some Fun!

All work and no play make Jack a dull boy.

That phrase is actually an old proverb, but you probably know it as the sentence that Jack types over and over again during his psychotic break in the movie The Shining. If you are the literary type, you might remember the phrase shows up in Jack Kerouac’s novel Big Sur.

Well, don’t worry, nothing that heavy or scary here - just a full week of ways to have fun and to “go to work” as an engaged citizen in downtown Tacoma.

Because, all play and no work make Tacoma a dull place.

Bike Train: Bike Me Out to the Ballgame

June 24, 2015 at 5:30 pm

​The Bike Committee is going to bike train from downtown to Cheney Stadium to watch the Tacoma Rainiers play the Reno Aces. The game starts at 7:05 and anyone who bikes to the game gets a special ticket rate of $11.50, which gets you a seat, a hot dog, a bag of chips, and a bottle of water.  Just tell them at the ticket counter that you biked to the game. If you want to join the bike train, meet at S. 11^th and Pacific Avenue.

ST-3 Tacoma Open House

June 24, 2015 at 5:30 pm

Good and plenty of public transit is an important factor for a thriving urban region. You can show up at this open house and give your input to The Sound Transit Board on which projects they should study as final candidates for the ST3 public vote that could be happening as soon as November 2016. The presentation will begin at 6 pm and the open house will take place at the Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center at 1500 Broadway.

Public Hearing on Draft of Paid Leave Rules

June 25, 2015 at 10:00 am

You have probably heard by now and I will likely be writing more about this soon, but beginning  in February 2016, Tacoma employers will be required to provide up to 24 hours of Paid Leave annually to employees within the City of Tacoma. You can read about the paid leave rules and regulations that have been drafted for review at cityoftacoma.org/paidleave. You can attend the public hearing, and provide your feedback at the Tacoma Public Library Main Branch – Olympic Room at 1102 Tacoma Avenue South.

1st Annual Tacoma Waterfront Crab Feed

June 25, 2015 at 5:30 pm

If you are allergic to crab, well, I feel really bad for you and you definitely shouldn’t go to this event. But, for the rest of you – strap on your bib and join the Tacoma Waterfront Association (TWA) this Friday for the first ever Waterfront Crab Feed fundraiser at the Foss Waterway Seaport at 705 Dock Street.

Beyond eating all the crab you can, there will be chances to bid on or win prizes at the silent auction, raffles, and a ring toss. This fundraiser will be an opportunity to highlight Tacoma’s waterfront and the community and businesses within it. The event will feature prominent figures in the waterfront speaking to the latest activities and plans for the future of Tacoma’s waterfront. This fundraiser will help TWA continue its mission of making the waterfront enjoyable and accessible.

You can get your tickets now at: TWA-CrabFeed.brownpapertickets.com!

Nomination to Name George H. Wayerhaeuser, Jr. Park

The City of Tacoma's Landmarks Preservation Commission has approved a nomination on Wednesday, March 11 to name the currently unnamed waterfront park along Thea Foss Waterway after George H. Weyerhaeuser, Jr.

Tacoma City Council’s Neighborhoods and Housing Committee will further discuss the nomination during a public meeting at 4:30 p.m. on Mon., April 6, at Tacoma City Hall. A final decision to officially name the unnamed park is expected to be made by council later this year.

Between September 2014 and February 2015, the FWDA and Tacoma's Landmarks Preservation Commission received more than a dozen letters supporting the nomination from individuals and organizations such as the Museum of Glass, Tacoma Art Museum, Foss Waterway Seaport, Port of Tacoma, Dome District Development Group, and the Tacoma Waterfront Association. In the letters of support George H. Weyerhaeuser, Jr. is fondly remembered as a Tacoma civic booster and prominent member of the Weyerhaeuser family.

Three unnamed parcels on either side of the State Route 509 bridge — 1955 Dock St., 2101 Dock St., and 2119 Dock St.. Two parcels — 2101 Dock St. and 2119 Dock St. — are owned by FWDA, and one parcel — 1955 Dock St. — is owned by the City of Tacoma

Council Consideration Request: Theatre District Branding

The Tacoma City Council is continuing a conversation for a formal designation of the Downtown Theater District. The City started their conversation during the Committee of the Whole on January 6th. Council member Thoms brought up this request to the Council to designate a formal point of center for the Theater District on 9th and Broadway.

The promotion and marketing of the district is aligned with City of Tacoma's North Downtown Subarea Plan that was adopted this past year. This plan highlighted the Theater District as an area that is identified as a key public gathering place and hub of cultural and civic events.

Although Council member Thoms initially proposed a district with boundaries shown in the map below, the City decided that a central designation would be a more flexible plan, and at the same time adding the prestige and sense of identity. During the committee  meeting Thoms stated, "(legitimizing an official name) is more of a mechanism than a formal district, not as a way to apply for grants, but for signage and formal designation purposes. It is something we have been calling it for a long time, but we do this now in the hopes that it would have some economic benefits to use as a tool in the future."

This request would allow the City to brand and promote the Theater District identity. The BIA welcomes this official designation and believes that it will enhance the legitimacy of what Downtown Tacoma has to offer.

Previous Proposed Theater District Boundaries
City of Tacoma

New Year's Celebration in Downtown Tacoma

Celebrate New Year's with us at the annual First Night festival in the downtown Tacoma theater district. This celebration is an affordable, alcohol free event that gives families an option to ring in the New Year with fun shows, events, and activities. Click here to check the band listings.

A First Night admission is $10 found online here or ($14 Day of Event) and children under the age of 10 are admitted free of charge. A First Night admission ticket also provides free access to skate rentals at Franciscan Polar Plaza, Tacoma Art Museum, as well as the Children’s Museum.

The main event starts at 6 PM with a parade of marching bands, costumes, and giant puppets. Following will be 20 stage events of music, fire dancers, then at midnight we celebrate together at the outdoor main stage to wish well the New Year. Click here to check the schedule of events.

The theme this year will be the Year of the Ram so watch out for how the featured activities, and local artists from the community utilizing the theme throughout their work! Hope to see you there to celebrate 2015 together starting it out right by supporting local artist’s downtown Tacoma.