Luther Burbank Park got a brand new playground for kids with all new equipment recently. The photos below are of the park ribbon cutting on opening day.

We will regularly feature updates that are of interest to the "Friends" community.

Here are notes from a City Council planning session from the morning of Saturday, June 8th, during which they discussed potential sites for Youth Theatre Northwest to move to eventually. A woman presented a feasibility study on the subject.The only two sites that appear to be being considered are the former Recycling Center site in the MI business center and the area where the two preschools are now just to the north of the Community Center.

No agreement was reached; in fact, no vote was taken because it was obvious the Council is split 4-3 between the two sites. A small committee was appointed to gather more information to enable a future vote.

Only City Council members could speak since this was a planning session; the public can attend these but can't speak. The following are notes about the points that were raised:

The first decision that has to be reached is about public vs private responsibility for the structure.

The options:

1. Mercer Island, as a city, would provide land with a long lease to YTN, who then would build (and own, as I recall) the structure. This option also would involve a contract about what percentage of time and space the public could use the facility. In this option, the city would act only as landowner, not as developer or financier. i.e. the structure would be paid for by results of a finance drive undertaken by YNT. One Council member raised a question about the appropriateness of providing public land to a private (non-profit) organization. There are precedents apparently in Seattle and elsewhere, though.


2. Mercer Island would provide land and build and own the facility. YTN would be the primary tenant, with other arts organization involved as decided. i.e. the Performance Center would be paid for by the taxpayer. [note: It is not clear how this would be paid for; it would seem like a vote would have to be held to see if MI voters approve a property tax increase to pay for the facility. How building a performance center would be financed wasn't mentioned at the meeting.]

Youth Theatre Northwest needs a 250-300 seat theatre, and suggested a 20,000 sq. ft. building. Both sites could accommodate this size, but parking is an issue at both sites.

The YTN representatives at the meeting were asked which option they preferred, and they said the Recycling Center site because visibility, public access, etc. were better for their purposes. They would prefer to avoid hill removal. And the Community Center has expressed great concern about parking issues; they rent rooms for wedding receptions, etc. that help pay for Center maintenance, and inadequate parking can be a problem even now; these times could very well coincide with times when performances at the potential Performance Center happen. Three City Council members spoken positively about the Recycling Center site, adding that it would add to the vitality of the downtown core.

Three City Council members spoke strongly in behalf of adding a Performance Center onto the Community Center (where the preschool building is now). The entrance to the Performance Center could be the present Community Center's entrance, and patrons would continue on down the hall to a connecting door 
on the north side to the Performance Center.