Author: Håkan Söderbom

The O.O. Denny Park Story

Posted by | Sep 16, 2009 | , |

The following essay was written for O.O. Denny Park Community Pride Day, September 24, 1995, by Debbie Dimitri and Ellen Haas. .  It was read again at the DCNA Picnic in September 2009. ********************************************************************************************************** A long, long time ago, O.O. Denny Park was not as it is. Three million years ago, we’d all have been swimming in the middle of a huge inland sea. It would be balmy, and we’d be surrounded by balmy loving creatures and our balmy loving trees. But after awhile we would have felt the cold come in. Our familiar creatures would have migrated south and the trees died. The Great Ice would have slowly muscled its way toward us like a giant slug, plowing out the cavity we stand in and then sitting on us with a weight made of mild high solid ice. Then, after a very long time, the Great Ice halted. Life grew warmer. The slug retreated and turned into a claw, gouging out Lake Washington and its steep slopes. By 11,000 years ago, Holmes Point would have become, as it is: A soft curve on the Northeast shore of a long glacial lake, its bottom clay, its hills sand, and mantling its top, hardpan. This area would actually have been a mountain island in the lake until what we call the Juanita valley dried. Over the next long time, rain,...

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Holmes Point Zoning

Holmes Point Zoning

Posted by | Jun 16, 1999 | , , |

After four years of close cooperation between FHNA (formerly DCNA), the King County Council, and local residents, during which numerous adjustments were made to accommodate all interested parties, the Council passed the Northshore Significant Tree Ordinance in 1998, and the zoning Holmes Point SDO in 1999. The Holmes Point zoning SDO retains significant trees and restricts site disturbance when land is developed in the Holmes Point Planning Area. It was passed as an SDO, but implemented by p-suffix zoning, as Ordinance 13576. Council members Jane Hague and Maggi Fimia, who represented our district at different times, played particularly important...

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Finn Hill Park and Recreation District created by FHNA in lieu of King County commitment

Posted by | Jun 16, 1008 | |

Finn Hill Park and Recreation District Because of staggering budgetary shortfalls in the next few years, King County has become unable to operate and maintain Denny Park properly, DCNA has responded to this by forming a local park and recreation district, as authorized in State law, with tax authority adequate for the park’s proper maintenance and operation. This authority, the Finn Hill Park and Recreation District, was approved by 72% of the residents of the district who voted on November 5th. The commissioners are Scott Lumsden, Jim Sproull, Frank Radford, Leigh Readdy and Sandy Cox. An enormous amount of work by many volunteers; both DCNA members and others, went into getting signatures needed to place the measure on the ballot, on technical issues related to the new district, and on getting out the vote. The concept was initiated and critical advice supplied by Ken Davidson. DCNA’s activities were led by Frank Radford, with effective back up from Cheryl Meyers. All who were involved should feel truly satisfied about the result. Under the terms of the Helen Denny will, Denny Park is owned by Seattle. Seattle has been contracting with King County to maintain and operate the park, but will now transfer this responsibility to the FHPD. In turn, the district will contract maintenance to a public entity able to carry out such functions; most probably the City of Kirkland...

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