City event support: Big community events often require a large, coordinated effort by our City teams; for example, parades, races and other large gatherings often require additional police officers and other crews to manage issues like street closures, traffic control and clean-up. Last weekend was quite busy in Bellingham with multiple events drawing in large crowds. Many thanks to our Bellingham Police (see photo above, from Ski to Sea festivities), Fire, Public Works, Parks & Recreation and other personnel who work to help support our amazing community gatherings.
City Council meetings in Spanish: Spanish language interpreters are now present at all regular City Council evening meetings. To participate in the meeting in Spanish, you can use City-provided headsets in person or listen virtually on Zoom. Anyone who would like to give public comment in Spanish can also do so, and Spanish interpreters will provide the English translation. You can also find a Spanish version of the City Council agenda, as well as videos of previous meetings with Spanish interpretation, on our website at cob.org/council/language-access. Requests for Spanish translations of other meeting materials can be made by emailing ccmail@cob.org or calling 360-778-8200. Spanish interpretation of City Council committee meetings (daytime meetings) or interpretation of any Council meetings in languages other than Spanish is available upon request.
Summer reading starts June 1: Summer reading is for everyone — early learners, kids, teens and adults — and it begins June 1 throughout Bellingham. This year Bellingham Public Library (BPL) has Summer Reading activity cards for early learners, kids, teens and adults. Pick up your Summer Reading Activity Cards at any BPL branch or print them at home from the BPL summer reading website. Cards are available in English, Spanish, Russian and Vietnamese.
Join us for Pride activities: We’re kicking off Pride Month with an adopt-a-block station at the June 1 Whatcom Youth Pride parade, and you’re invited too! Community members are welcome join City staff at City Hall to cheer on local youth and allies in the parade, which starts at 11 a.m. In addition, our Pride logo is now displayed on the City website, the Pride flag is flying at City Hall and banners are displayed downtown. And don’t miss the Whatcom Museum’s Pride celebration for First Friday on June 7. It’s a day full of activities: music class for kiddos, Queer Analysis: A Live Talk Show at Old City Hall, drag queen story hour with Betty Desire, plus a community art wall and silent disco dance party at the Lightcatcher building! Find the full line-up of Museum First Friday events online. Stay tuned for more information about additional Pride events in the weeks ahead!
Restored arch at Memorial Park: Completed just in time for Memorial Day, the archway at Memorial Park in the Sunnyland Neighborhood is now refurbished. At the urging of Sunnyland Neighborhood representatives, the wrought-iron archway was removed and completely restored by Parks & Recreation Department staff. The archway marks the entrance to the second oldest park in Bellingham that contains memorials to Whatcom County soldiers lost in various wars. The memorial arch, designed by F. Stanley Piper, is located at the Maryland Street entrance, and was originally dedicated on Armistice Day, November 11, 1922. You can find more information on the Memorial Park page.
Night construction: Work on the Meridian and Illinois intersection will begin next week with several days of night work. Crews will be working on the watermain utility, and to minimize the impacts to traffic at this busy intersection, they will conduct the bulk of the work overnight. Once the watermain work is completed, we will begin daytime work to improve the intersection and construct a roundabout. Drivers can expect impacts through July.
Pipeline tragedy commemorative events: June 10 marks the 25th anniversary of the pipeline tragedy at Whatcom Falls Park. It was a day that left a deep impact on our community, taking lives and forever changing the landscape. We want to take this opportunity to remember those we lost and come together as a community to heal, remember and restore. The Pipeline Safety Trust, in collaboration with the City of Bellingham and other community partners, is hosting a series of events in June, including a remembrance gathering, the unveiling of an interpretive sign, restoration work in the park, creek walks, and a film screening. Join us as we come together for a chance to connect with others, share memories, and participate in the ongoing restoration efforts at Whatcom Falls Park. Find a full list of events at pstrust.org/25th-anniversary.
Interactive APIDA timeline at the Museum: In celebration of Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Heritage Month, the Lightcatcher Museum is hosting an interactive timeline of events that documents significant moments in our nation’s history and in the lives and family histories of Bellingham community members whose roots are in the more than 50 ethnic groups APIDA month honors. The timeline was featured at a recent community event and is now on display at the museum to give others the chance to add to the timeline with their wisdom, celebrations and stories of APIDA heritage. Stop by see it before June 7, add your story, and contribute to preserving the histories that shape us.
