Welcome students! One of the many ways we welcomed Western Washington University students back to school this week was the traditional Western Wednesday: First Night Out. More than 1,000 students walked from campus to Depot Market Square on Wednesday, September 27 (see photo above, courtesy of WWU), where they were greeted with entertainment, music, food and more. This fun annual way to introduce students to our downtown was co-hosted by the City and the Downtown Bellingham Partnership. Downtown was full of new students learning about their new community and visiting local businesses. During this event and every Western Wednesday all year long, dozens of businesses offer discounts to Western students, faculty and staff. We’re proud of the excellent higher education options in our region – including Western Washington University, along with Bellingham Technical College, Whatcom Community College and Northwest Indian College and others- and we welcome all our students back to their respective schools!
Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebration October 9: Join us in celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day as we learn from and honor the enduring leadership of Indigenous people near and far in caring for our resilient Earth. This free community celebration is open to all and will be held at the Lummi Nation’s Wex’liem Community Building, 5 – 8 p.m., October 9. Enjoy a delicious salmon dinner to begin the time together. Blackhawk Singers will provide powerful song and dance. We are honored to have Dr. Evan Adams — Coast Salish physician, public health expert and star of the movie “Smoke Signals” — as our keynote speaker. This event is sponsored by the Community Consortium for Cultural Recognition. Many thanks to the partner organizations contributing to this celebration! For more information, visit the event webpage.
Lake Whatcom through the seasons: If you spend time at Lake Whatcom, you may have noticed that the level of the lake changes a bit depending on the time of year. Curious where the level is right now or what the trends are from year to year? You’re in luck! The updated Lake Whatcom Water Levels webpage includes interactive graphs that display current and historical data on the level of the lake, the flows in Whatcom Creek and weather information. Because it serves as our drinking water reservoir, careful management goes into adjusting the amount of water stored in the lake to ensure an adequate supply of drinking water is available throughout the year. A control dam at the head of Whatcom Creek is operated to adjust the surface level of the lake and therefore the amount of water stored in the lake, and this varies by season. Curiosity piqued? Explore the Lake Whatcom Water Levels page to learn more.
Climate action survey: Take our 10-minute survey to help shape our climate future! Total greenhouse gas emissions have leveled off since the City started tracking emissions in 2000. To meet our community’s ambitious goals to reduce emissions and mitigate the effects of climate change, the City is seeking feedback about community strategies that we can promote through programs, policies, regulations and incentives. Community input will inform a step-by-step plan with specific approaches to reduce emissions in homes and buildings, increase the use of electric vehicles and use more energy from renewable sources. Learn more and take the survey at Engage Bellingham.
Speaking of climate action: It has been another great Climate Action Week so far, and it’s not over yet! Join us for a closing celebration Saturday, September 30, from 3 – 7 p.m., at the downtown waterfront (Portal Village and Kulshan Trackside) where you can test out electric bikes, learn about local environmental organizations, and have fun! With live music by Miles, Ebony & the Deep Cuts, a live circus act and interactive kids’ zone, it will be great fun for the whole family! ASL interpretation and free bike valet are provided. Learn more on the Climate Action Week page.
For property managers and owners: We invite you to participate in upcoming education opportunities for landlords, property managers and others that include information about rental damage mitigation, housing subsidies, eviction processes and prevention, landlord partnerships, and more. Free events are open to everyone and offer the chance to gain valuable insights, ask questions, and connect with experts. This series is hosted by the Whatcom Landlords & Housing Professionals, a group co-sponsored by the City that includes landlords, property managers, property owners and affordable housing professionals working collaboratively to address the rental housing crisis in our area. Register online to secure your spot and enhance your knowledge in the world of housing and rentals.
Improving public spaces
Fall transportation improvements: As you walk, bike or drive around town, you might come across some traffic delays as we work hard to make improvements to our streets, sidewalks, bike lanes and crossings. With the Lincoln-Maple project you can expect some delays this week as crews work to install a new 5-foot sidewalk along Ashley and Maple Streets. Flaggers will be present and traffic will periodically reduce to a single lane. The Westside improvements continue; with the new bike lane striping on Cornwall complete, crews are moving on to Eldridge. New crossings are currently being constructed at West Street and Lafayette Street with more crossings and new bike lanes to come. There may be delays while work is completed. You can find updates on all construction projects on our City Projects page.
Arroyo Bridge repairs: Construction to repair damaged Arroyo Park bridges continues into fall. All demolition work is complete and the contractor is installing steel beams and other structural components. All remaining work is above the creek and we anticipate the project to be completed in October. While repair plans were made shortly after it was damaged, repairs were delayed by the need to obtain permits from multiple agencies and schedule the project at certain times of year to avoid work during fish spawning. For information and updates, see our Arroyo Bridge repairs project page.
