Juneteenth flag raising: The Juneteenth flag is flying at City Hall after the annual flag-raising ceremony was held during the City Council Committee of the Whole meeting earlier this week. If you missed this celebration that featured songs and heartfelt words from Black leaders in our community, you can watch the video on our website.
All Hands Whatcom Opioid Summit: There’s still time to register for the 2024 All Hands Whatcom Opioid Summit happening June 25 and 26. This year’s Summit, hosted by the Chuckanut Health Foundation, is focused on how the fentanyl crisis is affecting young people. Everyone can attend to learn about local data, hear personal stories, and participate in creating action plans to support youth in our community. Get more details and register on the Chuckanut Health Foundation’s website.
New from BTV: Among the great things our BTV team does is creating videos that tell our community’s stories. Two of their latest creations explore very different aspects of arts and culture in Bellingham. The first, In Bellingham: Silent Disco, is a window into the musical magic at Zuanich Park, a silent disco hosted by Dancing Dana Carr. The next sunset silent disco at Zuanich Park is this Saturday evening, June 29, with more to come at Boulevard Park – co-hosted by the Bellingham Parks and Recreation Department – in July and August! In The Icon on the Hill, BTV chronicles the history and recent efforts to restore and preserve the beloved Old City Hall. Did you know that Old City Hall itself is part of the Whatcom Museum’s collection?! Find these and other great videos on our YouTube channel.
Summer outdooring watering: Summer is officially here! As we soak up the sun, let’s also be mindful of our outdoor water use. Our community’s demand for water jumps by 5 million gallons a day during the summer months, and nearly half of the water we spray on lawns gets lost to evaporation and runoff. But fear not! There are many ways you can save water this season. Whether you let your lawn go dormant (gold is the new green!) or opt for smart watering strategies, every drop counts. Here are a few tricks to keep your garden green and your wallet happy: Stick to the voluntary summer watering schedule, hydrate your lawn in the cooler morning hours to cut down on water loss, try out an irrigation controller, or even swap some turf for native plants. Get more conservation tips at cob.org/conserve and start saving water today.
Speaking of summer: Moving out? Pack it out! If you are moving this summer, please be a good neighbor and do not leave unwanted furniture or other belongings outside. These items often become litter that is hazardous to pedestrians, traffic, wildlife and our waterways. Protect our community and environment by using one of the many resources available locally to help you donate, sell, recycle or dispose of your unwanted items. Visit our Moving Out page to learn more.
Improving public spaces
Quick construction updates: The new signal at Lincoln and Maple has been installed. Crews will be wrapping up the project soon. Night work on the roundabout at Meridian and Illinois is planned for June 24, and drivers can expect significant delays near that intersection through July as construction continues. Work also continues on the replacement of the James Street and Meador Avenue bridges. As of this week, James Street bridge is temporarily closed with a detour open across a temporary bridge on Meador Avenue, which has been closed for several weeks. And lastly, the Electric Ave bridge is still only partially open, and you don’t see active construction at the moment. But our engineers are hard at work behind the scenes planning a longer-term solution. Thanks for your patience while we prioritize public safety!
