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Public engagement
Discover how King County is engaging the community in the West Duwamish Wet Weather Storage project.
Our commitment to our local communities
Throughout this project, our team seeks opportunities to engage our project neighbors and support local community-driven initiatives. As design has progressed, we have connected directly with project neighbors, attended community events, shared briefings with community groups, mailed newsletters and postcards, updated our project website, and published online open houses.
Visit our recent online open houses and outreach events to learn more about our community engagement efforts.
Public meetings/outreach
Trees-giving
When: Saturday, November 9, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Seattle Public Library – South Park Branch, 8604 Eighth Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98108
The event will include free trees, treats, and a Halloween costume contest for pets.
We are teaming up with the Dirt Corps, Duwamish Valley Youth Corps, and Highland Park Improvement Club to host our third annual tree giveaway to support community goals around neighborhood greening. Join us at one of our upcoming events in Highland Park and South Park to pick up a free native tree and learn about King County’s efforts to reduce pollution into the Duwamish River. Trees are available for community members and organizations based in South Park and Highland Park, on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last. No registration is required.
Trick or Trees
When: Saturday, October 26, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Highland Park Corner Store, 7789 Highland Park Way Southwest Seattle, WA 98106
The event will include free trees, treats, and a Halloween costume contest for pets.
We are teaming up with the Dirt Corps, Duwamish Valley Youth Corps, and Highland Park Improvement Club to host our third annual tree giveaway to support community goals around neighborhood greening. Join us at one of our upcoming events in Highland Park and South Park to pick up a free native tree and learn about King County’s efforts to reduce pollution into the Duwamish River. Trees are available for community members and organizations based in South Park and Highland Park, on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last. No registration is required.
Building Your Sustainable Future: Fall Job Fair and Workforce Training Symposium
When: Wednesday, October 23, from 4 to 7 p.m.
Where: South Seattle College Georgetown Campus: 6737 Corson Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98108
We are partnering with South Seattle College this fall to host a job fair and workforce training symposium. Jobseekers can explore diverse career and paid training opportunities in clean water, sustainable building, and construction! The event will feature hands-on “day in the life” job demonstrations, networking, resume assistance, and more. It’s a great chance to meet employers hiring now and in the near future. Refreshments and Spanish interpretation will also be available. This free event is open to the public, welcoming people at all stages of careers and education. Register by Friday, October 18, to receive a printed name tag at the event.
Duwamish River Community Coalition Job Fair
When: Saturday, October 19, from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Where: Concord International School, 723 South Concord Street, Seattle, WA 98108
Are you looking for job or internship opportunities? Duwamish River Community Coalition and partners are working to connect youth and adults in South Park and Georgetown with hiring employers in the Duwamish Valley. This event includes resources for resumes, work clothing, driver’s licenses and IDs, interview skills, and more. This event is free and open to the public, including people in all stages of career and education.
Learn more about the job fair.
SOPASUPA summer Party, August 17, 2024
The project team will host an information booth at the SOPASUPA Summer Party on Saturday, August 17, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the intersection of South Cloverdale Street and 14th Avenue South (8601 14th Avenue South, Seattle, WA, 98108). SOPASUPA is a neighborhood party with live bands, lucha libre performances, a zone for kids, a swap meet market, and much more!
18th Annual Duwamish River Festival, August 3, 2024
Join us for the 18th Annual Duwamish River Festival on Saturday, August 3, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Duwamish River People’s Park and Shoreline Habitat (8700 Dallas Avenue South, Seattle). Duwamish River Festival features free food, family-friendly activities, arts, culture, advocacy, and entertainment to celebrate a healthy Duwamish River.
The West Duwamish Wet Weather Storage project team will host a table with other King County project teams to share information about our commitment to the Duwamish River. To learn more about the event and how to volunteer visit the event website at https://www.drcc.org/duwamish-river-festival-
Date: October 28, 2023
Time: 12 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Location: Highland Park Corner Store
King County is partnering with Highland Park Improvement Club and Dirt Corps to host our second annual tree giveaway event in the Highland Park neighborhood. The event will provide 250 free trees to community members and organizations based in South Park and Highland Park. The event will also include a Halloween costume contest for pets and other goodies. The West Duwamish Wet Weather Storage Facility project team will host a table at the event to share information about how King County is working to reduce pollution into the Duwamish River.
Call or email Demmelash Adera:
Phone: 206-263-2340
Email: deadera@kingcounty.gov
Date: October 21, 2023
Time: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Location: həʔapus Village Park & Shoreline Habitat
Join us for Duwamish Alive! for a fun day of family friendly watershed restoration activities. This twice annual event brings volunteers together to plant native plants, remove invasive weeds and trash, and support mulching efforts. The West Duwamish Wet Weather Storage Facility project team will host a table at the event to share information about our investment in pollution control and combined sewer overflow reduction. Visit Duwamish Alive Coalition – Improving our river and watershed to learn more about the event and how to volunteer on land or water.
Call or email Demmelash Adera:
Phone: 206-263-2340
Email: deadera@kingcounty.gov
West Duwamish Wet Weather Storage Facility Online Open House
September 30, 2022
View online open house.
How we work with the community
King County works with communities to provide project information, identify potential impacts, and involve the community in project design where possible. Community members can expect:
- One-on-one outreach to directly impacted neighbors
- Neighborhood meetings
- Community group briefings
- Project newsletters and fliers
- Project web page updates
- News releases
Community partnerships
Partnership with Mujeres Conectoras
Between October 2022 and August 2023, King County partnered with Mujeres Conectoras to engage Latinx community members in the project area in two focus group discussions. Mujeres Conectoras also participated in trainings and attended a tour of the King County South Treatment Plant.
In the focus group discussions, Mujeres Conectoras connected with 25 Latinx community members and their families. The groups discussed the project and other clean water infrastructure topics. Most of the focus group discussion participants learned about the project for the first time in these conversations and several community members expressed feeling inspired to support water quality activities with their families.
“Trick or Tree”
In October 2022 and October 2023, King County hosted tree giveaway events in partnership with DIRT Corps and the Duwamish Valley Youth Corps. Between these two events, king County has shared 550 native trees with South Park and Highland Park community members and places of worship.
Supporting workforce development initiatives
In partnership with Villa Comunitaria, a local organization supporting project engagement with Latinx community members, King County is working to advance workforce development opportunities in project area neighborhoods. Leading up to the start of construction, King County will raise awareness and increase participation among project neighbors in clean water workforce opportunities, including King County’s Business Development and Contract Compliance and Priority Hire Programs.
King County is also collaborating with South Seattle Community College - Georgetown Campus to plan workforce development activities for people in all stages of careers and education. So far in 2024, the project team has hosted a classroom presentation, a tour of the Georgetown Wet Weather Treatment Station for students, and a public Green Jobs Symposium and Career Fair sponsored by King County and the Sustainable Building and Science Technology program.
Explore our workforce development resources below:
- Build the future while building your career
- Pipelines for employment with King County’s Wastewater Treatment Division
- Contractor flyer for West Duwamish Wet Weather Storage
- King County Wastewater Treatment Division Career Cards in English and Spanish
King County hosts a tour of the Georgetown Wet Weather Treatment Station for students of the Sustainable Building and Science Technology program at South Seattle College – Georgetown Campus.
RainWise!
We know that many South Park residents are excited about raingardens and other “green” solutions to keep polluted runoff or storm water out of the Duwamish. The RainWise program provides rebates that cover up to 100% of the cost of installing rain gardens and cisterns that will help manage runoff.
To learn more about the RainWise program, visit https://700milliongallons.org/
King County’s commitment to sustainability and Equity and Social Justice
King County has prioritized sustainable development and practices that support Equity and Social Justice (ESJ).
- The County’s sustainability program provides a green building guide for infrastructure projects. On this project, we’ll look for sustainability opportunities at the storage tank site and in the South Park neighborhood.
- King County promotes Equity and Social Justice in design, construction and management of infrastructure projects so communities can thrive. This means we are committed to taking feedback from the community, and you can expect to see us working with community groups in the project area to ensure that the project reflects neighborhood values.
Learn more at www.kingcounty.gov/equity