Category Archives: Community Space

The Elks Are Moving

Leave a reply

Elks Lodge #174 has sold (is selling?) their property at Union Avenue and South 23rd Street (1965 South Union) to Walmart. The existing 76,000 square foot building had a construction cost of $1.5 to $2 million and was dedicated in 1965. At that time it had the highest membership of any elk’s lodge in the U.S.

A photograph of the dedication can be found here (thanks Tacoma Public Library!) http://search.tacomapubliclibrary.org/images/dt6n.asp?un=3&pg=1&address=1965+and+SO+and+AVE+and+UNION&stemming=&phonic=&fuzzy=&maxfiles=

The building will be demolished and a Walmart Superstore (the largest of the Walmart floor plans) will be constructed. The Elks will have a new, modern lodge constructed at a different location. The original elks building was constructed on Broadway Avenue and is proposed to be converted into a McMenamins.

www.tacomaelks.com

Wild Wilderness Under the I-705

Leave a reply

Tacoma has a temporary art exhibit called the Temporal Terminus: Marking the Line Project. There are several sites that are part of this instillation. and today I stopped at the Wild Wilderness. It’s located next to the entrance to the Tacoma Art Museum’s parking lot and under the I-705 Overpass in an area of vegetation.  There were several animal cutouts including a sloth, a squirrel and a fox. There was one near the concrete support piece, but my husband suggested that I let the man in the sleeping bag alone.

The website for the project provides the following information:


SITE 3: Under I-705
Title: Wild Wilderness
Artists:  Jennifer Adams, Kristin Giordano, Kenji Stoll

This work comments on the diminishing open spaces in our world and the impact on animal habitat.  In addition, it calls attention to the wild spaces that exist within our urban midst. A variety of animals that would be hard pressed to co-exist inhabit this newly created environment.”

Temporal Terminus: Marking the Line

 

 

Tacoma Food Co-Op

Leave a reply

The Tacoma Food Co-Op at 3002 6th Avenue, Tacoma opened on August 26, 2011. It has a lovely mural on the outside wall. I walked through the store, which use to be a corner grocery and explored their unusual stock.  Their website says “The member-owners of the Tacoma Food Co-op recognized the need for an affordable urban natural foods grocery that would provide local organic and natural foods, as well as a community around these foods.”

http://tacomafoodcoop.com/

 

Celebrating Summer at the Proctor Farmer’s Market

Leave a reply

Although it is September, Summer seems to be here still. Perhaps to make up for its very late arrival this year! The Proctor Farmer’s Market was packed with cheerful folks in the summer outfits. I strolled from one end to another and came away with a flat of blackberries (soon to be cobbler), organic pumpkin dog treats which the dogs love, zucchini, corn and pop in your mouth delicious cherry tomatoes.

The market will be open until November 19th and operates between the hours of 9 – 2.  There website is here http://www.proctorfarmersmarket.com/

 

Harry Potter at 12:15 (yes a.m.)

Leave a reply

I haven’t been to a midnight movie since Rocky Horror Picture many years ago. But I went to the Lakewood 15 to and took several awful photos. The movie was, of course, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows and it was terrific. All of the theaters were devoted to the one movie and the place was rockin with most of the movie goers dressed up.

http://m.harrypotter.warnerbros.com/harrypotterandthedeathlyhallows/index_no_support.php

Smiling Carrot at the Olympia Farmer’s Market

1 Reply
Smiling Carrot by Gexydaf
Smiling Carrot, a photo by Gexydaf on Flickr.

I love the Olympia Farmer’s Market — the vendors, the food booths, the entertainment, the quirky art. I especially love it in the summer with everybody in their summer garb. We purchase my daughter’s favorite type of apple and ate at Curry In.

South Tacoma Farmer’s Market

Leave a reply
 



It is farmer’s market season and there is one available for most days of the week. Sunday’s market is the South Tacoma Farmer’s Market, the newest Tacoma market and it is located on the corner of Washington Avenue and South 56th in the Heritage Bank Parking Lot. It is a bustling market, with produce, flower’s, informational booths and art & crafts goods. I especially enjoyed the musicians playing.

http://www.tacomafarmersmarket.com/Markets.aspx

 

Sixth Avenue Farmer’s Market

Leave a reply
Sixth Avenue Farmer's Market by Gexydaf
Sixth Avenue Farmer’s Market, a photo by Gexydaf on Flickr.

It is finally farmer’s market season and today I stopped at the Sixth Avenue Farmer’s Market at the corner of Sixth Avenue and Pine Street. It is a lovely little market, with enough of everything — produce, flower’s, informational booths and art & crafts goods. I look forward to visiting it again soon!

http://www.tacomafarmersmarket.com/Markets.aspx

Inspiration at Tacoma Public Library

Leave a reply
 Today dear daughter and I went to the Tacoma Public Library Main Branch to hear William Kamkwamba who co-wrote the incredible book The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope). Both of us had enjoyed the book, finding it uplifting. William, a young man of 23, is inspirational. More about the Tacoma Reads program here.

http://www.tpl.lib.wa.us/Page.aspx?hid=239

It was the first time that I had been in a Tacoma Public Library on a Sunday and it felt good to see all the people there. The history of the library can be found here.

http://www.tpl.lib.wa.us/page.aspx?hid=42

Currently in the gallery of the library there is an exhibit of art tiles, old and new, that is well worth seeing. That link can be found here http://www.tpl.lib.wa.us/Page.aspx?nid=64

Pagoda at Point Defiance Park

Leave a reply
I love driving around Point Defiance Park. It soothes my soul. Today I stopped at the Pagoda at 5801 Trolley Lane and took a couple of rainy photos. It was sensibly locked, but looking through the windows worked pretty well. One window shot makes it look like Mother Nature is taking over the building!

Per the Metro Parks Tacoma website “the Pagoda was built in 1914 as a replica of a 17th century Japanese Lodge. It was originally a waiting room for streetcars. Now this magnificent structure functions as a rental facility for weddings and other private parties as well as a venue for garden shows, lectures and concerts.”

http://www.metroparkstacoma.org/page.php?id=62

   

Update 4/15/2011  the pagoda was badly damaged by a suspicious fire.

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/04/15/1627154/report-tacoma-fire-responding.html

Update 12/5/12 A community grand re-opening celebration is scheduled for January 12, 2013.