[TheUWfarm] Fwd: FACN Alert: Mayor McGinn Visit May 15th

Hey Farmers -

Please join me in coming down to Rainier Beach tomorrow morning (SATURDAY) at 11 to show support for their urban farm proposal and visit with Mayor McGinn.  It's extremely important that the mayor understands that people in Seattle support this urban farm! 

I'll be going down on one of the 70's (71, 72, 73) to the downtown tunnel stations and catching the light rail, which has a Rainier Beach station.  Your husky pass works for both.  The address for the nursery is 5513 S. Cloverdale, and here is a link to walking directions from the light rail station to the nursery.  Below is the email that announced the visit. 

PLEASE JOIN ME, and call me at 253-831-5143 if you are having trouble getting there.  -Michelle

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Dear FACN Members and Supporters,
 
Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn and Deputy Mayor Darryl Smith are coming to the Atlantic City Nursery on May 15th as part of his Rainier Beach Walking Tour arranged by the City's Department of Neighborhoods.
 
We're planning a warm Friends of Atlantic City Nursery welcome to demonstrate community support and to share our vision for the Rainier Beach Urban Farm and Wetlands. We'll have food, signs and a display board showing our vision as supplied by our friends at VIA Architecture.
 
Here are the details:
 
10:30 a.m. ACN gate opens for setup of welcome signs, refreshments and display board
11:00 a.m. FACN members and supporters arrive; no parking on-site
11:30 a.m.    Mayor arrives at the Atlantic City Nursery and talks with community members

11:45 a.m.    Tour of Atlantic City Nursery, 5513 S. Cloverdale.

12:15 p.m.    Tour of the Atlantic City Nursery ends. 

Here are some of the talking points you should be ready to share with the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and other City staff:

 

1.  We appreciate the visit to our neighborhood, we're excited that 2010 has been declared  the Year of Urban Agriculture
2. We are advocating for an urban agriculture project that will make a lasting difference in the Rainier Beach community using an existing and surplus city-owned facility perfectly suited for this concept
3. The neighbors and community support converting the nursery into an urban farm as demonstrated at the public hearing on December 3, 2009, the over 100 positive comments received by the Parks Department, our ongoing neighborhood outreach and our March Community Outreach meeting.
4. National urban agriculture expert and Growing Power Inc. founder Will Allen has visited the nursery and declared it "perfect" for the project we're purposing and has offered the opportunity of starting a new Regional Outreach Training Center at the ACN, the first ROTC west of Denver
5. Parks Department staff have been receptive and we anticipate their final decision at the end of the decision-making process will reflect the community's desires and include an urban farm such as the site design we're sharing
6. FACN wants this to be a community-based site with a high degree of local control and input to serve the neighborhood with healthy food, youth education and training opportunities and economic development for the community
7. Our business model calls for multiple income-generating activities to limit dependence on grants or City support and create lasting sustainability
8. We recognize the wetlands aspects of the site and are committed to restoring and stewarding those areas as part of our long-term plan
9. FACN is working with Seattle Tilth, Communities for Change, the Rainier Beach Empowerment Coalition and a long list of local organizations and experts to ensure we have the expertise and the community support necessary for success

 Please join us on the 15th, bring your families and friends and be ready to advocate for our vision for the Rainier Beach Urban Farm and Wetlands.

 

Questions? Call Harry Hoffman at 206-276-1472.

 

Thank you,

 

Harry and Peter

 

Harry Hoffman and Peter Masundire

Co-Chairs FACN