Editor's Note

Stephanie Stroud 

As our newly elected officials take office, both inside and outside of WASLA, I think it is a good time to remember that you have a voice, and you are encouraged to use it! If you have a brilliant idea for an event, something you want to share, or even a curious question that you would like to ask, it is your right to do so. 

I was inspired the other night at a holiday party when I spoke to a founder of Cheasty Park in Beacon Hill. With his neighbors, he reclaimed a piece of public land that was overrun not only with invasives like our favorites in Seattle, blackberries, ivy, and rats, but also with crime and garbage. His and his neighbors’ pro-active approach of physically removing weeds and trash, along with using their voices to get the city and fellow community members involved, created what is now a beautiful new park with a sense of neighborhood identity, from what was once a safety hazard and an eyesore. As landscape architects, these stories warm our hearts like a glass of egg nog. But it doesn’t always take a team of gardeners; sometimes it only takes an email to make a point or ask an important question.

With that said, I want you to know that you can feel free to contact me with any suggestions for our monthly newsletter. We are always looking for interesting ideas for articles or important event announcements for our WASLA community—that means you! Contact me here: [email protected]

 

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