Ballard Council Meeting set for Wednesday

Ballard District Council will meet this Wednesday, March 8, at 7 p.m. at Merrill Gardens (2418 NW 56th St).

This month’s Ballard District Council’s March meeting will be somewhat different in format, as they host a guest panel to help us explore the changing demographics Seattle and the region have seen and will experience over the next decade or two.

“An understanding of these wider changes will help us be better prepared to intelligently evaluate the many local options we will encounter in the future and allow us to more effectively lobby for the interests of our community,” writes Ballard District Council.

Following up this month’s “wide view” Ballard District Council will, in April, use another panel to take a close-in look at the many competing interests along Ballard’s ship canal — the blend from our water based maritime uphill through industrial, commercial and residential.

The March guest panelists bring with them a great deal of expertise:

• Tim Thomas, PhD candidate in Sociology at the UW and demographer with a focus on how neighborhoods affect different populations. His research includes topics such as gentrification, segregation, migration, crime, housing, poverty, and homelessness; all with a particular focus on the Seattle and Puget Sound area.
• Joshua McNichols, KUOW “growing pains” reporter since 2015 and a primary reporter for KUOW’s “Region of Boom” series.
• John Fox, Seattle Displacement Coalition, focused on changing housing needs throughout Seattle.
• Steve Cohn, retired city planner having worked with several surrounding municipalities dealing with the Washington State Growth Management Act
• Bill Bryant, Service Development Managing Director, King County Metro Transit

All are welcome to attend.