Phillips takes walking tour of Ballard

King County Councilmember Larry Phillips took a walking tour of Ballard this afternoon to meet with business owners and residents.  The tour, organized by the Ballard Chamber of Commerce, began at the new Ballard Food Bank on Leary where Phillips heard about the challenges facing the facility. 


Phillips tours the new Ballard Food Bank

While the new building has dramatically increased the amount of space the Food Bank has to work with, there has been a 25 percent increase in the number of clients needing assistance over the past couple of years.  While many Ballard grocery stores continue to provide supplies, the Food Bank says it needs monetary donations from the public to keep up with demand.

Food Bank officials also asked Phillips to help with their efforts to move the bus stop (pictured below) currently located at Leary and Ione Place in front of Carter Volkswagen.  The Food Bank says many of its clients tend to congregate in front of the car dealership after picking up their groceries as they wait for the bus.  To help out Carter, the Food Bank would like the bus stop moved closer to its building or somewhere that has less impact on businesses. 


Bus stop at Leary and Ione

Phillips also made a stop at the Ballard Landmark senior living community where he heard concerns about speeding and the need for better crosswalks on Leary.   He planned to end his walking tour at Swedish Medical Center.  (Disclosure: Councilmember Larry Phillips is a sponsor of MyBallard and MyBallard is a member of the Ballard Chamber of Commerce.)


Phillips greets residents of the Ballard Landmark

Geeky Swedes

The founders of My Ballard

21 thoughts to “Phillips takes walking tour of Ballard”

  1. It’s a conspiracy. The big corporate beast will use its predjudicial power to crush those less fortunate. Evil, evil!.. big bad businessmen! It’s gotta be the capitalistic war mongering corporate suits! The Man! The Man is keeping us all down and thinks he owns the sidewalk! I bet Carter is a member of the evil Chamber of Commerce!! It couldn’t be so simple as one neighbor being polite to another! It’s a conspiracy!

  2. he didn’t walk all that far, did he?

    what has this guy done for our community? I’ve practically never heard of him, until he shows up now to walk 4 or 5 blocks. why?

    looks like he had a real captivated audience of seniors.

  3. Good luck getting Metro to move that stop! They are notoriously slow at moving/adding stops, but quick at deleting them. Also, I think the move of this stop is pointless. It wouldn’t stop me from buying a VW if there were people waiting for the bus!

  4. Yes, you are correct that Carter Subaru and VW are listed as members of the “evil Chamber of Commerce”. They are in the 2010 Ballard Business Directory (aka boycott guide) with the chamber medallion next to their listing. Yes, they are part of the business group that is working hard against what is good for our community at the taxpayers expense. As an alternative a good Subaru dealership is located about 140th and Aurora.

  5. Started at the food bank? What and he worked his way backwards to the businesses struggling to provide a living to employees? At least the foodbank recognizes that a certain part of their clientele, ie. The bums, are hurting the local economy.

  6. Mondoman, thanks, I appreciate the info. If we are talking about the same ownership I will adjust my shopping accordingly. I have not been there in a couple of years, but I will check it out.

  7. Funny,when an pettite-bourgeoise(look it up) is trashed by the banksters,he’s still an pettite-burgeoise;BUT:When an blue-collar”Lumpen-Proletarian”gets trashed by “carom screwing”of the big bois(“Usual Suspects:Banksters,Realtors,KKondo ‘Developers'”,etc.–you know the rest!!,suddenly,he’s/she’s in a car,rubber-trampin’ in loveley fat-butt Bollard…
    Instant vilification by the Chamber-pot of KKapitalists,ie,front for”Bisness Round-Table,A.K.A.”Ameri-Fascisti”monarchy…
    “Guess who,suckas/sheeple!!”

  8. If you’re looking for a different Subaru dealership with no connection to Ballard I’d recommend Peninsula Subaru in Gorst (near Bremerton). Very scenic ferry ride on the way over there!

  9. Thanks Mondoman for the recommendation, I just drove past the dealer in Gorst this last week. Let be be clear, it not that I do not support Ballard businesses, I prefer to shop local, I just do not support businesses associated with the Ballard Chamber of Commerce.

  10. What about businesses that do business with a chamber member? Do you shop at those? Aren’t you indirectly supporting the chamber if you do? Do you breath the same air as members of the chamber? How can you live with yourself?

    I find it hard to believe that none of your money is ever spent with a chamber member. Must be a sad little life searching for somewhere to do business that is not tainted with the chamber’s fingerprints, Mister Quixote

  11. And if you don’t support businesses associated with the chanber, what are you doing here:

    MyBallard is a member of the Ballard Chamber of Commerce

    Aggggh, run away!!!!

  12. For the record, Carter Subaru did not request a bus stop change. The Ballard Food Bank did. This request is one neighbor being polite to another.

  13. No one wants hobos outside their business. Good on the food bank to understand that a certain element of their ‘customers’ gathered together are not good for local business.

  14. It’s not the good people of the food bank taking the bus that is the issue. It’s the less savory characters that use the food bank as a mailing address that are likely to scare off customers if they see them milling about all the time. Funny that even the food bank realizes bums can be bad for business.

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