Ballardites start postcard campaign to save community centers

With Mayor Mike McGinn's final budget decisions looming in June, the neighborhood group Save Ballard's Community Centers is starting a postcard campaign to let the Mayor's Office know they shouldn't mess with Ballard.

"We want to start sending a message to the Mayor's Office that we want Ballard's community centers to stay open and stay funded," said Amy Janas, organizer of the postcard campaign.

Ballard Sip & Ship is donating several thousand postcards for the campaign. Janas said physical cards will help the city see the impact cuts would have on Ballard.

Save Ballard's Community Centers started when outgoing Seattle Parks and Recreation Superintendent Tim Gallagher gave a television interview in late April in which he said the Ballard Community Center and Loyal Heights Community Center were in danger of closure due to budget cuts and their close proximity to each other.

In addition to drawing McGinn's attention to Ballard's community centers, Janas said she is hoping the campaign raises more awareness in the neighborhood about the danger the community centers are in.

Community centers provide valuable resources to the communities in terms of access to facilities and making neighborhood connections, said Janas, who uses the community centers' open gyms and play spaces with her family.

"As a mother of young children in rainy Seattle, it's great to be able to get out and let them run around," she said.

The postcards will be printed and ready to ship May 25. There will be drive-by spots outside of the Ballard Community Center at 6020 28th Ave. N.W. and Loyal Heights Community Center at 2101 N.W. 77th St. for residents to pick up and fill out postcards. Postcards will also be available at a number of neighborhood coffee shops.

Parks and Recreation will not be able to give specifics about budget cuts until after McGinn goes through he budget priority process in early June.

Anyone who would like to volunteer to help distribute postcards, can contact Save Ballard's Community Centers at saveballardcommunitycenters@gmail.com.