MetroSpokane

Gaiser Conservatory Holiday Lights...

Be sure and GET FLASH...

Not many cities can boast a full on conservatory as part of their parks system, and for Spokane the Gaiser Conservatory at Manito park is a great asset.  When the short days of winter have you pulling your hair out there's no better time to visit and take in the light, warmth and oxygen-rich air.  Until that time arrives though, you're best to visit now through the 16th of December when the Holiday Lights are on display.  Something like 20k lights make for an odd, but entertaining way to experience our conservatory this time of year.  The free event is put on by the Parks and Rec Dept. and The Friends of Manito, so drop a few bills in the basket while you're there to show your support.

• Gaiser Conservatory at Manito Park [GMAP]

Beautiful Latah Valley...from a helmet cam

Sometimes it's helpful to look at your neighborhood from a different perspective.  Like through the eyes of a first time visitor, or better yet a para-glider launching himself off high-drive on Thanksgiving Day.  You've seen the earlier footage from a bystander, now view it from the helmet-cam.  Hands down this is the best Spokane-related video on YouTube of the year.  Sit back and enjoy the ride.

2008-The year of 'Complete Streets' in Spokane?

2007 will likely go down as the year bicycle advocates in Spokane were finally heard.  Biking infrastructure has made some tremendous gains this year thanks to many dedicated individuals, but we're not satisfied.  Looking ahead to 2008 we see the momentum continuing for a city that's safer and more accessible for non-automotive forms of transportation.  We think 2008 could be a prime year for the complete streets movement to finally arrive in Spokane.

Complete streets are streets that serve all transportation users and this includes pedestrians, bikes, wheelchairs, transit and autos.  Think about the streets you use everyday to get home, to work, to the store, etc.  Which ones are designed with all users in mind?  It's nothing new in Washington State, in fact Seattle took the bold step of pledging to create complete streets first by passing a resolution and then a city ordinance the following year.  Redmond and Kirkland are into it as well...so why couldn't we?  C'mon, when you have the AARP and biking advocates on the same side of an issue something is up.

• Completethestreets.org
• Cities redo streets for pedestrians, cyclists, transit [New Urban News]

Friday Linkfest

[The Garbage Car appears in the East End - Photo courtesy of the MetroSpokane photo pool on Flickr]

• Spokane's smallest house is officially on the market [craigslist]
• Courthouse area 'Tower of Power' denied [spokesman]
• Biking infrastructure may have a place in next year's budget [cyclingspokane]
• Pedals2People/Scoop Bike photo show opens this sunday at the Scoop[pedals2people]

For Sale: Mid Cent. Mod on Altamont

Ahhh...the rancher...few things go better with the suburbs.  But for a clever twist how about a mid-century modern rancher rubbing shoulders with turn-of-the-last-century homes in a historic south hill nabe?  2407 E North Altamont Blvd has that and more.  The 1953 custom rancher is a set up that would have even DWELL drooling.  Plenty of built-ins, wood paneling, slate, and a wall of windows with what must be a sweet view of downtown.  And the wet bar...sweet mother, the wet bar.  The price isn't too bad either at $389,000.  But just two beds?

• Listing - 2407 E North Altamont Blvd [MLS]
• 2407 E North Altamont Blvd [GMAP]

Tips for Ciclovia Spokane-How Bogota, Columbia does it...

We know we're not even mid Winter, but we wanted to mention again an important topic.  Last Spring we raised the idea of doing a Ciclovia Spokane event and it generated some good discussion.  We even threw out a beginner route idea. To follow-up, the good people at StreetFilms traveled south to Bogota, Colombia, the birthplace of Ciclovia, to see first hand how the event transforms their city for seven hours each week.  It's an impressive display of people from a variety of backgrounds truly enjoying and experiencing their city in a way that isn't possible at any other time.  Imagine the same here in Spokane...[NOTE: At 8:25 in they share the names of other cities across the world where this event has spread.]

The future is Metro...

Well it finally happened.  At some point over the last 50 years we became a metropolitan nation. 
Recognizing this the Brookings Institute last month kicked off a multi-year program called Blueprint for American Prosperity.  The program is aimed at using those critical assests - innovation, human capital, infrastructure, and quality places - that tend to be located in major metropolitan areas.

Consider for a moment these stats:

• The nation's 100 largest metro areas account for 75 percent of the nation's gross domestic product
• More than four out of every five Americans live in metropolitan areas
• Washington has two of the nation’s 100 largest metropolitan areas—Seattle and Portland/Vancouver
• Seattle and Portland/Vancouver alone account for 58 percent of the state’s population, 62 percent of the state’s jobs, and 71 percent of the state’s gross domestic product
• Spokane ranks 105 out of 363 metropolitan areas in terms of number of jobs

We're close to breaking into the top 100.  Ahead of Spokane are: Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL (MSA), Winston-Salem, NC, Lakeland, FL, Reno-Sparks, NV, and Fort Wayne, IN.

• MetroNation Profile:  Washington's Metropolitan Areas(pdf)
• Blueprint for American Prosperity [Brookings Institute]

Copy This: Free Local Book Exchange...

[Photo courtesy Simonk via Flickr ]
Making the neighborhoods we inhabit more comfortable places can often be accomplished in the simplest of ways.  One guy in Chicago's Logan Square took a very creative approach to increasing the comfort and connectivity of his neighborhood.  Taking one of the ubiquitous newspaper boxes found all over, he gutted it, repainted it and placed it on a prominent street corner in his neighborhood.  The revamped box reads, "Logan Square Community Book Exchange," and usually has a steady supply of surplus books available for anyone who is interested.  The book exchange has been a success and has even spawned the Logan Square Video Exchange.   We could easily see this working in Browne's Addition somewhere near the roundabout.

• Logan Square Chicago - Neighborhood free book exchange [Chicago Reader]
• The Robin Hood Librarian [Chicago Public Radio]