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Seattle Parks and Recreation celebrates first Seattle Park District acquisition and Heron Habitat Helpers’ 16th Anniversary

The community is invited to celebrate the Heron Habitat Helpers’ 16th Anniversary at the Heron Habitat Helpers Hangout on Sunday, April 30, 2017. The event begins at Commodore Park, 3330 W Commodore Way, from noon to 1:30 p.m. Telescopes will be available at the park to observe the heron colony and see the noisy chicks that have hatched.

The event moves to Urban Family Brewing, 4441 26th Ave. W, from 2 to 5 p.m. A fun open house for all will be held at this location featuring a small fundraiser and a presentation on “Life and Death of Crows”. For every beer sold, $1 will be donated to Heron Habitat Helpers’ web cam installation effort.

Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) purchased a 4,400-sq. ft. property at 4451 33rd Ave. W, expanding Kiwanis Memorial Preserve Park in January 2017. This property expands the protection of Kiwanis Ravine, which provides significant open space benefits including wildlife habitat, recreational opportunities, and a buffer between the industrial and residential land use. The Kiwanis Memorial Preserve Park was once the home to the largest heron colony in the northwest. In May 2013, due to extreme eagle predation, the Kiwanis Ravine heron colony moved to Commodore Park. For more information or to volunteer with Heron Habitat Helpers, visit http://www.heronhelpers.org/.

This property is the first acquisition funded by the Seattle Park District. The Seattle Park District provided $158,000 for the acquisition of this parcel which SPR had been trying to purchase since the mid-1990s. Approved by Seattle voters in 2014, the Seattle Park District provides more than $47 million a year in long-term funding for Seattle Parks and Recreation including maintenance of parklands and facilities, operation of community centers and recreation programs, and development of new neighborhood parks on previously acquired sites.

For more information, please visit http://www.seattle.gov/parks/find/parks/kiwanis-memorial-preserve-park