I like to think of Meridian Park and the Good Shepherd Center as anchoring the northern side of Wallingford. There’s plenty of intriguing history behind the park and the Good Shepherd Center, some of which I hope to write about soon. But today I wanted to touch on some of the varied activities that take place in the center itself. Specifically, Wallyhood received a notice about the concerts that happen in the fourth floor chapel space. Obviously, public attendance has been curtailed, but the sponsor, Nonsequitur, has made recordings available online from previous performances in the chapel under the heading …

This is a short story about three different businesses in the neighborhood with a combined residence time here of over 70 years.  The ownerships span the range from Mom & Pop, regional chain, to global dominion.  It repeats the altogether too common, and depressing refrain to this pandemic:  businesses faltering, and some succumbing to the loss of traffic from the necessary restrictions that were put into place.  Wallingford is certainly no exception.

The Shoe Store

Wallyhood received a note from reader Denis, who lamented the imminent closing of another business on the margin between Wallingford and Fremont, Sole Perfection.  This …

We love seeing people support Wallingford business. This past week, it was District 4 Councilmember Alex Pedersen who took a stroll through 45th street, stopping at Murphy’s and The Octopus Bar. He highlighted it in his newsletter and encouraged neighbors beyond the ‘hood to swing by our main drag. Thanks for the good word, Alex.

If you aren’t already receiving Councilmember Pedersen’s email and you live in District 4 (or not, and just want to know more what he’s working on or how to reach him), click here to sign up. You can also view his blog here: https://pedersen.seattle.gov.

If …

The open space above the Fremont Troll is being transformed from a former homeless encampment, as local residents turn the space into the new Troll’s Knoll Park.

Thanks in part to a $25,000 grant from the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, supporters are finishing a design plan for the new park, which prioritizes natural habitat. The Friends of the Troll’s Knoll is a community group dedicated to maintaining green spaces around the Troll through clean-up, park development and art installations, including a moss-covered turtle.

Wrote supporters:

Our vision for the Troll’s Knolls Park expansion is to create a welcoming, sa…

Some of you may have seen the window of Fainting Goat Gelato on 45th Street was broken by a rock last weekend. Fortunately, they are all patched back up, but they could use our support. I exchange messages with owner Yalcin Ataman and he expressed how the pandemic has impacted their business, making it harder to stay open.

I stopped by tonight to grab a couple of pints and remembered the neat connection to history they have – a creamery once occupied the space they are in. …

If you see someone in a chartreuse vest carrying a clipboard in the neighborhood, it may well be a volunteer supporting the non-profit organization Historic Wallingford. Volunteers are recording styles and architectural details of homes in the part of Wallingford now being studied as a potential Historic District to be included in the National Register of Historic Places, an activity of the National Park Service.

The Wallingford community, as well as the city of Seattle, have benefited greatly from past historic preservation designations of key buildings and structures in our neighborhood. Notable are the Good Shepherd Center, The …