The Seattle PI reported today that, once renovations are complete in 2014, the new education center at the North Transfer Station (1350 N. 34th St.) will be named after J.P. Patches.
Actor Chris Wedes, whose beloved clown character entertained Seattleites on KIRO TV from 1958 to 1981, made a special appearance on KCTS last night during a pledge drive when the naming announcement was made. A letter written by the Seattle City Council declared the honor to Patches, who was also known as “Mayor of the City Dump”. From the PI:
“Your J.P. Patches character, known for his wit and eccentricity, is a Seattle icon deserving of a unique and unusual honor,” says the council’s letter, presented to Wedes on the show.
“Given J.P.’s legacy as ‘Mayor of the City Dump,’ we think this is a fitting tribute.”
The idea originally came from Feliks Banel, a local historian, who was quoted by the PI as saying, “It’s a very cool thing. It’s weird, but Seattle-weird.”
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Having never referred to it as anything other than The Dump simce moving here nearly 20 years ago, sounds good to me! I’m sure my husband, an enthusiastic Patches Pal, since childhood is going to love it even more. Wallingford can have a lot of fun with that one!
One note, according to the Seattle Times, the whole dump will not officially be named after JP Patches, only a new education center within the facility. SPU, in a misguided bow to p.c., wants to continue calling it the North Transfer Station (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2017018102_jppatches15m.html. How boring is that?! Seems hard to believe they’ll be able to slide that one past the army of Patches Pals in Seattle!
Yes, that is rather boring! Phooey! I’ve noted the change, though! Thanks for pointing that out!