Ferrymageddon Almost Complete

Congratulations everyone - as a community, we will have made it to the end of Ferrymageddon tonight (well technically, 3am tomorrow morning/Sept 13).

By 10am today, the crew from Contrack Watts, the contractor performing the work on the terminal, had installed the last piece of the walkway span connecting the ferry terminal building to the ferry passenger walkway and are now putting the finishing touches on this part of the $33M project.

One project worker was injured on Friday when the first walkway piece fell as it was being moved off a barge, but he was airlifted to Harborview where he was treated and later released from the hospital.

The incident did not cause significant delays, and we have just a few more hours of single-boat service and until cars, trucks, bicycles and motorcycles are allowed back on the boat...

Council Votes On Affordable Housing, Inn Moratorium, Cup Fee Repeal Tonight

It is a huge night tonight at City Council - with agenda items including: 

• Item 5F: Consider using Housing Trust Fund to subsidize Land Use Permit Fees for Affordable Housing Developments
• 8A: Recommended Actions To Implement City Threads Accelerated Mobility Playbook
• 8B: Amend BIMC Chapter 8.24, Waste Reduction Regulations (and repeal the 25c Cup Fee)
• 8C: Consider Repeal of Moratorium and adoption of new regulations for Inns in Neighborhood Centers
• 8D: Consider Development Agreement for new Affordable Housing at Pleasant Beach Village

. . . as well as confirmation of the members of this year's Lodging Tax Allocation, and Cultural Funding committees.

A New Pool for Bainbridge?

A local family is considering building a new centrally-located sports complex for the community and have offered to make land for a new competition-sized pool available at very low or no cost.

A new community organization “Friends of the New Bainbridge Pool” is currently raising $45,000 for a feasibility study to:

• Examine what kind of pool people on the island would like
• Gauge the impact of being able to host regional sporting events
• Identify potential sources of funding and determine the most sustainable business model for a new local aquatics center. 

112 islanders have donated $20k towards that feasibility study so far - click below to consider joining them...

First BI Comprehensive Plan Workshop & Project Kick-Off

Want a say in the future of Bainbridge? Begin by providing input and feedback for COBI's Comprehensive Plan Periodic Update.

This is the beginning of the planning process focused on the guiding principals for the entire island from 2024-44.

On Wed Sept 27, attend in person at Woodward Middle School Commons with a 4-6pm Open House, followed by a 6-8pm Workshop.

From Sept 28 all the way through Oct 29, participate online within a virtual workshop and public feedback space.

Bainbridge's Day of Preparedness Approaches

Sat Sept 23, 10am-1pm

Bainbridge Island's annual Day of Preparedness will take place on Saturday, September 23, from 10am - 1pm at the Commodore Options Lower Gym.

Learn about the community resilience projects that are happening and how they can benefit you both before and after a natural disaster.

There will be information stations for all the various teams and a few vendors.

Learn next steps in preparing your household, neighborhood, school, place of worship, and much more.

City Adds New Sustainable Transportation Coordinator

City Manager Blair King has selected Hannah Boettcher as the City’s first Sustainable Transportation Coordinator to help implement the City’s 2022 Sustainable Transportation Plan (STP) and other mobility initiatives. 

Boettcher previously served as a transportation demand management program manager at Jones Lang Lasalle in partnership with Amazon.

She helped develop and manage various sustainable transportation programs including an e-bike subscription program, carpooling and vanpooling programs, and incentive programs to promote mode shift in support of public health and climate action goals. 

Bainbridge Divers

Owner Walter Parker is certified by the Diver Institute of Technology and has recently started offering new underwater services for the island.

Services provided by Bainbridge Divers include Hull Cleaning, Zinc Replacement, Item Recovery, Hull Inspection, and Emergency 24hr calls.

Online booking is now available at the Bainbridge Divers website with 20% off for new customers!

Thank You, Good Luck, But Not Goodbye To Chantelle Lusebrink

Our community's DMO is welcoming a new season in leadership, they announce the departure of Executive Director Chantelle Lusebrink.

Since 2020, Chantelle has been a vital part of the VBI team, and her dedication and expertise have played an integral part in our community's success in promoting local businesses and events, while generating more press coverage than ever before.

Chantelle has accepted a wonderful career opportunity at the Port of Seattle as Tourism Development Manager where she will work with communities across Washington (including Bainbridge) to continue bringing new opportunities for tourism development.

Starting today, VBI founder Chris Mueller steps back into the Executive Director role, with support from VBI’s Board of Directors, Stefan Goldby at the Chamber ,and Kelle Kitchell-Cooper at the Downtown Association.

Bainbridge Innkeepers Gathering

Wed Sept 27, 5:30pm

Join Bainbridge Innkeepers at their inaugural gathering to discuss businesses, guests and the innkeeper community concerning the regulation of lodging establishments on Bainbridge.

The Bainbridge Innkeepers are a group of Bainbridge Island lodging providers - short term rental hosts and hoteliers alike - which formed in June under the umbrella (and around the conference table) of the Chamber.

They are also working to collect and share news about new opportunities to help businesses and our island short-term rental community thrive.

September After Hours at PacWesty Sold Out

The next After Hours member mixer will be hosted by PacWesty and the Pacific Mobility Group on Thursday, September 28 at 5:30pm.

We are delighted to have Island Cool Creamery provide their new Snoqualmie Ice Cream available to guests, complementary wine provided by Eleven Winery

Tickets are always free for Chamber members and available to a limited number of non-member guests for $20.

Help Modern Collision Celebrate 50 Years

To help celebrate a half-century of business on Bainbridge, Modern Collision Rebuild & Service has created a new community contest asking people to design an image for use in their ads.

Submitted artwork must have 3 components:

• 'Modern Collision Rebuild & Service',
• 'celebrating 50 years', and
• 'Bainbridge Island' 

There are 3 age categories, with Modern Collision will be selecting 1 winner from each: 

• Under 10: $50 Calico Cat gift card
• 11-17: $75 Bon Bon gift card
• 18 & up: $100 Ace Hardware gift card

New Flavors Introduced at Island Cool Creamery

Melissa & Chris Jasperson are the owners of Island Cool Yogurt (Lynwood Center) and they have recently expanded to three new locations, the former Mora Ice Creamery Stores: Poulsbo, Kingston, and Downtown Bainbridge Island.

As they step into this new phase, they are delighted to continue serving Mora Ice Cream at the new locations until it gracefully runs its course.

Last week they announced their first batch of Snoqualmie Ice Cream was delivered, with flavors like Honey Lavender, Cookie Monster, Salted Carmel & more.

Their first location in the village of Lynwood on Bainbridge is still thriving and continuing to serve its beloved flavors of frozen yogurts.

Annual Yuendumu Show now at Jeffrey Moose Gallery

Jeffrey Moose Gallery is proud to announce the second month of their annual show of Australian Aboriginal dot paintings, “Half A Hundred Years”.

The show features work from the community of Yuendumu, in Australia’s Northern Territory - a community which has been featured at the Seattle Art Museum for nearly 30 years. 

Traditional ground paintings by the Yuendumu artists, known as Warlukurlangu (Home of the Fire Dreaming) first made history in Paris in 1989 as part of the international survey, "Magiciennes De La Terre”.

Jeffrey Moose will deliver a lecture on the topic on Saturday, September 30th at 7 PM in the gallery.

Join KPUD's Updated Utility Rate Conversation

The KPUD (Kitsap Public Utility District) has been working with a public sector utility and financial consulting firm to conduct a new comprehensive utility rate for water, wastewater, and telecommunications services.

The KPUD Board of Commissioners will present and discuss the study findings and rates at their meetings on September 12 and 26, and hold a full public hearing on October 25.

Enjoy The Bridge - Year 2 of Creative District Fall Festival

Sept 30 - Oct 6

Arts & Humanities Bainbridge invites you to The Bridge Fall Arts Festival, with open house-style events happening at arts, crafts, and creative organizations and businesses participating in a free week-long celebration of arts and culture focused inside the walkable Bainbridge Creative District.

The festival will be filled with art, music, dance, sculpture, crafts, museums, galleries, wineries, makers and more, kicked off by the Grand Opening of the Buxton Center for Bainbridge Performing Arts.