Wednesday, May 1, 2024

May Is Bike Month, Join A Community Ride

Celebrate Bike Month! Grab your bike and helmet and join a free community ride on Saturday, May 18. Free youth helmets and fitting, bike bell and bike light giveaways, information on local trails. Independent Order of Odd Fellows will be giving away free used reconditioned bikes, sizes vary.

Location for giveaways and ride starting point: 4th Avenue and Pine Street parking lot (south of The Ridge)

Family Ride - 5.38 miles roundtrip, leaving at 10:30 a.m.

Ride to Kittitas Depot - 13 miles roundtrip, leaving at 11 a.m.

Learn more

Go By Bike: Four Cycling Journeys To Inspire Your Adventure

Hear from four local bicyclists, David Lygre, Lily Frey, Scott Nicolai, and Dave Burfiend as they share stories of epic bike rides. The presentation starts at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 9 in the Hal Holmes Community Center, 209 N. Ruby St.

Learn more

Historic Preservation Month Open House & Awards

Join the City and Landmarks and Design Commission as we celebrate historic preservation month with an open house and award presentation on Saturday, May 4 at the Kittitas County Historical Museum. Doors open at 4 p.m. and the presentation starts at 4:30 p.m. Presentation topics include the 135th Anniversary of the great fire, celebrating community murals, and awards. Enjoy refreshments and light snacks.

What Does The Future Hold For Reed Park?

Now that the City Council adopted the Reed Park Master Plan, what’s next? First, the project will require funding. Once funding is secured for at least the first phase of the project, then the City would commence design and permitting for the project. The City is required to follow its own rules for permitting, which would include a pre-application meeting, site development permit, critical area review, and State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) review prior to construction.

During the design and permitting process (which can take a year or more), there are several opportunities for public participation. The American Legion will be an important neighbor and partner to any future phase of development and City leadership is committed to working collaboratively to create a successful project. In the meantime, City and County representatives are working together to resolve the parcel ownership and further analyze the hill to mitigate long-term sloughing of the hillside.

Learn more

Take The Natural Gas Survey

The City of Ellensburg is conducting its annual natural gas survey. The purpose of the survey is to verify you know what to do in the event of a natural gas leak. This year participants can take the survey online and enter to win Kittitas County Chamber gift cards or a Traeger Pro 34 Pellet Grill.

Safety is our #1 priority and making sure we reach our community with gas safety information is important to us. The Gas Division staff would like to thank you in advance for participating in the survey. 

Ellensburg Poll: Share Your Top City Priorities

Ellensburg Residents & Businesses: Take a quick poll to share your top priorities for the City of Ellensburg over the next five years. The poll will close at 5 p.m. on May 8, 2024. 

University Way Overlay Project Starts Monday, May 6

Crews will start a roadway surface maintenance project on University Way from Cle Elum Street to the BNSF (Railroad) Overpass near Reecer Creek on Monday, May 6. The project includes daytime and nighttime work and will take approximately two months to complete.

This project will include the correction of ponding areas and damaged curbing, grinding and repaving the traveled way, and installing up-to-date pavement markings. The project has secured a noise variance for the work that will occur on night shift. Residents, tenants, and owners in the area can expect above average noise levels as the road is ground down and paved, as well as additional lights and flashing beacons.

University Way and intersecting City streets in the work area will be controlled through an approved traffic control plan and/or flaggers during work hours. Driveways and side streets will be impacted on night shift as grinding and paving occurs, impacts will be kept to a minimum. Pedestrian access on sidewalks and crosswalks will be maintained throughout the duration of the project. For questions, contact Public Works & Utilities at 509-962-7230.

Ellensburg Delays Sleep Center Conversation, Open House Set For May 22

The City of Ellensburg is delaying the City Council’s conversation about alternative locations for a proposed sleep center to allow for further analysis of suggested sites and the opportunity for a community open house. The City will be holding an open house on Wednesday, May 22, 2024, from 6-8 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Ellensburg City Hall, 501 N. Anderson St., to discuss what a sleep center is and why one is needed in Ellensburg. A presentation from the City-County Joint Ad Hoc Committee on Homelessness will begin at 6:00 p.m., followed by a Q & A session. Space is limited so a remote attendance option will be available for the meeting.

For more than two years, members and staff of the City-County Joint Ad Hoc Committee on Homelessness have been discussing the issue of homelessness in Ellensburg and Kittitas County, and reviewing alternative sites for a Sleep Center, including all publicly owned parcels within the City and Urban Growth Area boundaries. At the March 4, 2024 City Council meeting, the Ellensburg City Council considered a Letter of Understanding (LOU) between the City and HopeSource for negotiating a lease for Sleep Center facilities on the property around the site of the former Nites Inn motel at 1200 S. Ruby Street (now Pathways), which is being converted to affordable housing, including some units set aside for people transitioning out of homelessness. After hearing from community members, the City Council requested community members submit additional site ideas for Council consideration. 

The Ad Hoc Committee on Homelessness reviewed submitted sites and provided feedback on the sites’ accessibility, cost of acquisition and improvements, neighborhood impact, space adequacy and risk of delay in a meeting on April 19, 2024. Additional analysis on the proposed sites and an interactive discussion between Kittitas County and City of Ellensburg decisionmakers will be necessary before moving forward. The Kittitas County Commissioners and the Ellensburg City Council will meet to review site options at a Joint Special meeting on June 13, 2024. More information on the June 13 joint meeting of the Ellensburg City Council and Kittitas County Commissioners will be provided in advance of that date.

Did You Know?

The 2023 Ellensburg Annual Report arrived in mailboxes last month. Read about 2023 accomplishments and projects to be completed in 2024.

Learn more

Save The Date

City Council Meeting 5/6 & 5/20

Stan Bassett Day 5/3

First Friday Art Walk 5/3

Join the Ellensburg Arts Commission, artists, and downtown venues for First Friday Art Walk from 5-7 p.m.

Friends of the Library Semiannual Book Sale 5/4

Browse books, puzzles and other media for sale at the Hal Holmes Community Center from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Historic Preservation Month Open House & Awards 5/4

Celebrate historic preservation month with an open house and awards at the Kittitas County Historical Museum. Doors open at 4 p.m.

EthicsLab – The Good Life Project 5/7

May 7, 2024 at 6 p.m. at Hal Holmes Community Center

A monthly program that gives Ellensburg community members the opportunity to explore what it means to live well. Each meeting will feature several brief presentations before group discussion and dialogue. Brought to you by the CWU EthicsLab, the Ellensburg Public Library, and the Hal Holmes Community Center. 

Go By Bike: Four Cycling Journeys To Inspire Your Adventure 5/9

Hear from four local bicyclists about epic journeys, starting at 6 p.m. at Hal Holmes Community Center.

Homelessness And The Meaning Of Home 5/14

Join this Humanities WA Speakers Bureau presentation by Josephine Ensign at 6:30 p.m. May 14 at the Hal Holmes Community Center.

Kittitas County Audubon Society Monthly Presentation 5/16

Hear from the local Audubon chapter, starting at 7 p.m. at the Hal Holmes Community Center.

Kiwanis Family Dance 5/17

Enjoy free pizza, music, dancing, and games starting at 6 p.m. at the Hal Holmes Community Center.

Bike To Market Day 5/18

Ride your bike to the Ellensburg Farmers Market. Park or walk your bike in the downtown.

Bike Month Activities & Community Rides 5/18

Join a community ride, plus bike, helmet, bike bell and bike light giveaways. Activities start at 9 a.m. at 4th Ave. and Pine Street parking lot (south of the Ridge).

Bike To Campus Day 5/21

CWU is hosting a Bike to Campus Day Celebration from 8-10:30 a.m. Students, staff, and faculty who bike to campus will have access to snacks, light bike repairs, and other amenities prior to arriving to class and/or work! CWU will be celebrating campus and local community members who participate in Bike to Campus Day!

Sleep Center Open House 5/22

The City will be holding an open house on Wednesday, May 22, 2024, from 6-8 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Ellensburg City Hall, 501 N. Anderson St., to discuss what a sleep center is and why one is needed in Ellensburg.

City Facilities Closed 5/27

City facilities will be closed on Monday, May 27 in observance of the Memorial Day holiday.

Calendar

Agendas & Minutes