Burien’s Ruth Dykeman Children’s Center has placed “Giving Trees” throughout the area, and you can make a child’s Christmas wish come true by purchasing their wish list item.

Tags on the trees include all the details (age, gender and specific gift wish) and include a single wish of a Ruth Dykeman Children’s Center resident.

Once purchased, bring the unwrapped item back to the business you picked up the tag or drop off at Ruth Dykeman Children’s Center during business hours.

Please deliver all Giving Tree items by Monday, December 21st to:

Ruth Dykeman Children’s Center
1033 SW 152nd Street
Burien, WA  98166

For more information, contact Megan Clingman, Special Events Manager at (206) 242-1698 x142 or by email: meganc@rdcc.org. More info on the Ruth Dykeman Children’s Center is available at their website here.

Megan adds: “Together we can make this a Happy Holiday season for all families!!

Here’s a list of local businesses with RDC Giving Trees:

• 3 Wishes
• 909 Coffee & Wine
• Albertsons (5 Corners store)
• Bank of America (230 SW 152nd St)
• Collins Chiropractic
• Copiers NW
• Goodie Gumdrops
• Highline Athletic Club
• Highline Therapy Service
• Key Bank (17818 1st Ave S)
• Matt Griffin YMCA (3595 S 188th St)
• Orthodontics of Burien
• Poggi Bonsi
• The Mark Restaurant
• Tin Room
• Volt Services
• You’ve Been Worn
• Zizzia

Burien’s Ruth Dykeman Children’s Center’s Annual Holiday Wreath Sale has begun, and for just $25 each you can help support the children, families and community that they serve everyday.

Just keep in mind that the deadline to order is Friday, Nov. 20th – so you’d better act quickly!

The wreaths are handcrafted with noble and silver fir, incense, western cedar, blue-berried juniper, cones and includes a festive red bow. The wreaths can be shipped anywhere in the United States which makes them the perfect gift for those far away family members and friends.

Simply download and complete the Wreath order form (link, PDF file) and mail, fax or email it to the contact information below by Friday, Nov. 20th to secure your order:

Ruth Dykeman Children’s Center
1033 SW 152nd Street
Burien, WA 98126
Fax: 206.243.5321

Here’s a photo of a sample wreath:

Wreaths can be picked up on Friday, Dec. 4th from 9am – 6pm at the Ruth Dykeman Children’s Center located in Burien.

Questions? Contact Megan Clingman at Meganc@rdcc.org or 206.242.1698 x142.

More information on the Ruth Dykeman Children’s Center can be found here.

Burien’s Ruth Dykeman Children’s Center’s 6th Annual “Fore Our Kids!” Golf Invitational will be hosted at Foster Golf Links in Tukwila on Wednesday, June 24th.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Ruth Dykeman Children’s Center 6th Annual “Fore Our Kids!” Golf Invitational

WHEN: Wednesday, June 24th starting at 8am

WHERE: Foster Golf Links, located at 13500 Interurban Ave South in Tukwila

COST: Registration starts at $125 per player and includes 18 holes, a cart, lunch and a Tommy Bahama shirt.

INFO: An 8am shotgun start will kick off a great day benefiting families and youth.

Go to www.rdcc.org to register or contact Megan Clingman at 206-242-1698 x142 or via email at Meganc@rdcc.org for more information.

Ruth Dykeman Children’s Center (RDCC) is committed to nurturing the success and self-sufficiency for children, families and community. RDCC is a non-profit social service agency that provides residential treatment for young people recovering from a history of abuse, neglect, and behavior and emotional challenges. RDCC also operates community based treatment and prevention programs, as well as an independent living program for female adolescents transitioning from foster care and group homes.

by Jack Mayne

A small group of residents are continuing their efforts to have the city of Burien purchase for a public park a recently rezoned portion of the Ruth Dykeman Children’s Center property on Lake Burien.

The area was rezoned last December, so the Dykeman Center can sell it to improve its revenue structure during the current economic downturn. When approached by the group calling itself the Committee to Free Lake Burien, Dykeman’s CEO said the center would not sell the land for a park.

Lake Burien is well known to long-term residents of the city but newer residents are likely to ask, “There is a lake in Burien?” That is because the lake is completely surrounded by private homes with no public access to it.

Under federal law, all lake shores the size of Lake Burien are considered public, but the sticking point is getting to the lake across private property.

The rezoned land, apparently for sale at some time in the future, would not include public access to the lake, which is vehemently opposed by owners of the property surrounding Lake Burien,

A flier by area resident Lee Moyer says the property should be purchased as a lake front park.

“This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the City of Burien to gain a park on Lake Burien for the benefit of all the citizens of Burien,” said Moyer. “It will add to the value of the residences in the area, the Town Center and the businesses in Olde Burien. It is a difficult time financially, but with dedicated money available and a depressed real estate market, it is also a bargain for the City of Burien.”

He suggests that there may be money available from King County park bond funds and possibly other sources, despite the financial crisis.

Emelie McNett lives in a blue-collar area of North Burien and has been a resident of Burien for 35 years, native plant steward, watershed steward, former Burien Park Board member and current member of the Shoreline Advisory Committee.

“I am particularly interested using the rezoned Ruth Dykeman property as a Burien Park,” she says. “Many low income Burien residents live less than a mile from the water but are denied access because of the barrier of private property. A pocket park on Lake Burien would help mitigate this lack of access.”

The city just is not interested at all.

“We are not interested,” said City Manager Mike Martin. “We have not discussed it. We have no money.”

So, what do you think? Please answer our Poll below:

[Sunrise & Rainbow Photos courtesy Gregory Rehmke]

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We heard rumors about this all summer, and now it looks like it’s true according to the City of Burien – the Ruth Dykeman Children’s Center, located on SW 152nd (with prime waterfront property on Lake Burien) is proposing to change its area zoning permit from “Special Planning Area 2″ to “Moderate Density Residential Neighborhood and High Density Multi-Family Neighborhood.”

The City of Burien will be holding a public meeting about it on Tuesday, Sept. 23 at 7pm, at 15811 Ambaum Blvd. SW (Suite C) to receive public comments.

From what we understand, the owners of the Ruth Dykeman Children’s Center are looking to develop two waterfront properties with single family homes, plus two single-family homes directly behind them. To the back and left of that would be multi-family housing. Whether or not they want lake access for the multi families or for the two houses in back is still in question.

Here are the meeting details:

• Public hearing will be Tuesday, Sept. 23rd at 7pm
• Meeting will be at 15811 Ambaum Blvd. SW, Suite C (map below) to receive public comments on the application
• The Agent for Ruth Dykeman Children’s Center is R.W. Thorpe and Associates Inc., Jennifer Lee, ASLA
• Proposed Change Comprehensive Plan map designation is from Special Planning Area 2 to Moderate Density Residential Neighborhood and High Density Multi-Family Neighborhood; as well as to change the zoning designation from Special Planning Area 2 (SPA-2) to RS-7,200 and RM-18
• File is available for viewing at Burien City Hall during regular business hours
• Any person may submit written or oral comments or testimony at the public hearing, or may submit written comments prior to the hearing. Written comments may be submitted in person, via mail, e-mail or by facsimile. All documents submitted or requested as part of this application, including the City staff report are available for review at City Hall during regular business hours.
• Contact for the City of Burien:

David Johanson, AICP, Senior Planner
Department of Community Development, City of Burien
15811 Ambaum Blvd. SW (Suite C)
Burien, WA 98166
Phone: (206) 248-5522
E-Mail: DavidJ@burienwa.gov

Stay tuned to the B-Town Blog for further developments on this, including some upcoming interviews with Lake Burien-area residents opposed to the proposed zoning change.

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