Submitted by Laban Gitau.
At a speed faster than in surrounding towns, beautiful Lakewood, Washington is emerging as an unparalleled leader in infrastructural uplifts.
Prompt repairs of snow destroyed roads after winter are common place, constant and ongoing re-carpeting of its main and feeder roads continues unabated.
Can’t leave this out… Same day replacement of downed road signs continues to show the speed, efficience and efficacy of service delivery.
It’s little wonder that this beautiful town continues to welcome diverse investors big and small.
True to its moniker, Lakewood prides itself as a richly wooded area, accounting for a fresh environment and cool atmosphere in residential areas as in its parks and leisure points.
Lakewood promises to continue expanding and bursting out into a commercial blitz as other towns far and wide are barely showing any new growth or innovation.
The dream of the “evergreen” emblem of Washington derives a lot of its meaning from the Lakewood scenery. It is the place to be. And that future is now.
Laban Gitau has served as a journalist in Kenya for many years.
You write ficti9n?
All of the report sounds good, BUT…. who is in charge of weed trimming along our sidewalks. Parts of Steilacoom Blvd, just to name one, look terrible with weeds, dried up and ready to burn. Oh, and the junk pile on the side of the sidewalk, near Custer school, left after new sidewalks were installed. I wonder whose responsibility that is. AND, people who never mow their grass, have a yard full of dandelions, leaving the seeds to blow into the yards, where folks try to keep the lawns nice .
So even though something’s are being done the beautify our town, there is soooo much left to do.
I have to say it’s a mixed bag. The city is on top of some things, but there is a lot of work to be done. We still have so many streets with heavy foot traffic and no sidewalks at all. Taking the bus anywhere takes a 1/2 mile walk and 2 hours to get almost anywhere outside of the town center. I have a collapsing storm drain in front of my house that I’ve reported and never got any response. But the traffic circles are working really well which is nice. I thought some of them might be too small but seem to be working fine.
It would be nice if Lakewood would enforce the ordinance against leaving refuse bins on the side of the street after garbage pickup.
I travel Gravelly Lake Drive regularly and see trash cans blocking the sidewalks, sometimes for days after pickup day. It’s an impediment to runners, walkers, and bikers in addition to being an eyesore.
Not a great way to show off a new and improved entry into the city.
I can think of two eyesores on Gravelly Lake Drive – one a business building destroyed by fire, the other an abandoned, crumbling shopping center. When will these be replaced?
Both buildings are under legal abatement proceedings. The one impacted by fire is subject to the Pierce County Superior Court’s Order Granting the City’s Warrant of Abatement, entered July 1, 2022. There is a 60-day stay, but on or after August 1, there should be some demo action to abate the nuisance.
The QFC property is undergoing a similar legal process–which takes time in the absence of a willing property owner to do the right thing. There may not be formal action on this until early in 2023, given the pending court proceeding.
Ultimately, the market will determine when they will be replaced and with what type(s) of development, consistent with the applicable zoning. As both are in the Central Business District (CBD), there is hope for solid mixed-use redevelopment, consistent with the design standards set forth in the subarea plan for the CBD.
The City has a fairly aggressive abatement program which has dealt with a number of unsafe buildings over the past several years. More can be done (and will be), consistent with the legal process required!
Nyanza Rd SW did have the potholes filled, for which I am thankful.
hate to be a naysayer but this seems an appropriate venue, so here goes…
Lakewood has a serious problem with response to public input and concern. My neighbors and I have contacted Lakewood PD, city administration and our city council member many times over the past two years about criminal activity in the Lake City neighborhood and excessive speeding along Veterans Dr SW – particularly in PM hours. All have fallen on deaf ears. Is this a resource management issue or simply lack of regard? Those really seem to be the only logical explanations at this point.
New sidewalks great. After one year the weeds and trash have taken over most of them.
Is there a maintenance budget and crews?