Adults and Youth of LFP Weigh City's Present and Future

“Surviving and Thriving in Lake Forest Park,” was the topic of an evening discussion at Third Place Commons, Wednesday night, with about 30 local leaders and involved youth of LFP.

LFP community activist Anne Stadler along with Carol Dahl of the Lake Forest Park Rotary set up the questions for event and introduced four members of the Lake Forest Park Youth Council and the Lake Forest Park Rotary’s young adult group, Interact.

Youth Council members Madison Bradley and Chruiti Pieres, both Shorecrest students, led off with some ideas of what they would like to see in Lake Forest Park.

More restaurants, a movie theater or theater that produces plays, more parks, more bus routes and an observation tower at Horizon View park to provide a 360-degree view were on their list.

Interact members Klara Heuscher and Alyssa Wallinder included the idea of a community garden.

“It’s a great atmosphere for almost everyone,” said Heuscher, a life-long resident of Lake Forest Park of the city.

People broke into groups that mixed adults and youth and wrote down responses to three questions: What’s your response to the young people’s visions? What’s your own vision of a thriving LFP and what do you agree on? What are the essential values we need to live to realize the vision?

Margo Coxon, a junior at Shorecrest, said the LFP Farmer’s Market and Third Place Commons were assets for the city. The existence of the Commons and Third Place Books as well as the events they promote, makes it easy to reconnect and for friends to meet. The same could be said for the Burke-Gilman Trail, which is a great place to exercise and is a place where people meet their neighbors.

The essential values question brought up such things as communication, respect despite differences, spirit, generosity, trust, taking care of the environment, compassion and commitment.

It was also suggested that young people be represented on the Friends of Third Place Commons board.

Lake Forest Park City Councilmembers Catherine Stanford, Ed Sterner and John Wright attended as did Shoreline School Board member Debi Ehrlichman, who also lives in Lake Forest Park.