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In an effort to encourage the installation of rain gardens, the City of Tacoma is offering a generous rebate to homeowners.
The first requirement is that homeowners must be living within the Flett Creek and Leach Creek watersheds to qualify for the rebate, which is $2 for each square foot of hard surface draining to a rain garden (up to a maximum of $2,000).
The Fleet and Leach Creek watersheds are located on the southern and western ends of town in areas west of Pacific Avenue and south of South 48th Street, west of Union Avenue from South 48th up to 6th Avenue, and the peak of the Leach Creek basin reaches from Stevens Street to Mildred Street north from 6th Avenue to North 30th Street.
Qualifying homeowners who install a rain garden and receive the rebate are required to sign an agreement with the city to maintain the rain garden for a minimum of five years weeding, mulching and watering the plants.
“Rain gardens require as much or as little upkeep as a homeowner wants to put into it,” says Mike Carey, environmental specialist and certified arborist with Tacoma’s Environmental Services. “You can choose high-maintenance or low-maintenance plants.”
“The city website at cityoftacoma.org/raingarden offers a link to the rain garden rebate information and forms. The entire program package can be downloaded.
In addition to the rebate, the city helps homeowners with design of the rain garden, including a free on-site soil test by a member of the Pierce Conservation District and walking them step by step through the project paperwork.
City of Tacoma engineer Jessica Knickerbocker said the rain garden rebate program runs until the end of this year, at which time officials will evaluate whether to continue or modify the program. She advises getting started on a rain garden as soon as possible.
Chris Beale and his wife decided on a rain garden and are glad they did. Beale lives in Tacoma, works for the city of Puyallup in the Planning Department, and is an arborist. He managed the department that oversaw the construction of rain gardens in Puyallup.
“Our first thought was to be good stewards of the rainwater hitting our property, and we wanted to improve our property by having a higher-end landscaping,” said Beale.
He and his wife were planning on installing a rain garden, and the reimbursement program in Tacoma happened to coincide with that decision.
Mike Carey, Environmental Specialist and Certified Arborist with Tacoma’s Environmental Services, said the city makes every attempt to ensure that residents have all the resources they need to build a successful rain garden.
He is a big supporter of rain gardens.
“They are really important because the most appropriate place to control stormwater runoff is at their source, and it is more economically sustainable to infiltrate the rainwater on-site than to try to cleanit up and contain it after it runs down the storm drains,” he said.
“Rain gardens provide a sustainable way to treat runoff at the home and add value and look beautiful at the same time,” Carey said.
The city provides training throughout the year to teach homeowners how to install a rain garden. Carey said homeowners can register at cityoftacoma.org/envirohouse for upcoming rain garden workshops being held at the city’s permanent green building model home, the EnviroHouse, located at the city landfill at 3510 Mullen St. in Tacoma.
A residential rain garden has been built at that location, and Janda Volkmer, EnviroHouse coordinator, is on site to answer questions Wednesday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 11 to 5.
“Most folks are interested in rain gardens and green roof gardening,” said Volkmer, adding that interest in rain gardens is picking up due to our climate.
The EnviroHouse also has six rain barrels on site. Rain barrels are a good way to catch rainwater flowing from a roof downspout. They store rainwater for watering plants, washing cars or other outdoor uses, Volkmer said.
The city offers several workshops during the year on rain barrels. Information on the time and place for these and other sustainable living workshops can be found at www.cityoftacoma.org/EnviroHouse/

 

Joan Cronk, who wrote this article, is a freelance writer and frequent contributor to Senior Scene.

Examples of rain gardens can be seen at the city of Tacoma's green-building model home.
Examples of rain gardens can be seen at the city of Tacoma’s green-building model home.

 

Joan Cronk by — June 15, 2014 in Spotlight

In an effort to keep waters in the Puget Sound area running clean, McLendon Hardware is spreading the word about rain gardens and water retention.
Bruce Stevens, a spokesman for McLendon, said the company is very environmentally conscious and their stores make sure they carry products to help in this effort.
“McLendon is behind anything that can be beneficial to the ecology and environment,” he said.
McLendon runs workshops to help homeowners stay up to date on ways to make sure their homes are working with the environment, as well.
On a Saturday morning in April, Joe Freeman, sales associate in the garden and nursery department in McLendon’s Tacoma store, ran a free workshop on rain gardens.
There is no doubt about the fact that Freeman knows his stuff when it comes to rain gardens. Passionate about his job at McLendon Hardware, he dispensed good, solid and sometimes humorous advice on the construction and maintenance of rain gardens. His advice included, “Don’t let this be an intimidating project.”
That approach works well with local-government advocacy of rain gardens. For instance, the city of Tacoma has a residential rain garden rebate program. (See additional story).
Saying that rain gardens can be as complicated as homeowners want them to be, Freeman added that he prefers to keep things simple.
When asked why homeowners should install a rain garden, Freeman said simply, “We apply fertilizer and weed control to our grass, and where is all that stuff going? A rain garden is a water containment system that channels water and lets nature filter it – and I think they look cool.”
His instructions were clear and straightforward.
First off, determine the best spot for the rain garden by figuring how where the water flows.
“Turn on your hose,” he said, “and let it run and watch where the water goes.” He suggested that after finding just the right spot, homeowners use a garden hose to lay out the area, or spray the shape with spray chalk paint.
Freeman also advised to check for anything that might be underground before beginning any digging of the area.
Plan and measure, draw out the size and depth, consider sun exposure, and get started, he advised.
“This can be a weekend project if you have enough friends to help, but don’t give up. Dig and create it during the summer and plant in September,” said Freeman, adding that determining the drainage of the area using a soil drainage test kit is always a good idea.
Then start digging.
“Lure people in with beer, cookies and chips,” he joked as he passed out a handout that gave details of how to build a rain garden and the appropriate plants for the area.
Sharon Jordan went to the workshop to learn about water drainage issues.
“I hope to learn what to do about the water. I come to a lot of the workshops and always learn something new,” she said.
Steve and Diane Barrett drove up from Lacey for the. “We just put a patio in the back yard and hope to retain some of the water and reuse it,” said Steve.
After Freeman’s presentation, which included a question-and-answer period, Ron Linck, another McLendon employee, demonstrated several water containment systems and explained the advantages of each of them.
“This area smashed the record for rain in March. Some folks want to contain that water and some just want to get rid of it,” Linck said as moved through his presentation.
Both of the demonstrations were full of valuable information, and Freeman stayed afterward to answer more questions from homeowners.
“Rain gardens are pretty, a nice addition to the landscape, and yet serve a really important purpose” in the Puget Sound area “to protect our watershed,” he said.

Joan Cronk, who wrote this article, is a freelance writer.

 

KEEPING THE WATERWAYS CLEAN

May is Puget Sound Starts Here Month, and Tacoma’s Environmental Services Department again is taking a leading role in the annual observance that encourages public awareness of protecting the Sound and its surrounding waters by limiting pollution from stormwater and runoff from streets, yards and driveways.
Officials note that everyday actions impact the environment in ways that can affect the quality of life for the public and its surrounding habitats. A healthy Puget Sound is critical to the natural environment and the economy. Tourism, working waterfronts, fishing and shellfish industries, and other commercial activity depend heavily on a healthy Puget Sound.
Citizens can do their part to keep pollutants out of streams, rivers and the Sound by washing cars at a commercial car wash that’s equipped to capture dirty water, find and fix oil and other fluid leaks in their cars, and practice natural yard care, among other environmentally proactive steps.
“It’s not just about the pipe coming out of the factory any more,” said Marc Daily, deputy director of Puget Sound Partnership, during last year’s Puget Sound Starts Here Month. “Today, stormwater runoff is the single largest contributor to our water quality problems. That pollution comes from our cars and how we wash them, from the chemicals we put on our lawns, and from not picking up after our pets. When it rains, bacteria and toxic chemicals from these and other sources end up in our local waterways. That’s a problem.”
The city’s Environmental Services Department and the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department partnered to support workshops at Tacoma Nature Center that help kick off this year’s Puget Sound Starts Here Month.
At “Landscape Design Made Easy” on April 28, attendees will learn about plants, soil and water conditions from Bonne Holbrook, a Pierce County Master Gardener and Native Plant Steward. On May 2, “Right Plant for the Right Place” will provide landscape tips from Dana Kelley Bressette, who has her own environmental gardening website and has put her urban horticulture education to use at the Point Defiance Greenhouses and the W.W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory. Both workshops run from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The cost is $5 per person, and advance registration is requested at 253-591-6439 or TacomaNatureCenter.org.
Also giving a boost to clean-water thinking is the city of Tacoma’s Office of Environmental Policy and Sustainability, which has launched the Green Living Guide, an online, interactive mapping tool to help Tacoma residents live more sustainable lifestyles. It spans such topics as rain gardens, other green infrastructure, and environmental education resources.
Natural yard care is a win-win opportunity, especially for homeowners. They get a less expensive, lower-maintenance and safer yard. They also get the satisfaction of knowing that their yard is less harmful to aquatic life and provides needed habitat for native wildlife.
Surface Water Management, part of Environmental Services, is steward of the city’s 500-plus miles of public stormwater pipe, 22,000 storm drains, four pump stations and numerous stormwater ponds, swales, rain gardens and treatment vaults. Surface Water programs concentrate on preventing pollution before it reaches waterways and restoring sites affected by industry and urbanization.
Millions of pounds of toxic pollutants enter waterways every year as a result of rain washing over yard chemicals, oil, soaps, pet waste and other toxins that enter the storm drains, streams and ultimately Puget Sound. The city of Tacoma has invested millions of dollars in pollution prevention and restoration activities like the cleanup of the Thea Foss and Wheeler-Osgood waterways, annual stormline cleaning, business and construction inspections, and tracing pollution sources. But officials note that the city also needs the help of everyone to help keep Puget Sound healthy.

 

(These stories are part of a series of reports on stormwater control and management through a Make a Splash grant from the City of Tacoma.)

Joe Freeman and Ron Linck of the McLendon Hardware store in Tacoma addressed customers at a recent workshop on rain gardens and water retention for homeowners. (Joan Cronk/Senior Scene)
Joe Freeman and Ron Linck of the McLendon Hardware store in Tacoma addressed customers at a recent workshop on rain gardens and water retention for homeowners. (Joan Cronk/Senior Scene)
Joan Cronk by — May 14, 2014 in News

Janet Bissell, senior coordinator for Metro Parks Tacoma, says the Fifty and Better (FAB) program sprung out of the realization that the demographics of the population are changing at a rapid pace
“We saw a need and an opportunity for people,” she said.
Saying that it is difficult to define what a senior citizen is, Bissell said Metro Parks has a staff to come up with programs for citizens 50 years old and up.
“We are looking at those who are newly widowed or newly retired, or just changing their life structure a bit and have some more free time. We are looking at how we can help them enhance their lives,” she said.
In addition to a number of programs throughout the Metro Parks locations, there is an emphasis on trips.
June Brown has been a volunteer tour director at Metro Parks since the agency began taking folks on trips, and she seems to be a perfect fit for the job.
“I love it,” said Brown, adding that as a bonus, all the trips are reasonably priced.
One of the recent outings had a group attending a performance of “The Lion King” at Paramount Theater in Seattle.
Brown does the research and reports back to Metro Parks officials. “I can’t close the deal. I come up with the ideas, make the call and get information,” she said.
Lincoln City, Ore. was the destination of one of their trips, and while there they saw golden boys Frankie Avalon, Fabian and Bobbie Rydell.
“Everyone in their 60s knows them,” said Brown, “and the show was fabulous.”
In June, a group will travel to Harrison Hot Springs in Canada and stay at the Harrison Hot Springs Hotel.
“The trip includes transportation, a high English tea, wonderful food, hotel rooms for two nights, and two buffet breakfasts each morning. The food is to die for there,” Brown said. The group will also enjoy a five-course dinner in the Copper Room with dancing, and a trip to the Fraser River, complete with a tram ride across the river.
Bissell said the new FAB program kicked off last November with a Night in Venice promotion.
“We threw off all the barriers and had a fun evening with drawings, giveaways and baskets, a big spaghetti dinner and great entertainment,” she said.
Costs for different FAB programs are varied, said Bissell.
“We try to program what we would consider the fixed-income type of folks. Some classes run $5 a month, and we have a meditation class that runs $2 a month. There is something for everyone,” she said, adding that the SAIL (Stay Active and Independent for Life) program is free.
Classes at the Star Center and Center at Norpoint can run $26 a month, and that includes fitness classes and access to the workout rooms. The Norpoint location also has a pool and classes in water aerobics.
All services are available to anyone living in the Pierce County area, with programs at the Star Center, Center at Norpoint, Portland Avenue Community Center and Peoples Center.
“I am really hoping that we are still in the infancy stage of this program,” said Bissell. Metro Parks Tacoma continues to pass out surveys asking folks what programs they would like to see in the future. “We always ask, J`What can we do next?’” said Bissell.
“We are trying to make this program a lot of fun for the fabulous people of Tacoma and surrounding areas. We like to say once you are 50, no matter what, you are always going to be fabulous.”
For more information on the FAB programs, go to the Metro Parks Tacoma website at metroparkstacoma.com, or call Bissell at 253-312-4458.

Water aerobics are one of the fitness programs offered through FAB.
Water aerobics are one of the fitness programs offered through FAB.
Joan Cronk by — May 14, 2014 in Spotlight

Volunteers are doing everything they can to keep Puyallup Elks Lodge 1450 up and running, and their efforts are starting to pay off.
Member and volunteer Chuck Tibbs said the Elks are a patriotic, charitable organization, and as such, give a lot back to the community. One of their programs involves visiting veterans at the Washington Soldiers Home in Orting on a regular basis.
“We go out there at least once a month and have bingo for them, and sit and talk to the veterans,” he said, adding that sometimes veterans just need to have a friendly face to visit with.
“We have a sign hanging in our lodge that says, ‘As long as there is a veteran out there, there will be an Elk to help them,’” Tibbs said.
The Christmas basket program has run for the past 52 years and is one of the lodge’s biggest and most popular programs. “This year we gave out 325 baskets of food,” said Tibbs, who had over 75 volunteers working with him on that event. The lodge partners with the Puyallup School District for the program, and any food that was left over was delivered to the Puyallup Food Bank.
Orv Goede, 63, said he and other volunteers have been working for the last 15 years to keep the lodge open.
Volunteers put on a Sunday breakfast every week, cooking and serving from 9 a.m. to noon, and everyone is invited.
Goede said many groups rent the lodge facilities for their events. Bully Busters, an anti-bullying group dedicated to children of all ages who are being bullied, held a recent event that packed the house. Goede was on hand running things in the kitchen and keeping everyone happy.
In addition to a number of other programs, the lodge raises money for local scholarships and works with Good Samaritan Hospital’s children’s therapy program.
Goede said a few years ago the lodge was losing money every year. The volunteers that stepped up have turned that around, doing all the cooking and cleaning themselves. Although active membership has dwindled to about 450, the volunteers are emphatic that they will keep running the show as long as they can.
Tibbs said the lodge is the best-kept secret in Puyallup and welcome new members, both male and female.
Lodge meetings are every Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. More information about the Puyallup Elks, including rentals of the lodge whichis located at 314 27th St NE., is available at 253- 845-9515 from 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, and at puyallupelks@comcast.net.

 

Joan Cronk, who wrote this article, is a freelance writer and frequent contributor to Senior Scene.

Leading Knight George Jaquish of the Puyallup Elks (second from right) welcomed members of Bully Busters to an event the anti-bullying group staged at the lodge. (Joan Cronk/Senior Scene)
Leading Knight George Jaquish of the Puyallup Elks (second from right) welcomed members of Bully Busters to an event the anti-bullying group staged at the lodge. (Joan Cronk/Senior Scene)
Joan Cronk by — April 22, 2014 in Lifestyles