Mid Beacon Hill, Columbia City and Mount Baker (2 walks)

I did not post a blog entry yesterday but I did take an 8.2 mile walk. Since today's 5.3 mile walk with my husband abutted yesterday's walk, I'm rolling the two walks into one post. The streets covered by these walks crossed from Mid Beacon Hill into Columbia City and a small portion of Mount Baker.

Both walks started near Beacon Avenue S and Dawson Street; they  wound northeast passed some lovely homes to the Cheasty Greenspace (pictured above).

The Cheasty Greenspace at Mountain View section is at the top of the hill; it has a bench and at least the start of a trail. The goal is to create a trail system that will connect the surrounding neighborhoods and provide park access. Work parties are scheduled the first Saturday of every month from 10 AM to noon.

Today's walk stayed between Beacon and MLK Jr Way and wound south the dead end streets on the east side of Dearborn Park.

The top of the hill provided good views

and featured tidy homes on paved streets with sidewalks and curbs. The only things marring this neighborhood were the large power transmission towers.

As we wound our way down to MLK Jr Way, homes became more modest and sidewalks and curbs were rarer.

The route down the hill includes a number of long staircases.

Yesterday's walk took me passed Zion Preparatory Academy and through the southern portion of the east side of Rainier Vista where I noted a large ball field,

some larger looking homes, a sign for Block 35 (where single family homes with decks and garages are being built and will cost from the mid $500,000's to the mid $600,000's),

a P-Patch, a Diamond Parking lot

and the Boy's and Girl's Club Joel E. Smilow Clubhouse at Rainier Vista.

I was thinking that all that was missing in Rainier Vista was a corner market when I came across  Shil Grocery Store (halal grocery) on MLK Jr Way. It is near Providence Gamelin House and Providence Elder Care.

Heading east to Rainier Avenue, I passed the Rainier Valley Cultural Center (pictured in a prior post), the the tidy Columbia Funeral Home,

the Rainier Playfield (where I saw at least four daycare groups out for a walk on this sunny day),

La Luz Del Mundo Church,

some colorful stores, nail and hair salons, the Rainier Valley Food Bank, the Rainier Mall, a Domino's Pizza, the Columbia Public Health Center, the Children's Home Society Genesee Early Learning Center,

Darigold Milk,

Genesee Hall (which the sign indicated can be rented), La Escuelita Bilingual School

and a mural.

Along the way, we (or I) spotted garden art,

public art,

garage door art,

fence art,

a tree house,

a pole climber,

a scarecrow,

a lovingly tended garden

and a coffin in a front yard.

These were rewarding walks!

Northwest Columbia City

Today's 7.2 mile walk in the northwest corner of the Columbia City neighborhood filled in streets between prior walks and took me through the part of Rainier Vista on the east side of Martin Luther King Jr Way S. My husband and I had walked through the portion on the west side of MLK Way and it appears that the west side has more of a mix of townhouses, apartments and social services while the east side has more duplexes and a few stand alone houses.

Both sides have playgrounds and green space.

Looking at the New Home Information kiosk and observing all the construction going on, I fear I may have to return someday to walk streets that do not yet exist.

Walking north of Rainier Vista, I came across a mix of residential, commercial and transit areas. The light rail runs along MLK Jr Way and separates the two parts of Rainier Vista. This is the area where the light rail becomes elevated before entering the Mount Baker Station (or descends to street level after leaving the station).

Near the station, I used the overpass to cross MLK Jr Way

and look down to see public art.

Along Rainier Avenue S, I passed Rainier Square Plaza with many stores including Safeway and Ross (pictured in a prior post),

observed new buildings and construction in process,

a few medical marijuana establishments, a large mural

and the Rose of Sharon P.I. and Academy of Theology.

Sandwiched between MLK Jr Way and Rainier Avenue S is a mostly hilly, residential area where some streets are paved and others are not, staircases connect streets and I observed a few tree houses,

the tiny but tidy York Park






and Lake People Park with its trails and informatve sign.

This area is home to To God Be the Glory church (which, I suspect, may not be occupied because posted on it is a land use action sign proposing a sewage overflow tank),

This is the Holy Ground church, United House of Prayer for All People (pictured in a prior post), Cafe Ibex Ethiopean Restaurant, Emerald City Fired Arts, Slush & Hush

and public art near the light rail.

Along the way, I spotted an impressive tree

and a mural.

Once again, there were many things to see on my walk.