Cascade Neighborhood Council Needs You

The Cascade Neighborhood Council (CNC) is looking for some great people, with great ideas and an ability to put plans into action. Nominate yourself or someone else by March 23, with elections in April for President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. The CNC’s purpose is to create a forum through which residents, employees, business owners, and property owners can find common ground as they define and develop the community. The boundaries of Cascade neighborhood, as defined by the CNC bylaws, are I-5 on the east, Denny Way on the south, Fairview on the west, and the Mercer St. interchange on the north.  If you are a stakeholder in this community, Dominick A. Lucia, Director of the Cascade Neighborhood Center, says that your help is needed and that the time is now to get involved.

"The upcoming executive team and council membership will be more relevant and inclusive than it has in the past in order to welcome the area's tremendous growth, to manage the challenges it brings, and to embrace ensuing opportunities," Lucia said.  The CNC will also be working with Lucia to manage the Cascade Neighborhood Center.

"The CNC is looking for a middle ground — we need a vital economy in order to preserve social services," said Lucia.  "We recognize that there is change and we want to use it to benefit the community."

Molly Franklin, resident, who serves on both the South Lake Union Community Council and the CNC, says that both councils are important for different reasons.  The CNC is a voice for a part of the South Lake Union (SLU) geographic area — but the Cascade area is historically significant.

"The character development of SLU needs to stand on the shoulders of Cascade, which is more rooted in a history of residents and people working together for the good of the place they call home," said Franklin. "The CNC is the democratic crossroads for that kind of activity and it stewards the community center where diverse people of the neighborhood can connect for the common good. Hopefully the community engagement in Cascade can spill over into SLU as it is developed."

If you are interested, you can attend the CNC meetings on the third Wednesday of every month at 6 p.m. at the Cascade Neighborhood Center at 309 Pontius Ave. N. You can also contact CNC through their website.