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Sims and Nickels celebrate community partnership Vashon Transfer/Recycling Station opens Executive Ron Sims, Councilman Greg Nickels, Vashon Community Council President Jake Jacobovitch, and environmentalist Tamma Farra shared ribbon cutting honors to celebrate the opening of a new solid waste handling facility on June 26, 1999. Executive Sims applauded the efforts of the residents and county employees who brought the project to fruition. Over a hundred people joined the public officials for festivities at the new transfer and recycling station, which marked the culmination of a three-year collaboration between Island residents and King County. Executive Sims invited Farra to share the honors to acknowledge the significant role she played in the new facility's development. He also highlighted the aesthetic contributions to the project by artist Debra Mersky and staff from the County's Alcohol Treatment and Work Release programs that provided landscaping services. For aesthetic appeal, artist Debra Mersky created public artwork using Vashon and Maury Island images on scale house and recycling area panels. Mersky explained that her use of images reflects the islands' unique characteristics. The artwork includes images of birds, aquatic life, and forest animals and is displayed on the scale house and recycling area panels. "This station is not just a place to dump garbage and recycling," said Executive Sims. "For years it has been a meeting place for many island neighbors and friends, who can now meet and greet in style." Councilman Nickels proudly acknowledged his constituents' involvement in the project and highlighted the use of recycled materials in building the station. He also complimented the creative artwork incorporated in the design of the facility. "The new transfer station represents a significant investment in protecting our environment," said Nickels. "King County wants to be a good neighbor, and the wonderful display of artwork around the station reflects a commitment to the arts and the community of Vashon." Since most residents are accustomed to hauling their own garbage to the landfill, the open house orientated islanders to the new transfer facility. Saturday's program included facility tours, waste reduction and recycling demonstrations, and information on waste collection and recycling services at the facility. New station features included easy-to-use recycling areas, appliance recycling, and two compactors – one for solid waste and one for recyclables. The compactors will increase efficiency and reduce the number of truckloads of garbage hauled off island. The transfer station is the first new solid waste handling facility built by King County since 1993 and was funded in part by a grant from the Washington State Department of Ecology. The landfill closed June 27, and the new station opened on Monday, June 28. Plants located around the grounds were grown by workers enrolled in the Chronic Public Inebriates Program — an alcohol recovery program that provides the tools for substance abusers to turn their lives around. Work Release participants assisted with planting the flowers and trees.
Updated: July 1, 1999 King County | Natural Resources | News | Services | Comments Search |