AUGUST / SEPTEMBER, 2018 EDITION

NEIGHBORS COOL DOWN WITH ICE CREAM

The Harney Heights Neighborhood
Association held its annual Ice
Cream Social in St. Helens Park on
Saturday, July 14 with City of Van-
couver Mayor, Anne McEnerny-Ogle
and Councilmember, Ty Stober in
attendance. Neighbors of all ages
spent the evening getting to know
their neighbors over some delicious
cold treats and games after electing
our new officers.

We are excited to announce that our

neighbors in Harney Heights elected
James Conight as Chair, incumbent
MaryLynn Cunningham as Co-Chair, incumbent Jennifer Hawks-Conright as
Secretary/Treasurer and Tamara J. Brown as Newsletter Editor.

We want to th ank everyone who came out on the warm da y to

h ave fun in the park!

T R E E T O U R W I T H U R B A N F O R E S T R Y
Also on July 14, Vancouver Urban Forestry led
fifteen neighbors on a three-mile Tree Tour.
Neighbors learned about and celebrated fifteen
trees or groves of interest in the neighborhood,
from unique specimens in yards to past neigh-
borhood plantings done by our own community
members to ma jestic oak trees associated with
the earliest days of the neighborhood.

Thank you to Reggie Frumkin, our AmeriCorps

Neighborhood Trees Coordinator at Vancouver
Urban Forestry. You can access a digital copy of In this issue:
the tour map to find our neighborhood’s special • Meeting Agenda
trees here: http://bit.ly/treetourmap. • Message from the Chair
N E I G H B O R H O O D M E E T I N G
We need YOU at our next neighborhood meeting!!
There are a lot of upcoming things happening in
our neighborhood, from the East McLoughlin Area
Safety Project, to the discussion of a neighborhood
name change. Whether you rent or own, if you’re
over 18 years of age and live within the boundar-
ies of the Harney Heights neighborhood, then you
have a vote on what happens here. We hope to
see you there to join in the discussions, vote on
the issues, and be entered to win the raffle prize!

When: Wednesday, September 5th at 7:00pm

Where: Martin Luther King Elementary library

Free Raffle Prize: Dinner at Nom Nom Restaurant

Meeting Agenda:
• New Officer Introduction
• Neighborhood Vision discussion
• Action Plan discussion
• Newsletter discussion
• Social Media discussion
• Webpage discussion
• Paid Advertisements Insert discussion
• Harney Heights name change
discussion / vote
• Raffle prize drawing
A M E S S A G E F R O M T H E C H A I R
Harney Heights, where community blooms. See-
ing as the Harney Heights Neighborhood Asso-
ciation’s (HHNA) Facebook has had an upswing
in members, the new HHNA webpage has been
warmly received, and neighbors have signed
up for the e-newsletter, it is evident that noth-
ing could be truer. However, these are only tools
being used to help foster stronger relationships
between the families of this neighborhood. The
real evidence of this blooming community are
the interactions of its neighbors themselves.
It’s been amazing to see neighbors reach out to one another over past month.
Offers to share a beer or to play music together are more than pleasantries
that can often be dismissed as casual politeness, but rather are the extensions
of a hand from one person to another in hopes of making a lasting connec-
tion, a good neighbor, and a true friend. These relationships that are being
formed within Harney Heights have had the deepest of meanings throughout
all of history.

The question that begs to be asked, however, is “How has this come about?”
To start, a common interest had to be shared. Shortly after the July Ice
Cream Social, the neighbors were made aware of the details for the East
McLoughlin Area Safety Project, and were subsequently asked for their input.
The responses were overwhelming.

People from all over the neighborhood voiced their support and concerns
with the project, both through direct comments to the city, and through the
newly established HHNA.comment@gmail.com. While replies to the call for
comments varied, the ma jority of neighbors objected to the installation of the
bicycle lanes, yet supported the proposed speed cushions and crosswalks.
However, no matter what position each neighbor had taken on the project,
everyone showed that safety was their primary concern.

A letter had been sent to the Mayor’s office, along with all of the compiled
emails, to show a stand of solidarity between the residents of Harney Heights.
A common thread had been found, and a connection between neighbors had
been made.

There it was: The first bud of a blossoming community. Harney Heights came
together, and the message to the city was well received. The Office Of
Neighborhoods stated that the plans were not finalized, and that the official
HHNA response and compiled emails would be taken into consideration while
evaluating the proposed project. Neighbors who had never talked to each
other began to engage in conversation over the common interest of their
( C O N T , ) neighborhood. Pride in ownership of the neighborhood as a
whole became evident from both renters and home owners. It cannot stop
there, however, if this is to become a neighborhood of friends and family who
can depend on each other. Changes will still need to happen, as the “Business
as Usual” model of the HHNA is quickly being outpaced by the busy lives of
the neighbors. Updated social media and newsletters are a start, but fun,
family friendly, neighborhood meetings in an inviting location is a great bench
mark toward bringing everyone closer together.

Other ideas have been a neighborhood co-op with the sharing of fresh fruits
and veggies, awards for straight A students, and even a possible neighbor-
hood community center. Co-op art sales have been mentioned, as have after
school programs for teens.

Change, however, is up to each neighbor, as every vote at every neighborhood

meeting counts. Before there can be change though, two way communication
needs to be established. To help with this, the HHNA Board has developed a
survey to assist in the writing of an updated Action Plan, and has created the
HHNA.comment@gmail.com message center for comments or concerns.

With the help of its residents, Harney Heights truly has an opportunity to be
the neighborhood where community blooms.

James Conright MaryLynn Cunningham Jennifer Hawks-Conright

Chair Co-Chair Secretary / Treasurer
hhna.chair@gmail.com hhna.vicechair@gmail.com hhna.sec@gmail.com

Ryan Lopossa Tamara J. Brown Sammy Abdala

Neighborhood Liaison Newsletter Editor Neighborhood Police Officer
City of Vancouver hhna.newsletter@gmail.com City of Vancouver
Public Works NPO District 2
360.487.8406 360.487.7359
ryan.lopossa@cityofvancouver.us vpdnpod2@cityofvancouver.us
F I N D U S O N L I N E

Nextdoor Instagram Twitter Facebook

HarneyHeights harneyheightsneighborhood @HarneyHeights HarneyHeightsNA

Visit our NEW website:

Tinyrurl.com/harneyheights

Questions? Comments?
hhna.comment@gmail.com
 U P C O M I N G E V E N T S

September 5, 7pm September 7, 5pm September 6, 13, & 20

10am
HHNA Meeting First Friday Art Walk Story & Nature Series
MLK Elementary Downtown for 3-6 year olds
4801 Idaho Street 806 & 808 Main Street The Water Center
4600 SE Columbia Way

September 8th September 8, 9am September 8, 1pm

Seventh Annual Clark Vancouver Peace & Columbia Flyway Wildlife

County Connects Day of Justice Fair Show
Service The Water Center
http://clarkcountycon- Esther Short Park 4600 SE Columbia Way
nects.org/
September 15 & 16 September 15, 11am September 29, 11am

Appletree Marathon, Half live reptile & bird shows Waterfront Park Grand
Marathon & Sunset 5k The Water Center live music by The Pearls
www.whyracingevents. 4600 SE Columbia Way and The Juleps, kite-fly-
com/event/998/#loaded ing, & fun children’s
activities
October 6, 11am October 27, 1pm November

Old Apple Tree Festival Witness Tree Planting HHNA Meeting

Old Apple Tree Park In Honor of
112 SE Columbia Way Neatha Lefevre Date, Time and Location
St. Helens Park TBD

The City of Vancouver supports the Neighborhood Associations in their

effort to share vital information with residents in order to o create a more
informed public. However, the information provided and the opinions
and views expressed in Neighborhood Association newsletters or other
documents do not necessarily represent the position of the City of Vancouver,
nor does the City determine whether the information published is accurate
or appropriate. Printed by the City of Vancouver Office of Neighborhoods.
 Action Plan Survey

Dear Neighbor:
We need your help in identifying and prioritizing issues in our neighborhood. The information
you provide will help our Neighborhood Association. Please take a few minutes to fill out this
survey. The results of the survey will be shared with our neighbors at our meetings and on our
website (if applicable).

General Info
1)
How long have you lived in the Harney Heights neighborhood?
_____ Years _____Months

2) How many people are in your household? ____ Adults ____Children

3) How would you describe the “atmosphere” of your neighborhood?

Nicely kept Run down Other ______________________

4) What do you like best about our neighborhood?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

5) What do you like least about our neighborhood?

__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

St Helens Neighborhood Park

6) Do you go to the park? Yes No

Daily Weekly Monthly Occasionally Rarely

 7) Why do you visit this park? (Check all that apply.)

Biking Bring children Special event

Sightseeing Time with family / friends Exercise

Relaxing Walk Dog Walking

Other: __________________________________________________________

8) Which, if any, of the following neighborhood programs would you support?

Tiny Libraries Food sharing libraries Safehouse project

Community Board New playground equipment Farming co-op
Gazebo for park Community Center
Establish Annual Neighborhood Art festival / bizarre

Application for Grant for environmental project (Watershed Alliance)

Application for Grant for city assistance for park (Parks Foundation)
Establish Annual Neighborhood Garage Sale

Neighborhood Meetings
9) Do you attend Harney Heights Neighborhood Association meets? Yes No

If yes, what do you like best?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

If no, why?

Not a good day of the week Not a good time

Do not like the structure of the meeting Not a convenient location

10) What type of neighborhood communication do you find the most useful?

Newsletter Neighborhood Website Facebook

Nextdoor.com HHNA.comment@gmail

Many neighborhoods across the country have incorporated for several reasons, including, but not
limited to, the ability to apply for public and private grants, the ability to ask for tax-deductible
donations, and property tax exemptions for neighborhood community centers. The only cost
associated with incorporating the neighborhood would be the startup costs, which would require
a vote by the neighbors, and paid out of the Neighborhood Association funds. Incorporating,
however, would not turn the Neighborhood Association into a Homeowners Association; there
would not be membership dues, and the Neighborhood Association would not be authorized to
regulate private properties as a Homeowners Association could.

Would you support the Neighborhood Association becoming an incorporated nonprofit entity?

Yes No

Thank you for taking the time to participate in this survey. Your input is appreciated.

Please return the survey either by e-mail to HHNA.comment@gmail.com, or in person at the

HHNA dropbox located at 3802 E McLoughlin Blvd.