The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival is in full swing! Having kicked off April 1st, the 31st annual celebration runs through the end of the month. Make the short drive south and take in the blooming rainbows of tulips blanketing the Skagit Valley fields.
When Matt Christman was a kid in the 1970s, he picked up paper route newspapers on the porch of Fairhaven’s old Fire Station No. 2.
In 2002, he bought the building.
And in the ensuing two years, he completely re-imagined, renovated, and reinvigorated the 3,500-square-foot building – built in 1927 by noted Bellingham architect F. Stanley Piper, who also designed the Bellingham Herald Building among many others – into the lovely, intimate Firehouse Performing Arts Center.
The Firehouse PAC is now many things: performance space, classroom, community meeting space, theater, art gallery, coffee shop and café, home to a physical and massage therapist, and a neighborhood park.
But its original purpose was a fire station; a job it held ably from 1927 until 2001.
The History of Fire Station No. 2
Located at 1314 Harris Avenue, a stone’s throw from the heart of the Fairhaven District, Fire Station No. 2 was designed to accommodate the latest fire-fighting technology of the day: a vehicle with an internal-combustion engine.
No more horses meant Fire Station No. 2 could be built in a vastly different architectural style than earlier fire stations: “bungalow-style,” smaller and more residential, to blend in with the neighborhood.
This was a departure from the two-story “storefront” station design, such as Fire Station No. 1, located on Prospect Street downtown at what is now the Whatcom Museum’s Syre Education Center. Construction of Fire Station No. 2 cost $15,000.
The tower of the original building was open from the basement all the way to the top. Hoses were hung there to dry after each use and a metal basement door left open to allow warm air from the boiler up into the tower chamber to facilitate drying.
The structure held dormitories for a six-man crew as well as an apparatus room, which housed a 1913 Seagrave combination engine/pumper; according to city records, an antiquated steamer was kept in reserve for extreme emergencies. The gas-powered engine/pumper replaced a three-horse hitch chemical wagon, which had been purchased by the city in 1904.
The stucco exterior Spanish Mission revival style was popular in residential architecture during the 1920s, and Piper put it to good use in the design of Fire Station No. 2. His original plans called for a tile roof, but budget constraints resulted in composition shingles.
The two bay openings through which the trucks left the fire station held doors that swung open and were only slightly larger than average garage doors. In the 1950s they were combined into one door within a larger span to accommodate larger trucks.
Otherwise, not much changed in Old Station No. 2 over the years – until Matt Christman took on the charming historical structure and gave it quite the facelift.
A Dramatic Renovation
“I was dancing with a modern dance collective here in town, Dance Gallery, and the group needed a new space,” Matt Christman remembers of the time, in 2002, right before he became the building’s new owner. “I tend to be kind of a dreamer and I thought it would be really cool to find an old building and turn it into an art center.”
He envisioned groups of artists without dedicated rehearsal or performance spots coming together to share the rental space – and ultimately cross-pollinate with each other.
When Christman learned that the city was selling Fire Station No. 2, he grabbed his wife-to-be, Alona, and the couple went and peeked through the windows.
Ideas began to bubble up immediately.
Christman talked to his father, who agreed to underwrite the cost of buying it and converting it into a performing arts center – so long as Christman could garner enough interest from arts groups who would agree to rent the space.
Eleven different groups put forth proposals to the city, and Christman’s was ultimately chosen.
“It was in rough shape,” Christman says of the building when he got his hands on it. “It took quite a bit to get it to kind of straighten its tie.”
Helping with the metaphorical tie-straightening were Mike Smith, of Zervas Group Architects, and McConnell Construction.
Because the building was a local historical landmark, Christman and his team had to go through a detailed review to make sure their plans wouldn’t be detrimental to any historical elements remaining in the structure.
“The creativity level went way up so we could preserve the elements that were of particular note,” says Christman, “yet still accommodate the new use and what it would require as far as the renovation of the space.”
Gene McConnell of McConnell Construction – “just a phenomenal woodworker,” Christman raves – was commissioned to re-build the original truss bay doors.
“When we bought it, it had a big roll-up door for the trucks to get in and out,” Christman explains, “but originally it had these two beautiful wooden doors that opened for the trucks.”
McConnell recreated them. “They’re triple-paned glass and essentially the same design as the original doors,” Christman says. “Gene did a beautiful job; they’re just stunning.”
Behind those new doors, where the trucks once lived, became a stunning performance space, designed by Christman and Zervas Group. The entry was transformed into a comfortable coffeehouse and café, complete with original wood-burning fireplace.
The hose-drying tower that had always been open from its very top all the way down to the basement was framed in on the first floor and became functional space, with a shower and storage for supplies.
“The top is still open so you can actually see where they used to haul the hoses up into the top of the tower,” he says.
Through a stroke of luck – and knowing the right person and the right time – Christman was able to make an important change to the building’s roof.
“I was running a Scout troop at the time and one of the dads was an architect who happened to be re-doing the roof of Miller Hall up at Western,” Christman says. “We salvaged the tile and finally put on the tile roof that the building was originally designed to have.”
Christman also wanted to improve the outdoor space directly behind the fire station.
A parking lot took up over half the area, but Christman worked out a mutually beneficial deal with the city that saw a waiver for on-site parking requirements, allowing the creation of a little pocket park.
“We tore up the asphalt and reseeded it,” says Christman, “and one of the firemen from Fire Station No. 2 made a couple of beautiful benches for back there.”
Another former Fire Station No. 2 firefighter, Roger Iverson, planted an American Sycamore tree in the back yard in the early 1980s that has grown into a lovely landscape centerpiece. It’s now a pleasant spot enjoyed by neighborhood folks or anyone walking by.
The Future of Fire Station No. 2
Christman has thoroughly enjoyed the transformation he helped set in motion and has been pleased to see his dream become a successful reality. But a decade on, he’s now seeking a buyer for the Firehouse PAC.
“I’m excited about the possibility of handing the torch off to another group,” he says. “I can finally get the family paid back and hopefully see it continue on as a performing arts center.”
Having lived in the neighborhood his whole life, Christman has his own long history with the building. From his childhood paperboy days on its porch – “I remember being afraid the firemen would come bursting out on a call,” he says with a smile – to a decade of running it as a successful performing arts center embraced by its community.
“It’s neat,” he says. “It was originally meant to serve the community as a fire station, and now it’s still serving the community – just in its new duds, so to speak.”
Firehouse Performing Arts Center
1314 Harris Avenue
Bellingham, WA 98225
360.734.2776
Photos courtesy of the City of Bellingham, Whatcom Museum of History and Art, Matt Christman, and Zervas Group.
Easter egg hunts abound in Whatcom County during this special time of year. Grab a basket and whisk your little ones off to any of these area events for some wholesome family fun – with perhaps a dash of good-natured competition thrown in.
April 13
Egg-cellent Egg Hunt & Hop – 4pm to 6pm at Perch & Play, 1707 North State Street in Bellingham. Perch & Play, along with nearly two dozen fantastic local sponsors, throws a fun-filled Easter celebration, which includes egg hunting, dancing, raffles, sweet treats, and a visit from the Big Bunny himself. A portion of the proceeds goes to Brigid Collins. Cost: $15 per person.
April 15
Easter Scavenger Hunt – 11am to 5pm at Fairhaven Toy Garden, 1147 11th Street in Fairhaven. Hit Fairhaven Toy Garden and grab a clue sheet, then make your way to the right stores to get egg stamps. Completed sheets mean a prize for the little ones as well as entrance in a raffle for a basket of products from participating businesses – many of which will hand out treats and prizes along the way.
April 18
Easter Photo with the BWI Bunnies – 3pm to 5pm at Bob Wallin Insurance, 1844 Iron Street in Bellingham. They had so much fun last year that they’re doing it again. Children are invited to stop by Bob Wallin Insurance for treats and a chance to pose for photos with the “BWI Bunnies” – a family of adorable stuffed bunnies.
April 19
Lettered Streets Easter Egg Hunt – 10am at Fouts Park, Ellsworth Street and H Street in Bellingham. Sponsored by the Lettered Streets Covenant Church, the Lettered Streets Easter Egg Hunt is an annual tradition that includes a free Easter egg hunt for kids 10 and under, plus crafts, snacks, and door prizes from Neighborhood Businesses for Parents
3rd Annual Kids Easter Fair – 10am to 12pm at St. Luke’s Community Health Education Center, 3333 Squalicum Parkway in Bellingham. Looking for an indoor hunt? Here’s one option. Sponsored by the PeaceHealth and Friends Relay for Life Team as a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society, the Kids Easter Fair also offers pictures with the Easter Bunny, games, prizes, a coloring contest, treats and more. Suggested donation of $5 per child
Bellewood Acres Easter Bunny & Egg Hunt – 10am to 4pm at BelleWood Acres out on the Guide in Bellingham. On top of meeting the Easter bunny and hunting for eggs (ages 1-10), children can ride the apple bin train express, get a goody bag of games and candy, enjoy Dina’s super sugar cookies, and have their faces painted. Free for adults, $8 for kids.
15th Annual Mt. Baker Golden Egg Hunt – Various starting times for different events at the Mt. Baker Ski Area, beginning at 9am. With events for both adults and children, the 15th annual Golden Egg Hunt is fun for all. Four thousand eggs containing $10,000 in prizes are hidden on the slopes, just waiting to be found. Grand Prize for the adult hunt is a 2014-2015 Mt. Baker Season Pass. Four separate kids events, broken down by age groups, offer thousands of plastic eggs containing jelly beans, coins and other prizes – plus a special t-shirt for each participant.
Bellingham Health Care Annual Easter Egg Hunt – 11am at Avamere Bellingham Health Care and Rehabilitation Services, 1200 Birchwood Avenue in Bellingham. Three different areas to search, depending on age, with prize eggs and face painting, as well. The Easter Bunny will visit and pose for photographs. Proceeds from a hot dog stand go to the Alzheimer’s Society.
Elks Lodge Easter Egg Hunt – 2pm to 4pm at Bellingham Elks Lodge #194, 710 Samish Way in Bellingham. This free community Easter Egg Hunt is for children ages 0-11 years old. Rain or shine, they can search for colored hard-boiled eggs, as well as prize-filled plastic eggs. The Easter Bunny and a photographer will be available for photos.
Louisa Place Easter Egg Hunt – 10am to 11:30am at Louisa Place Assisted Living, 2240 Main Street in Ferndale. Easter Egg Hunt for kids 1 to 10 years old – look for golden eggs to earn special prizes – as well as cupcake decorating, coloring pages, and a chance to spend time with Louisa Place residents. An adult must accompany all children.
The Great Community Easter Egg Hunt – 10am at the Ferndale Boys & Girls Club, 2015 Cherry Street in Ferndale. Hosted by the Ferndale Boys & Girls Club and Industrial Credit Union, the free annual event takes place at Pioneer Field, next to the Boys & Girls Club. Children 1 to 12 years old are invited to search for over 5,000 eggs.
Community Easter Egg Drop – 3pm to 5pm at City Bible Church North Sound, 1986 Main Street in Lynden. Fun for all ages with face painting, balloons, great giveaways, super slide, bouncy house, music, food – and a helicopter dropping 20,000 Easter eggs! Broken down into four age groups. Please pre-register for this free event.
Jump Around Fun Zone – 10am to 7pm at Jump Around Fun Zone, 4600 Meridian Street in Bellingham. Each child gets a checklist at the front desk when they arrive, and as they enjoy the usual Jump Around fun, they search for all items. Turn in your completed card for a prize.
Egg Hunt in the Pool – 4:30pm to 6:30pm at Arne Hanna Aquatic Center, 1114 Potter Street in Bellingham. Suit up the kids and let them search for hidden eggs underwater! Children six years and under require an adult to accompany them in the pool. Regular admission cost covers this fun event, complete with water games and much more.
Kid’s Easter Fair – 10am to 12pm at St. Luke’s Community Health Education Center, 3333 Squalicum Parkway in Bellingham. The third annual Kid’s Easter Fair features an indoor Easter egg hunt, pictures with the Easter Bunny, games, prizes, treats, a coloring contest, and more.
North County Christ the King Community Church Easter Extravaganza – 10am and 12pm at North County Christ the King Community Church, 1835 Liberty Street in Lynden. Come see a performance and hunt for over 7,000 candy-stuffed Easter eggs.
April 20
Boundary Bay Easter Brunch & Egg Hunt – 10am to 12pm at Boundary Bay Brewery, 1107 Railroad Avenue in Bellingham. Enjoy brunch and an Easter egg hunt in Boundary Bay’s beer garden. Available to brunch participants only, call 360.647.5593 to make a reservation. Cost: $21 per person, $12 kids 6-12 years old, $17 seniors, and free for kids 5 years and under.
Do you have an Easter Egg Hunt to add to our list? Drop us a note at submit@whatcomtalk.com with the details on your event.
It’s rumored that Bellingham has more drive-through espresso stands per capita than any other U.S. city. I don’t doubt it. This is the Pacific Northwest, after all, which is synonymous with coffee to many of those who have never been here.
Spend even a little time driving around Bellingham with an eye out for options to buy coffee from your car and you see that they’re everywhere.
But what about those of us who love a good old-fashioned coffee shop? For lots of folks it’s a mobile office. For many it’s a place to sit and flip through the pages of a book (or a reader screen) while taking breaks to chat with other patrons.
Sometimes a drive-through isn’t what we need; we want to connect with other folks also looking for caffeine and a little company.
Luckily Bellingham has coffee shops in spades, too. Try any of these options for your next java jolt.
The Black Drop has been a vibrant downtown institution for a dozen years. Mix a little punk with a lot of friendly, and then top it off with owners and employees who really know their stuff when it comes to all things coffee. An employee cooperative since 2009, the Black Drop’s original owners went on to create Maniac Coffee Roasting, whose beans the Black Drop proudly serves.
300 West Champion
Bellingham, WA 98225
360.738.3767
Hours:
Monday through Friday: 7am to 7pm
Saturday: 8am to 5pm
Sunday: 9am to 3pm
The Lettered Streets Coffeehouse resides in a charming 1890 building that has been home to a myriad of businesses over its long history. When a coffee shop that was created there in 2002 closed its doors five years later, two of its baristas – Anna Dean and Kjirstin Haugland – took over, and have more than ably carried on the coffee goodness.
1001 Dupont Street
Bellingham, WA 98225
360.933.4689
Hours:
Monday through Friday: 6:45am to 6pm
Saturday & Sunday: 8am to 5pm
Like so many of Bellingham’s delightful coffee spots, Caffe Adagio is a family-owned, independent coffeehouse. More often than not when I ask folks where they’d like to get together downtown for work-related meetings, they suggest Caffe Adagio, which is large but generally quiet, with a fireplace to warm you on colder days and tons of tables for working upon or gabbing over.
1435 Railroad Avenue
Bellingham, WA 98225
360.671.1198
Hours:
Monday through Saturday: 7am to 6pm
Avellino is in the heart of downtown Bellingham, just steps away from the Bagelry. This friendly place just somehow feels like Bellingham inside its cozy walls. Less spread-out-and-study and more sit-and-work-on-your laptop or simply-sink-into-an-overstuffed-chair, Avellino also stocks undeniably awesome baked goods, including many gluten-free options.
1329 Railroad Avenue
Bellingham, WA 98225
360.715.1005
Hours:
Monday through Friday: 6am to 7pm
Saturday & Sunday: 7am to 7pm
Back before Fairhaven had many condos, I was lucky enough to live in a place just around the corner from Tony’s Coffee. It had long been a famous landmark in Fairhaven’s 1888 Terminal Building, and friends who worked there in the mid-90s shared fantastic stories of the storied place. To me, it was simply a spacious, inviting space where I could order delicious Tony’s Coffee – roasted in Bellingham since 1971 – and bask in a sunny spot in its huge front windows while I happily read.
1101 Harris Avenue
Bellingham, WA 98225
360.738.4710
Hours:
Every day: 7am to 6pm
Since opening its first coffee shop in Lynden in 2002, The Woods has grown into a popular local chain with nine locations in Bellingham, three in Lynden, one in Blaine, and one in Ferndale. All Woods shops have a welcoming feel with Pacific Northwest-tinged décor of warm wood and stonework. The location in Boulevard Park is perfect for wowing out-of-town visitors with a hot cup of Joe coupled with unparalleled Bellingham Bay views.
Bender Plaza
8874 Bender Road in Lynden
360.354.0900
Hours:
Monday through Friday: 5:30am to 8pm
Saturday: 6am to 8pm
Sunday: 6am to 7pm
Marketplace at Safeway
8071 Guide Meridian in Lynden
360.354.9925
Hours:
Monday through Friday: 6am to 8pm
Saturday & Sunday: 6:30am to 8pm
Fairway Center
1758 Front Street in Lynden
360.354.2100
Hours:
Monday through Friday: 5:30am to 9pm
Saturday: 6am to 9pm
Sunday: 6am to 8pm
King Street
1901 King Street in Bellingham
360.738.3260
Hours:
Monday through Friday: 5am to 7pm
Saturday & Sunday: 6am to 7pm
Bakerview Square
428 West Bakerview Road in Bellingham
360.738.7742
Hours:
Monday through Friday: 5:30am to 9pm
Saturday: 6am to 9pm
Sunday: 6am to 8pm
Boulevard Park
470 Bay View Road in Bellingham
360.738.4771
Hours:
Every day at 6:30am to 8pm
Railroad & Chestnut
1135 Railroad Avenue in Bellingham
360.306.8291
Hours:
Monday through Friday: 6am to 9:30pm
Saturday: 6:30am to 10pm
Sunday: 6:30am to 8pm
Ferndale Station
1867 Main Street in Ferndale
360.778.3128
Hours:
Monday through Friday: 5:30am to 9pm
Saturday & Sunday: 6am to 9pm
Birch Bay Square
8130 Birch Bay Square Street in Blaine
360.393.4761
Hours:
Monday through Friday: 5:30am to 8pm
Saturday & Sunday: 6am to 8pm
Flatiron
10 Prospect Street in Bellingham
360.392.8116
Hours:
Every day: 6:30am to 9pm
Meridian
102 West Stuart Road in Bellingham
360.733.9570
Hours:
Monday through Friday: 5:30am to 8pm
Saturday & Sunday: 6am to 8pm
Sehome Haggen
210 36th Street in Bellingham
306.922.0943
Hours:
Every day: 6am to 7pm
Lakeway
813 Lakeway Drive in Bellingham
360.325.7837
Hours:
Monday through Friday: 5:30am to 9pm
Saturday & Sunday: 6am to 9pm
Barkley Village
3008 Cinema Place in Bellingham
360.933.1695
Hours:
Monday through Thursday: 5:30am to 10pm
Friday: 5:30am to 11pm
Saturday: 6am to 11pm
Sunday: 6am to 10pm
We already know why we choose (and love) to live, work, and play here in Whatcom County. But other folks across the country are also taking notice. Recent survey rankings simply underscore why living in and around Bellingham is one of the best places to be.
At WhatcomTalk, we aim to share the positive stories about people, businesses and organizations doing good things around our community. Seven days a week, we are interviewing, writing, and publishing stories that matter to you, as a member of the Bellingham and Whatcom County communities.
Livability.com recently ranked Bellingham one of its Top Ten Best Downtowns, while Business Insider named it one of the Happiest and Healthiest Cities in America. Hooray!
The Livability survey considered items such as population growth, ratio of residents to jobs, income growth, home vacancy rates, affordability of housing, and retail and office vacancy rates.
The Business Insider survey asked 178,000 folks nationwide about emotional health, work environment, physical health, healthy behaviors, and access to basic necessities.
These are all the types of things we love to talk about here at WhatcomTalk.com. And we love that so many of you want to be a part of that conversation as we link neighbors to create community chatter.
Thank you, neighbor, for making Bellingham such a friendly, fantastic place to live, work, and play.
To see the full Livability.com article, click here; for the Business Insider piece, click here.
By Stacee Sledge
Bellingham High School sophomore Austin Shenton has his eyes on the prize: a career in baseball.
And although it’s a common dream for most kids after they smack that first ball off a tee, Shenton has a real shot at it; he’s developed as a player in a way very few do.
But first he’s got to get back in the game.
Shenton is finishing up a six-month rehab of a knee injury that required surgery last September after he was hurt playing quarterback in his first high school football game.
“It was my first varsity game because freshman year I decided not to play. I didn’t want to get hurt,” Shenton says with a small laugh.
He describes his knee bending inward during a sideline tackle where his foot got stuck in the ground. “I heard a pop and thought I’d dislocated it,” he says. “It popped back in and I got right back up but it was very, very painful.”
A trip to the emergency room brought a probable diagnosis of a sprained MCL and Shenton thought he’d be back on the football field in a week or two.
“But then I went to my physical therapist and he told me he thought I tore my MCL and probably my ACL as well,” Shenton remembers.
He went in for an MRI on Friday and got the news on Monday: a torn ACL and NCL meniscus, as well as an impaction fracture where his tibia and fibula hit together during the tackle.
“And I’d just been walking around on that!” he says, incredulously. “I was in a lot of pain but was trying to toughen through it.”
After surgery – performed by Dr. John Green with the University of Washington Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine – Shenton missed two weeks of school.
But a homecoming prince nomination meant that two days post-surgery, he was wheeled into the gym for an assembly. “I was on pain pills and out of it,” he says.
The days after surgery were initially difficult for Shenton, who had expected to be playing football and hoped to start on the basketball team, as well.
“It was emotionally pretty hard early on, but then I thought of all the people who would have wished they’d only busted up their knee and that made me not feel bad anymore,” he says. “I have it pretty darn good.”
Shenton attended all the games he could over the fall and winter seasons. “That was pretty hard sometimes,” he admits. “I just tried to cheer on all my teammates and be there for them. That’s what I’m trying to do this baseball season, too.”
Unable to workout for the first few months after surgery, Shenton is now – finally – back at it.
“It’s crazy,” he says, “but I’ve gotten stronger than I’ve ever been. It’s really altered my work ethic and made me count my blessings a little bit more.”
He wishes he could be more a part of the Bellingham High baseball team right now, but is focused solely on rehabbing his knee. “I just want to get myself better and healthy,” he says, “because I want to be back.”
Shenton may not be cleared in time to play spring ball with his Bellingham High team, but he fully intends to be on the field again this summer which, judging from previous years, could take him anywhere from Arizona to North Carolina to Florida.
Shenton’s evolution through baseball is remarkable.
He began, as so many kids do, by playing T-ball at the Whatcom Family YMCA at five years old.
“And then I started falling in love with it the next year,” Shenton says, “when I played with the Boys & Girls Club.”
He went on to play competitively through the Boys & Girls Club, and was selected, at 13 years old, to play on a 14-year-old team in the area called the Northwest Rebels.
He was chosen second team all-state his freshman year at Bellingham High and hit .420 during his first high school season.
“The next year I played for Cascade Crush,” he says. “That was the year I kind of separated myself from a lot of the players around here.”
That summer Shenton played 45 games, had 25 home runs and hit .700.
Later that same 2012 season, he was invited to play on Team Northwest, an organization that picks the most talented players from Washington, Oregon and Idaho.
In Atlanta that summer, Shenton hit .538 – top five in the tournament, which was made up of the top 16 14U teams in the nation.
“That was when I started realizing I was fairly good at this game,” Shenton says, with a chuckle.
Summer of 2013 found Shenton again playing with Team Northwest. He also played in the Junior Olympic tournament in Arizona, a tryout for Team USA. He was selected for the 15U USA Team and went 18 for 24 in the tournament.
Shenton was then selected to be one of just 40 players taking part in last summer’s USA Baseball 15U National Trials.
During the weeklong visit to North Carolina for trials, the 40 players were whittled down to 20 who went on to Colombia to play in the Pan American Classic against teams like the Dominican Republic and Cuba.
“I didn’t end up making that,” Shenton says. “I kind of slumped.”
But he plans to try again this year.
Shenton also plays on for the 18U Baden team in Seattle, traveling around the state and playing a lot of summer games.
If it sounds like his summers are jam-packed, they are.
“It’s pretty crazy sometimes,” Shenton says. “I was gone 35 days last summer. I’ve got to thank my parents for paying for all of it and supporting me all the time.”
Shenton would love to get drafted out of high school, though he’s also talked to a lot of Division I colleges who have taken notice.
“Ultimately, my ideal dream would be to get drafted top five rounds out of high school and basically go on to minor leagues and try to pursue a career in baseball,” he says. “That’s my ultimate goal.”
For a young man with every reason to boast about his baseball trajectory, Shenton strives to remain humble.
“I try to be modest,” he says. “I want people to see me, not just a baseball player or athlete. I want people to recognize me as a nice, genuine guy, you know?”
By Stacee Sledge
When Squalicum High School senior Hannah Dashiell died in a traffic accident on January 5, the entire community mourned.
For those who didn’t know Hannah from school – where she was class vice president and active in cheer, drama, art and much more – or see her often at the Barkley Haggen grocery store she worked part-time, they learned through remembrances by friends and family that Hannah was quick with a smile, genuinely kind, and liked by everyone.
Hannah’s close friend, Lindsey Dunning, was deeply grieving just days after the accident when Dunning’s boyfriend, Alex Powell, suggested a fitting way to honor Hannah’s memory.
Dunning created a fundraising web page with a goal of raising $1,100 for a memorial bench to be placed in Barkley Village in Hannah’s name.
“By the end of the first day, we’d exceeded the goal,” Dunning says. “It was really exciting.”
“It was connected to a memorial page on Facebook that Lindsey made,” says Powell. “I think that’s why so many people chipped in so fast.”
“We got to about $3,200,” says Dunning, “and then we stopped so we could start the bench.”
Another fundraiser in Hannah’s memory continues to raise money, both online and through donations to any Bellingham-area Peoples Bank location.
“One hundred percent of those funds will go to the Hannah Dashiell Memorial Scholarship,” says Powell, “for young girls pursuing a medical career, because that’s what Hannah was going to do.”
The couple was put in touch with Stowe Talbot, owner of the Barkley Company and chairman of Bellingham Cold Storage.
“When Lindsey and Alex first approached me about the placement of a memorial bench near the Haggen store, I wanted to learn more about their project,” says Talbot. “We met and they told me more about Hannah’s story – that she worked at Haggen and was a remarkable young woman.”
Talbot was impressed with Dunning and Powell’s initiative to raise funds for the bench to honor their friend.
They all wanted to see the bench in Barkley Village’s Gazebo Park, but Talbot had spent a lot of effort over the years to design the area with a contemporary aesthetic.
“I was concerned that the bench fit the design of the park, as well as reflect aspects of Hannah’s character,” Talbot says.
Rather than a generic memorial bench, he suggested Joe Clark’s Architectural Elements design and build a custom bench.
“Joe has done several nice projects for us in the Barkley area, and he came up with a great concept,” says Talbot.
“I was pleased that we were able to use our design capabilities for this meaningful project,” says Clark. “It was great to see Hannah’s friends rally to remind everyone what a kind and caring person she was.”
Talbot and Clark agreed to help bridge the funding gap between Dunning’s budget and the total cost of the custom design.
Haggen was also instrumental in the memorial, as Gazebo Park is part of the store’s parcel, owned 50/50 between Talbot’s Barkley Company and the Haggens. “They, of course, are enthusiastic about the memorial bench project, too,” says Talbot.
Kyle Thomas, Industrial Designer at Architectural Elements, worked on the bench’s design.
He and the Architectural Elements team designed and fabricated the benches around the Regal Barkley Village movie theater. They’ve also created various memorials and donor walls around Washington.
“We pride ourselves in our ability to create one-of-a-kind pieces that people can emotionally and aesthetically relate to,” Thomas says.
The design of Hannah’s bench is feminine in shape with elegant flowing lines and visually soft materials.
“Hannah was said to be always smiling,” says Thomas. “The shape of the structure represents a smile when viewed from a downward angle.”
Hannah also collected road turtles, which are used in the design.
“If you look closely, we’ve incorporated some into the design on top of the main bench posts, which will be painted a contrasting color,” says Thomas.
And because Hannah was very social, the circular design of the bench is meant to provoke conversation and interaction between those who use it.
The bench will include a stainless steel plaque in celebration of Hannah’s life, with a border of tea leaf artwork – she loved tea and tea parties – surrounding text from two quotes that reflect this remarkable young woman’s character: “Live With Love” and “She turned her can’ts into cans and her dreams into plans.”
The bench will be installed in mid-June.
By Stacee Sledge
When Birmingham native Ryan Russell moved to Bellingham last year, the well-known music photographer documented his road trip so he could turn it into his first photography book.
His work has appeared in other books: Russell lived for a week with Vancouver musicians Tegan and Sara, photographing them as they recorded in New Orleans; his shots became volume two of a three-volume photobook series. He’s also published a collection of shots taken of popular band Paramore. Russell’s work regularly appears in music magazines and on album covers.
But last year, ready to do something outside his comfort zone, Russell pointed his camera at Birmingham friends and family he was about to leave behind, at various stopping points on his eight-day journey to the Pacific Northwest, and finally at Whatcom County and nearby areas he explored in his first weeks as a Washingtonian.
The resulting travel photography book, Continental Obscura: From Birmingham to Bellingham, will be released on April 8.
“Two or three years ago, I started getting into shooting nature stuff,” Russell says. “I just did it for fun.”
Then some of the bands he worked for began using his landscape artwork for their albums. Now Russell happily points his cameras – he owns dozens – at both worlds.
Russell moved to Bellingham for love, though he doesn’t announce that until the book’s end. He wanted the photos to stand on their own without much back-story.
His girlfriend wasn’t Russell’s only connection to Bellingham. His favorite band is Death Cab For Cutie, whom Russell became friends with a decade ago. He has photographed the band and lead singer Ben Gibbard in particular, many times over the years. (Also check out these acoustic performance videos Russell shot of Gibbard as part of his Nervous Energies web series.)
Death Cab got its start in Bellingham, recording its first songs in a house on Ellis Street in the late 1990s, while band members attended Western Washington University. A photo of that house appears in the book.
“I have a Death Cab tattoo. They were the first band I ever road tripped to see,” Russell says, underscoring the importance of the band to him.
“Between meeting them, becoming friends, and just the whole full circle of now living in a place that I heard about in their songs – for a lot of people my age, that’s how we know about Bellingham, through Death Cab songs,” he says.
Russell didn’t know which house was the famed “Ellis Street House” until Gibbard mentioned it casually over burritos at Casa Que Pasa.
“He said, ‘You know, the house is just down the street,’” Russell remembers. “So I went and shot it for the book.”
The book is a fantastic transition of photographs of friends and family in Birmingham, taken just before Russell left, and then through his stops along the way to Bellingham. The last section of the book is made up of photos taken in Whatcom County and nearby areas during Russell’s first weeks in his new home.
“I never owned a camera until I was 20,” he says. While building a website for Birmingham band Haste – who were signed but didn’t have any photos – Russell bought one and started shooting. He quickly learned he enjoyed it and was good at it.
“The bands Haste opened up for were getting bigger and bigger, and I kept saying, ‘Get me that photo pass,’” Russell remembers. He’s now photographed a wide range of bands over the years, from the Foo Fighters and Macklemore to Green Day and Blink-182.
As different as music photography is to nature photography, so is Bellingham to Birmingham – especially for a 32-year-old who has never lived anywhere outside the city in which he was born.
“For the first week or two it kind of freaked me out,” he says, “You just realize you’re really far away from your family and friends.”
But having connections in Bellingham through music – and, obviously, having his girlfriend here with him – softened the transition.
“The way Bellingham and up here has been, it’s actually made it pretty easy,” Russell says. “Everybody here is so nice. Interactions are always nice.”
For the most part, Russell isn’t doing any local music photography while he readies for the book’s launch, though he still keeps busy with music photography. “I’ve been traveling,” he says. “I’ve had more fly-out shoots than anything since I’ve lived here.”
He was even pulled on stage at Madison Square Garden in November to photograph Paramore.
Ryan did make a recent exception, photographing local band Wild Throne atop the Herald Building.
“I like them a lot,” he says, “So I did their photos.”
When asked his favorite things about Bellingham, Russell doesn’t hesitate before he answers.
“The food here is incredible,” he says. “All the restaurants here know what they’re doing and are really good at whatever it is they do.”
He especially loves Fiamma Burger.
“If someone from out of town is coming to visit and you take them to one place – that’s it. I’m a burger guy and they have such interesting concoctions.”
On Rice is another favorite. “It tastes exactly like my end-all, be-all favorite Thai place in Birmingham. When I go there, it feels like being home.”
He loves driving around to find gorgeous spots to photograph – which isn’t hard to do in Whatcom County. Artist Point on Mount Baker is one of his many favorite spots – and a photograph taken there graces his book’s back cover.
Half of Russell’s business these days is made up of selling photographs through his online store.
“I love doing it,” he says. “I’d rather sell my stuff super-cheap, let you have the experience of picking out a frame and deciding how you want to look, and doing it for a low price.”
Some of his prints sell a ton of copies. “That’s a lot of houses you have photos in,” he says. “There’s something about someone saying to you, ‘I like your photo enough to buy it and put it in my house,’ that’s really satisfying.”
And he says he couldn’t do it without downtown’s Quicksilver Photo Lab.
“I’m usually there at least twice a week, picking up prints,” he says. When shots from a Paramore Seattle show at Key Arena show hit his online store, orders skyrocketed.
“Paramore has such an intense fan base right now,” Russell says. “Quicksilver did hundreds of prints for me in two weeks. They’re great and they’re printing is great. If they weren’t here, I would have had a lot harder time, business-wise.”
For the immediate future, as he readies for the book’s release, Russell is focused on his nature and landscape photography.
“This is a big risk,” he says of his first book’s material, so different from the music photography for which he’s known. “If I’d done a band photo book to start with, it would have been fine. But I wanted to do the hard one first.”
All photos courtesy of Ryan Russell.
So an extravagant Spring Break getaway isn’t on your calendar this year. No problem. You don’t need to get away to get recharged – and your pocketbook will no doubt thank you.
Lucky for us, Whatcom County is chock full of fun, relaxing things to do – many of which are inexpensive or altogether free.
Stay put and still have fun with some of these Bellingham-area ideas that will have you happily playing tourist right here at home.
Walk from Boulevard Park to a downtown dining spot
Last spring, we basically bribed our two young ones into walking three miles round-trip from Boulevard Park along the waterfront South Bay Trail, destination downtown, with the promise of La Fiamma at the end. They fueled up, and then happily made the return walk, where they still had enough energy to traipse the boardwalk, and then climb down below to throw rocks into Bellingham Bay. Your choice of downtown eateries is vast, varied and full of yummy options, so choose a family favorite on the drive to Boulevard Park, put on your comfortable walking shoes, and start walking.
Create your own downtown art walk
You don’t have to wait until the First Friday Art Walk to take in creative local creations. Amble along and discover all the sculptures and murals that dot our charming downtown.
Ferry to Lummi Island
Maybe a world-famous, hours long, out-of-this-world meal at the Willows Inn isn’t on the itinerary if you have young ones in tow, but you can still enjoy the scenic trek to Lummi Island. Take a charming – and quick! – ferry ride to this gorgeous spot and grab yummy grub at the Beach Store Cafe or Taproot Cafe before exploring the lovely little island.
Inside Pitch
Take turns taking swings with indoor batting practice at Inside Pitch. I’d argue that it’s equally as fun to be the one feeding balls into the pitching machine.
1750 Moore Street
Bellingham, WA 98229
360.647.1600
Hours:
Monday through Friday, 12pm to 9pm
Saturday, 10 am to 7:00 pm
Sunday, 11 am to 7:00 pm
Marine Life Center
Get a hands-on aquatic experience at the Marine Life Center at Squalicum Harbor. Bring a kite or two, and afterward head to nearby Zuanich Point Park to let ’em fly.
1801 Roeder Avenue
Bellingham, WA 98226
360.671.2431
Hours:
Open 7 days a week
June – August: 10am to 6pm
Sept – May: 11am to 5pm
Lynden Skateway
Ah, sweet memories of the roller skating days of my youth. I can’t hear Michael Jackson’s “Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough” without wanting to lace up some old school rented roller skates and hit the rink. Head to Lynden Skateway and relive your youth, and then watch your kids quickly learn to lap you.
421 Judson Street Alley
Lynden, WA 98264
360.354.3851
Take a step back in time at the charming Lynden Pioneer Museum as you mix educational with entertaining.
217 Front Street
Lynden, WA 98264
360.354.3675
Hours:
Monday through Saturday, 10am to 4pm
Whatcom Museum
If you have young children, head to Whatcom Museum’s Family Interactive Gallery (FIG) in the Lightcatcher, where they’ll delight in a vibrant world of learning through play. If you have tweens and teenagers, walk through the Lightcatcher art galleries, and also hit up Old City Hall for further public and historical exhibits.
FIG:
250 Flora Street
Bellingham, WA 98225
360.778.8930
Hours:
Wednesday through Saturday, 10am to 5pm
Sundays, 12pm to 5pm
Lightcatcher:
250 Flora Street
Bellingham, WA 98225
360.778.8930
Wednesday to Sunday, 12pm to 5pm
Thursdays open until 8pm
Saturday open at 10am
Old City Hall:
121 Prospect Street
Bellingham, WA 98225
360.778.8930
Hours:
Thursday through Sunday, 12pm to 5pm
CreativiTEA, in the heart of Fairhaven, lets non-artists and artists alike choose a piece of pottery, find inspiration and instruction around the studio, and then create to their hearts content. Each piece is then glazed, fired and ready for pick-up in a few days. Pro-tip: You’ll find endless ideas for fantastic Mother’s Day gifts.
1312 11th Street
Bellingham, WA 98225
360.752.1724
Hours:
Monday through Saturday, 11am to 9pm
Sunday, 11am to 6pm
Bellingham’s newest climbing option can be as easy or as challenging as you need it to be. Boulder away!
1421 North State Street
Bellingham, WA 98225
360.399.6248
Hours:
Monday through Sunday, 11am to 9pm
If your staycation keeps you on the go to the point that you’re about to peter out but the young kids are still full steam ahead, point yourself to Perch and Play. The young ones can climb and play while you grab a coffee and a sandwich – or an adult beverage and dessert. Sit in the café where you can keep one eye on your offspring and another on a book.
1707 North State Street
Bellingham, WA 98226
360.393.4925
Hours:
Monday through Saturday, 9am to 7pm
Sunday, 9am to 5pm
Downtown’s Mindport offers a space where visitors – ages six and up – can explore and observe science and art in tandem. Director Kevin Jones describes this utterly unique place as both a laboratory and a gallery where visitors can balance the analytical, intellectual and rational with the playful, imaginative and artistic.
210 West Holly Street
Bellingham, WA 98225
360.647.5614
Hours:
Wednesday through Friday, 12pm to 6pm
Saturday, 10am to 5pm
Sunday, 12pm to 4pm
Grab a lane and pretend you’re The Dude – or, you know, just have a blast by simply aiming bowling balls at pins. If the little ones tire of bowling, they can play video games and shoot pool. And everyone can find a burger, sandwich, wrap, pizza or appetizer to love on the Splitz Grille menu.
4175 Meridian
Bellingham, WA 98226
360.734.1430
Hours:
Monday through Friday, 12pm to 11pm
Saturday, 11:30am to 12am
Sunday, 10am to 11pm
This is truly just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Spring Break staycation inspiration. Choose one or two activities from this list each day, and then find where they lead you. I guarantee you’ll stumble upon something you haven’t seen or done before.
Winter, spring, summer or fall – Mount Baker beckons all outdoorsy Whatcom County residents.
You’ve read the Mount Baker snow report and now you and your skis or snowboard are headed up up up. Or, the sun is shining and the temperatures have soared and you’re ready for a day hike, rafting or kayaking.
Whether it’s Mount Baker’s powder or stunning warmer-weather views that are at their peak, so is your appetite. Lucky for you, there’s a wide array of restaurants that dot the Mt. Baker Highway, serving up scrumptious, hearty fare to help you replenish after a hard, fun day.
Looking for fuel of the higher-octane (i.e., alcoholic) sort? These eateries can help you out there too.
Il Caffe Rifugio
5415 Mount Baker Highway
Deming, WA 98224
360-592-2888
Open Thursday through Sunday, Il Caffe Rifugio serves up classic Italian dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. What used to be a dark diner is now a lovely, bright, open place with sandwiches, salads, and delicious, inspired lunch and dinner items, from delicious Panini sandwiches and seafood stew to wild Yellowfin tuna and seafood stew.
Chair 9 Woodstone Pizza & Bar
10459 Mount Baker Highway
Glacier, WA 98244
360-599-2511
The last stop on your way up to the mountain means it’s your first stop on the way down. Chair 9 Woodstone Pizza & Bar offers appetizers aplenty, gourmet Woodstone pizza, steaks, buffalo burgers, a blackened chicken sandwich and more – as well as a full bar.
Opened in 2010, Chair 9 is a great place to catch a game with a crowd of friends or hit the upstairs game room if you still have energy to burn after a long day on the mountain.
The North Fork Brewery
6186 Mount Baker Highway
Deming, WA 98244
360-599-2337
It’s a restaurant, a brewery, a chapel and a beer shrine. The North Fork Brewery serves up delicious food, its own impressive microbrews, a cavalcade of beer-related memorabilia and, yes, even wedding ceremonies, if you happen to be in the market for one.
North Fork’s pizza – with beer as an ingredient in its thin, hand-tossed, tasty crust – is the star on North Fork’s menu, but they do lots of other things just as well. Try the spicy ale steamer clams, a meat or veggie grinder, or the house lasagna. You’ll feel revived from your day on the slopes in short order.
