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POSTED: Wednesday, Jan. 03, 2007

Whatcom Falls

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WHATCOM FALLS: Trails, trout and a beautiful park
Whatcom Falls Park occupies a third of the neighborhood, offering swimming, fishing, kayaking and numerous other outdoor recreational opportunities. HERALD FILE PHOTO


Kira Millage

This neighborhood is lightly populated but offers what is arguably the best park in the city.

Whatcom Falls Park occupies of the northern third of the neighborhood, with trails, swimming and a trout hatchery operated by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Most neighborhood residents live on the other side of Lakeway Drive from the park. Sidewalk-lined streets wind between large houses with clean lawns and gardens. Other parts of the neighborhood feature older houses with larger lots.

Kulshan Middle School is tucked away in this quiet neighborhood, which also is home to Bayview Cemetery, the only memorial park in the city. The lone commercial section of the neighborhood is across the street from Whatcom Falls on Electric Avenue. A small strip mall with a gas station and the popular Lafeen's Donuts and Ice Cream provides the only shopping in the neighborhood.


AT A GLANCE

Average age: 36.9

Housing units: 779

Assessed median home value: $137,885

Median home size: 1,550 square feet

Schools: Carl Cozier Elementary, Kulshan Middle School, Bellingham/Sehome High School

Shopping: Whatcom Falls Mini-Mart is a popular neighborhood spot; Fred Meyer Shopping Center and Lakeway Center, which includes Cost Cutter grocery, are on Lakeway Drive

Parks: Whatcom Falls Park, Hannah Creek, Park Creek, Clearbrook Park, Lookout Mountain Park, Cemetary Creek

Mayor's Advisory Committee member: Tim Hyatt

On the Web: whatcomfalls.org

City Council members: John Watts, Grant Deger

Police calls in 2003: 372

Residential burglaries: 8

Vehicle prowls: 23

Population of neighborhood: 2,086



NEIGHBORS PROFILE: 'It's a quiet residential area and relatively affordable'

STEVE BLOOMNEI-Whatcom-Falls-Bloom.jpg

Age: 31

Lives on: Clearbrook Place

Lived here: For about a year

Lives with: Wife, kid, cat

What he does: Works as a family physician

What do you like about the area? "We like the access to Whatcom Falls Park and Bloedel-Donovan Park and the lake. I go to all the playgrounds in the area with my 2-year-old. The mountain bike trails aren't too far away, so I hope to use those eventually. I know they're close."

What makes your neighborhood unique? "It's a quiet residential area, and relatively affordable. It's a super quiet street and it's very quiet back here because it's just a subdivision."

Have the neighbors been nice since you've moved in? "I know some of the neighbors. The immediate neighbors have been very friendly. I can't say I know everyone on the block, but it's pretty quiet."

- KIRA MILLAGE

• • •

ENE LEWISNEIenelewis.jpg

Age: 63

Lives on: Lakeway Drive

Lived here: Since 1980

Lives with: Husband Eugene

What she does: Teaches ceramics and drawing at Whatcom Community College and owns Indian Street Pottery

Why do you like the neighborhood? "I like its proximity to the city part of Bellingham, and we love Whatcom Falls Park and are in it several days a week. We like to walk. I feel fortunate to have a large house and a piece of property we can garden so close to the center of town."

Why did you move there? "Finding a house and being near a park, not too far from downtown. We didn't choose the neighborhood, actually. It just sort of developed around us."

How has the neighborhood changed over the years? "Remarkable changes. Largely traffic. When we moved here, we didn't think Lakeway was much of anything and we've changed our mind."

- MARY LANE GALLAGHER

• • •

KELLY MOLASKINEI-Whatcom-Fallas-Molaski.jpg

Age: 46

Lives on: Likely Court

Lived here: 12 years

Lives with: Husband, son, 2 dogs, cockatiel

What she does: Triathlete and dietician

Why do you like living in the neighborhood? "The park (Whatcom Falls Park), because of the trails. I can have access to lots of different areas by scooting through the trails. I can go on a three-hour run and probably 65 percent of it can be on the trails through the whole city. There are so many of them, it's so wonderful.

Is it a friendly area? "I would say, walking the dogs through the park, just the different people you meet that are also out there with their pets, makes it kind of special. Your animals grow up and you meet the same people in the park that know your dogs."

Do you take advantage of any amenities in the area? "LaFeen's (Donuts & Ice Cream). That's like a weekly stop for my son."

- KIRA MILLAGE

• • •


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