Outdoor Speaker Series

$5 • How Does a 10-Minute Walk to a Green Space Change a Community • Thursday • Nov 9 • 6:00 PM - 8:00 pm 

Join Trust for Public Land Northwest Director Mitsu Iwasaki for a conversation about the power of parks and green spaces. Having a 10-minute walk to greenspace improves people’s physical and mental health and lowers average area temperatures to help neighborhoods mitigate climate change. Learn about the 10-minute walk campaign – a data-driven effort to deliver parks and public lands where they are needed most in Washington.

Mitsu Iwasaki leads the TPL’s work creating and preserving green spaces so that more people can connect to the joys and benefits of the outdoors. From summits to sound, TPL has helped out the outdoors in reach for 150,000 Washington residents by preserving places like Rattlesnake Ridge, Olympic Sculpture Park, and more. Learn about TPL’s vision for a future where every community has safe, equitable access to a high-quality park within a 10-minute walk of home, and the tools they’re using to do so.

To register in advance, go to kirklandparks.net

$5 • A Guide to Community Driven Park Revitalization Campaigns • Thursday • Nov 16 • 6:00 PM - 8:00 pm 

Rebecca Bear, President and CEO of the Seattle Parks Foundation, to discuss how communities in Seattle and King County are turning the traditional model of park development on its head. Rebecca will share insights on local parks that have been upgraded due to community driven campaigns and how neighborhoods can organize to improve green spaces and address inequitable access in their community.

Rebecca Bear is the President and CEO of the Seattle Parks Foundation, an organization dedicated to partnering with community to create equitable parks and public spaces and has been expanding access to outdoor recreation, with over 25 years of advocating for parks and open spaces. She is the former Director of REI Outdoor Programs and Local Community Engagement, and has co-led REI’s local community diversity initiatives, including a groundbreaking equity gender program.

To register in advance, visit kirklandparks.net

$5 • Discover the Eastside's Best Kept Secret: Eastrail • Wednesday • Dec 6 • 6:00 PM - 8:00 pm 

Did you know that a 42-mile hiking and biking trail connects Kirkland to the north and south of Lake Washington? Join Katherine Hollis to learn how to explore the Eastrail project, a series of hikes that stiches together old railway tracks, and how community members are working to expand access to hiking across the Eastside.

Katherine Hollis is the Executive Director of Eastrail Partners, an organization committed to expanding trails on the Eastside and making outdoors safe and accessible for everyone, everyday. Building on a childhood passion for outdoor adventure, Katherine catalyzes authentic connections to create sustainable, impactful solutions for people and the natural world.

To register in advance visit kirklandparks.net

NOTE: The December 6 event will be held at Kirkland City Hall at 123 5th Avenue, Kirkland, WA 98033.