Screen on the Green at the Tumwater Valley Golf Club

Special Feature! August 22 - Frozen, the Sing-along and Root Beer Float Bar

Tumwater Parks & Recreation Department's Screen on the Green (SOTG) is gearing up for the grand finale. This season's event format is the same as past years (outdoor movies beginning at dusk on the first four Fridays in August), but it comes with a new feature. 

The last showing of the summer on August 22 will be Frozen: the Sing-Along. This is the first sing-along movie ever shown for a Screen on the Green viewing. This version of the popular children's movie Frozen will include words on the screen so that everyone can get into the sing-along spirit.  Another exciting first for the August 22 movie night is the addition of free root beer floats for everyone who attends (while supplies last).  The root beer floats are sponsored by the Tumwater Area Chamber of Commerce, Puget Sound Energy, and South Sound Foursquare. Tumwater Parks & Recreation is excited to be collaborating with these community-minded groups to offer a fun addition to the event that is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. 

For Screen on the Green movie nights, attendees should bring chairs and/or blankets and pack some warm clothing as it does get cold on the course once the sun sets.  Seating begins at 7:30 p.m., the movie begins at dusk. Picnic dinners or dining at the Rivers Edge restaurant are encouraged. Please remember that alcohol, barbecues, and pets are not permitted.

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Tis the season to work outdoors and make those improvements that have been waiting for clear skies. You may have seen progress on the following City projects: 

• Capitol Boulevard Bridge & Boston Street Bridge Maintenance
  Work will begin in late August on the City's two bridges over the Deschutes River; Capitol Blvd and Boston Street. The work involves patching of concrete on the driving surfaces and the bridge piers.
   
• Somerset Hill and Cleveland Avenue Outfalls Project
  Stormwater outfall retrofit projects for Somerset Hill Drive and Cleveland Avenue are getting underway this month. These projects are using combinations of rain gardens, bio-retention cells and Filterra treatment systems to slow down and treat the bulk of the stormwater flows before they enter Percival Creek and the Deschutes River.
   
• Linderson Way Bike Paths & Sidewalks - Lee Street to Israel Road
  This project includes installing sidewalks on the east side of Linderson Way and some minor street widening to accommodate bike lanes in both directions, between Lee Street and Israel Road. Intersections at Tartan Drive and at Dennis Street are also being reconstructed to slow vehicles and make safer crossings for pedestrians. Stormwater flows will be treated through construction of a bio-retention facility. Work is expected to be complete by the end of August. 
   
• 2nd Avenue Landscape Clean-up
  In early August, City crews began work to clean-up the area along 2nd Avenue between Custer Way and F Street. Vegetation along the concrete wall between 2nd Avenue and I-5 was originally developed as part of the widening of I-5. The landscaping has since overgrown the area. This area did include 47 flowering plum trees that have been removed, based on the recommendations of the City's contract tree professional. These trees were in poor health and had sustained significant damage from ice storms over the years. Once the cleanup work is completed the area will be leveled and grass planted so that it can be included in the crew's routine maintenance schedule. The project should be complete by early October.

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Mark your calendar for Wednesday, September 17, 2014, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. for the City of Tumwater's showcase of services at Community Day. Bring the whole family to learn more about your City!  Free activities and events for all ages will be offered at the Tumwater City Hall and Headquarters Fire Station on Israel Road. 

The annual Community Day event began in 2010 as an effort to educate citizens about City services. The event was cancelled in 2013 due to construction of the police facility at City Hall. But this year, it's back and we're trying a weeknight schedule. Stay tuned for more information about Community Day in the September edition of Tumwater on Tap.

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Thunder Rumble 5K/10K

Saturday, August 16

Race begins at 8:30 a.m. 

Near 78th Avenue SW and Center Street SW in Tumwater

Come out to the Thunder Rumble 5K/10K fun run on Saturday, August 16, 2014. The run benefits soldiers and families of the 17th Field Artillery. Both runners and spectators are welcome at the event. At least one battalion of soldiers will run the 5K and sing cadences along the Tumwater route. A live video feed at the event will connect soldiers deployed overseas running a shadow event. Plan to run along or stand and cheer. Don't miss this powerful experience. 

You may have noticed an increase in beaver activity over the last few years. After being driven to near-extinction for their pelts, beavers have been making a comeback thanks to national protections and prime habitat here in Tumwater. While some consider beaver to be pests, science has demonstrated these critters are actually a "keystone" species - meaning they play a crucial role in our environment, and many species, including humans, rely upon beavers and their work in our environment for healthy watersheds.

In addition to creating vital habitat, beavers can help humans directly by:

• Recharging drinking water aquifers
• Decreasing damaging floods
• Removing pollutants from waters
• Providing protection from droughts
• Decreasing erosion in our watersheds