Our
Mission
The Finn Hill Neighborhood Alliance (FHNA) is one of the City of Kirkland’s thirteen neighborhood associations. Our mission is to coordinate residents and partners to protect the natural environment and to promote the welfare of the community by engaging in civic issues.
Connecting Neighbors to Nature
Reflecting on FishFest
On July 23rd, FHNA hosted a special event at the lakeshore to celebrate the launch of three projects to benefit salmon, dubbed FishFest. Kokanee salmon once thrived in Lake Washington and spawned in creeks like Denny Creek at O.O. Denny Park. Local artist Austin Picinich created Kokanee salmon art and painted it at DennyFest 2024, with community members, to raise awareness of these threatened salmon. The salmon art was installed along the creek and unveiled at FishFest, along with new educational salmon signs created in conjunction with the CoSEE (Collaborative for Socio-Ecological Engagement). In addition, the event celebrated the launch of updated geocaching tours created in partnership with the CoSEE that teach forest ecology through engaging interactive trail experiences.
FishFest featured Washington State Poet Laureate Rena Priest who gave a poetry reading. It was a great honor to have this extraordinary poet of Lhaq'temish (Lummi) tribal ancestry share her poems at our event. Some of her poems were also featured on signs alongside the Denny Creek trail where a trail tour was led. Some lucky guests won copies of her poetry anthology I Sing the Salmon Home.
FHNA is most grateful for the participation of County Executive Rod Dembowski at this event, as well as Kirkland Mayor Kelli Curtis, and City Council members Jon Pascal and Neal Black. FHNA is also grateful for a fruitful community partnership with the CoSEE with its talented staff and expert guidance from UW Bothell faculty such as Dr. Jeff Jensen, who curated the salmon signs. Thanks also to Barbara Travers who not only filmed Rena’s reading but cared for the fish before they could be installed in the park.
Ash Putzke from the CoSEE leads FishFest participants on a geocaching tour.
Ribbon cutting to unveil the salmon art. From left to right: City Council member Neal Black, City Council member Jon Pascal, poet Rena Priest, salmon artist Austin Picinich, Kirkland mayor Kelli Curtis, and King County Executive Rod Dembowski.
From left to right: FHNA Community Engagement Coordinator Kerstin Rogers, salmon artist Austin Picinich, Kirkland Mayor Kelli Curtis, CoSEE intern Ash Putzke (who worked on the salmon signs and geocaching tours), King County Executive Rod Dembowski, FHNA board member Susan Carlson, Dr. Jeff Jensen of UW Bothell, FHNA Board President Scott Morris, and CoSEE Director Dr. Veronica McGowan.
Poet Rena Priest reads a poem trailside at Denny Creek, next to the salmon art.
Video created by Barbara Travers.
Save Our Salmon artist Austin Picinich shares about this Denny Creek art project and why he created it.
Video created by Barbara Travers.
Finn Hill Green Loop
The Finn Hill Green Loop is a long-term project to connect Finn Hill’s parks and green spaces into a continuous woodland pathway that will circle the crown of Finn Hill and ultimately connect to nearby parks and trails such as Juanita Beach, the Cross Kirkland Corridor and the Burke Gilman Trail in Bothell. The loop will be not only a local asset but a regional one as well, expanding the reach of existing Finn Hill parks and adding to a network of trails linking municipalities on the Eastside
