by Devin Chicras
For 2025, we continued to help transform Skyway Park, get out the vote, keep community informed, and pulled off Skyway’s largest Halloween party in the middle of a fierce storm. And we did it all together, with the greatest neighbors around.
Restoring and Exploring Skyway Park
Since 2023, we’ve been teaming up with King County Parks’ Volunteer Program to restore a large portion of Skyway Park. For 2025, we joined forces for three impactful volunteer events, where we cleared, mulched, and planted in an area on the other side of Taylor Creek (starting by the bottom of the “goat path” or “power line hill” and continuing to behind the shelter area) and added hundreds of new plantings. This vital work has added a significant chunk of useable space back to our park, restoring habitat, and protecting our urban forest.
On July 22, 2025, we hosted the first ever “Explore Skyway Park” event, in partnership with King County Parks. Participants learned about the park’s history from when it was carved by a glacier about 17,000 years ago to when it was carved by humans more than 60 years ago. We also learned about current efforts to support the urban forest and plans for a future Skyway Community Center.
Taking Over Skyway for Halloween
Despite 40-mph gusts and sideways rain, nearly 1,000 costumed characters descended on downtown Skyway for West Hill Community Association’s Halloween Takeover on Saturday, October 25, 2025. Starting with a block party at the fire station, guests followed a map to a haunted Am-BOO-Lance, crafts and a photo booth at Skyway Library, a party at the VFW, tarot reading at Beach Comber, and a terrifying haunted house at the Tool Doctor.
Getting Out the Vote
It was a busy year preparing, supporting, and cheering on neighbors to the polls. We hosted two Election Day support booths at Skyway Library, a National Voter Registration Day, a presentation by King County Elections Director Julie Wise at our Community Quarterly Meeting, and Skyway’s first-ever King County Executive debate in partnership with South Seattle Emerald!
Informing Community
Our quarterly catch-ups featured great food, good neighbors, and informative reports from local government and organizations. Save the date for Tuesday, January 20, 2026. We’ll be back at Lakeridge Elementary! Doors at 6:30 p.m. and presentations start at 7 p.m.
Rewatch videos and read recaps from each meeting in our blog.
Celebrating Holiday Lights
Congratulations to this year’s Holiday Lights Contest winners! We’re grateful to all who participated this year and helped make Skyway-West Hill just a little bit brighter. Winners received a flashy trophy and local gift card for their efforts.
Looking Ahead to 2026
We can’t wait to see you in the new year.
There’s so much more we want to do: more fun events, more voter support, more community meetings, more contests. We’re even looking to add on some NEW events like Community Socials (think board game day or trivia night) and a Skyway’s first Lunar New Year event in partnership with My’s Vietnamese Sandwiches and Deli. And yes, the return of Skyway Outdoor Cinema.
As a reminder, we are an all-volunteer organization with full-time jobs, doing all of this fueled by caffeine from Nevzat’s and a passion for connecting, celebrating, and empowering our neighborhood. But the caffeine is not enough.
If you’re interested in helping continue to make all this a reality, here are the ways you can make a difference right now:
- Like planning events? Have extra time to spare? Join our Events Committee!
- Not a lot of time, but can show up to staff a table or set up equipment? Subscribe to our Volunteer Email List!
- No time? Become a monthly donor and invest right back into your own community. One-time gifts are wonderful too! Your employer may even provide a match, be sure to ask.
- Short on time and funds? That’s OK! We always need help getting the word out. Help us connect more neighbors by sharing our emails and social media posts. Subscribe, follow, and join on all or any of our platforms.
Thank you so much for a wonderful 2025, neighbors!
Like having a more engaged, informed and vibrant community? You can make a huge impact by joining your neighbors in giving $5 or more a month to the leanest, hardest working all-volunteer nonprofit in the neighborhood.