Unless the City Council decides to change the mayor’s proposed budget, the Fremont neighborhood service center will close its doors at the end of the year. If you’ve never been inside the location at 908 N. 34th Street, it’s basically a little city hall where you can find government resources and get help with city related business.
Tim Durkan, the Neighborhood District Coordinator for the Fremont office, will also lose his job under the budget cuts.
“Neighborhoods around the lake are bummed out. It’s one less person on the inside who can help,” Durkan told us.
Durkan spends the majority of his time outside the office working with local businesses, residents and community groups who may be having trouble with city government. But the scope of Durkan’s job has changed over the past couple of years. Once the economy tanked, he saw a dramatic increase in the number of people coming to the center looking for job help and government assistance. He set up a social services database and has helped residents update their resumes.
“My motto is just say yes,” Durkan said.
If the Fremont service center shuts down, the closest locations would be Ballard and the U-District. The Lake Union District Council will discuss the impact of the proposed closure this coming Monday (11/1) at 6pm at the History House located at 790 N. 34th.
4 responses so far ↓
1 Linda 46th St Mural Project // Oct 30, 2010 at 12:53 pm
Tim was very helpful with the mural project and with other issues we’ve faced here in the Fremont and Wallingford neighborhoods on both sides of Aurora Ave. Distressing to know we will lose him and the service center.
2 sofia // Oct 31, 2010 at 2:27 pm
That’s too bad. I just moved here and wish I’d known about this neighborhood service center. Sorry to see this resource leaving.
3 Kimberly Scrivner // Nov 1, 2010 at 4:17 pm
Tim has been of tremendous help supporting the Troll’s Knoll project and also just giving advice and support for community members trying to do good in Fremont. His work is very important to this community and he’s one person that shows care and compassion to those community members less fortunate. Very distressing indeed to think of loosing him and the service center.
4 Daniel // Nov 2, 2010 at 11:35 am
What? I live a block from here, and had no idea of this place, or what it does. Maybe if they tried to be of more use to the neighborhood, somebody would do more to save it.
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