MOUNTLAKE TERRACE — City officials want the community’s help in uncovering neighborhood gems.
Nominations are open for the city’s fourth annual Evergreen Awards until May 25.
People can nominate themselves or their neighbors’ properties, home or business, for the five categories: Best Maintained Residence, Best Maintained Business, Best Maintained Multifamily Property, Most Sustainable Property and Best Transformation. Nominees will be judged against other property owners in their neighborhood. Properties being marketed for sale are not eligible.
There’s a sense of pride that comes with taking care of one’s home and property, said 35-year resident Linda McCann. She and her husband, Terry, were nominated for an Evergreen Award last year.
“We had no knowledge they were looking at our house,” she said. “It was a pleasant surprise.”
Linda McCann earned a Master Gardener certification through the Washington State University’s Master Gardening program a few years ago. “Gardening is my passion,” she said.
When she and her husband moved into their home in the Cedar Terrace neighborhood, there was no yard. The couple designed their yard, and it’s become her sanctuary.
“It takes me completely away from everything,” she said. “There are no clocks. I don’t know what time it is, and I don’t care to.”
Roy Johnson believes the Evergreen Awards are good idea and wishes more people were involved.
“More people should feel proud and take care of their property,” he said.
The 86-year-old tends his property in the Gateway neighborhood by himself. He bought his current home in the 1950s for $6,000 and over the years made improvements himself.
Last year he was nominated for an Evergreen Award by his neighbor.
“Well, I was pretty proud of that,” Johnson said.
Johnson has always enjoyed gardening, farming and making things grow. This time of year is a pretty one as the rhododendrons are blooming in his yard.
The program builds community pride, enhances the city’s image and connects people to their community, city officials said.
Staff teams up with the city’s Garden Club members to judge properties and organize the awards ceremony held in the fall.
“The program builds a positive connection between the city and folks who may not interact with the city regularly,” said Virginia Olsen, community relations director.
It creates more contacts with residents and encourages more people to attend community events, said Penny Merkley, community relations specialist.
There is a diverse population of older folks and young families with children and immigrant families who probably wouldn’t meet if it weren’t for the awards, Merkley said.
Merkley used to work for the city of Everett, where officials host the Monte Cristo Awards to recognize properties. She met with Everett staff and brought the program to Mountlake Terrace, which put its spin on things by adding sustainability into the mix — a City Council focus.
When people see Olsen photographing their yards and she explains they’ve been nominated for an Evergreen Award, their faces light up, she said.
“They say, ‘Thank you for noticing,’” she said.
The most rewarding part of the process is listening to property winners’ stories about why they garden, Olsen said.
“We really believe Mountlake Terrace is changing its image one property at a time,” she said.
Evergreen Awards
For more information or to nominate a property owner, go to www.cityofmlt.com/cityHappenings/EvergreenAwards.htm or contact Community Relations Director Virginia Olsen at 425-744-6206 or volsen@ci.mlt.wa.us.
Nomination forms are also available at:
• Mountlake Terrace Library, 23300 58th Ave. W
• Recreation Pavilion, 5305 228th St. SW
• City Hall lobby, 6100 219th St. SW, Suite 200
• Police Department lobby, 5906 232nd St. SW
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