Whatcom Falls Neighborhood Association Meeting

The Whatcom Falls NeighborhoodAssociation (WFNA) is scheduled to have a meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2013.  The meeting will take place in the Moles Funeral Home meeting room from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

            The meeting will be completely devoted to a presentation by the City of Bellingham Public Works Department on the plans for water meter installation in the Whatcom Falls Neighborhood.

            Every address in the neighborhood received a notice by mail, informing them of the topic of the meeting. “Hopefully it will be well attended,” said Richard Sawyer, an alternate representative of the Mayor’s Neighborhood Association Commission for Whatcom Falls Neighborhood.

            The Public Works Department will be talking about how water meters will start to be installed in Whatcom Falls Neighborhood at the end of this year, and continue into 2014. This means that starting in January 2015, residents will no longer have a flat rate payment for their water bills. Instead, they will be paying for the amount of water they use.

            The WFNA meetings are on the second Tuesday of every month, and are open to the public. They alternate between general meetings and board meetings. There are no membership dues. 

Accessing Galbraith Mountain

There are two main ways to access Galbraith Mountain, which includes an expansive network of trails located just south of the Bellingham city limits. The WHIMPs Mountain Bike Coalition manages the mountain biking trails.

The more stunt-oriented trails are better accessed by use of the primary entrance on the southern side of Galbraith. There is a dirt parking lot on Sammish Way, directly across Galbraith Lane, designated for users of the mountain. Galbraith Lane leads up to the trails.

If you are looking to explore the area, or ride the cross-country designed trails, head up to the northern entrance. At the end of Birch Street, there is a parking lot and trailhead for Galbraith. The Miranda Trail leads hikers and bikers to the trails within Galbraith. However, be aware that the parking lot is very small, so it very well may be full – especially on sunny days.

If the parking lot is full at the Birch Street entrance, the near by residents ask that hikers and bikers please park at Whatcom Falls Park and walk or bike back up to the trailhead. Parking along Birch Street is for residents and their guests only.

A map of Galbraith can be handy, especially for first time users. Fanatik Bike Company, a bike shop located on North State Street, sells up-to-date maps of the mountain. 

How to Save Water

Learning about how to save water could come in handy because the City of Bellingham will be installing water meters in the Whatcom Falls Neighborhood throughout 2013 and 2014. This means that water bill amounts will be based on water consumption. Use less – pay less!

For starters, you can estimate how much water you are currently using by checking out the City of Bellingham’s Residential Water Consumption Calculator.

Once water bills are switched to metered rates, you can decide whether or not you want to lower your bill. If it is higher than you’d like, here are some helpful tips and informative sites for saving water:

• The City of Bellingham's tips for saving water indoors

• Replace water-guzzling fixtures with fixtures with the WaterSense label on them

• Purchase water-related appliances that have earned the ENERGY STAR rating

• Repair leaky pipes, toilets, and faucets

***Note: the City of Bellingham provides free Water Conservation Kits, obtainable from the Finance Department in City Hall at 210 Lottie Street.

Another resource is a Water Conservation Checklist. This will help you see how efficiently you are using water, and help you with ways to save.