PHOTO BY JOHN LARSON

Martin Stoaks, right, and Guy Thompson inspect a homeless camp they found while walking along First Creek Nov. 24.

City, Tribe and neighbors united to restore First Creek

By John Larson

A name of a place can convey an image or paint a picture with words. To David Whited, the appropriate name for the stream that runs along the East Side of Tacoma and feeds into the Puyallup River is First Creek. It has been called a lot of other things – Clay Creek, Lister Gulch, ‘T’ Street Gulch – but calling it by a proper name will restore water quality as well as the neighborhood’s image as far as David Whited is concerned.

A grant writer and planner with Puyallup Tribe, David Whited is the point person for the tribal government in an ambitious, cooperative effort to restore the watershed. Some of the work has begun, with the Tribe, the city of Tacoma and neighborhood groups getting together to clear out debris and chase away criminal elements.

Long ago Puyallup Indians had a village along First Creek. Part of it runs on reservation land, near Emerald Queen Casino.

David Whited discussed the creek’s past, present and future during Tacoma City Council’s Environment and Public Works Committee meeting Nov. 18.

At one point this was a stream with salmon. Over many decades it was managed into a series of culverts. Along the way it acquired various names. It is Clay Creek on some maps, although David Whited said no one calls it that. Most people use various names that end with gulch.

He blames that term for much of what went wrong with the watershed. To him, a gulch is a place people feel they can dump garbage. The term has contributed to the decades of neglect. “We want to aid the city and community in changing the perception of this watershed,” he said.

Alisa O’Hanlon from the city manager’s office is the city’s liaison with the Tribe.

A stewardship plan being developed by both governments will improve public safety, reduce blight and recognize the cultural importance of the creek, she told the committee.

“There is an enormous amount of energy and enthusiasm for this project,” she said.

“What we do know is we have a common interest in this area. We want to chart a path together.”

“Every bit of progress sparks a little bit of hope,” David Whited said. “This can be a major step in further expanding and improving our government-to-government relationship.”

Neighbors Unite

Guy Thompson and his wife Lena Thompson are active members of First Creek Neighbors. So is Martin Stoaks and Tiffeny Stoaks, another couple who live just above the creek.

Concern for the environment did not spark their initial activism; rather it was frustration over crime and blight.

For Guy Thompson it was the garbage and junk left in yards and alleyways, as well as the drug dealing in the neighborhood.

For Tiffeny Stoaks it was the prostitutes who solicited customers in the street and the neighbor who had a beat-up boat in the yard that homeless people used for shelter – right next to a school bus stop.

They were drawn together by Edwina Magrum, known on the East Side for the meetings she organizes for neighbors who want to do something about the problems they see every day.

“She is very instrumental in pulling people together,” Martin Stoaks said.

It was Edwina Magrum who sparked their concern about First Creek, getting them involved in a cleanup effort this past summer that resulted in about 25 tons of garbage and debris being removed from the watershed.

She introduced them to Tacoma’s Eastside Action Membership, another group of activists.

Eventually First Creek Neighbors was formed. One person who attends all of their meetings is David Whited. Martin Stoaks said it is important to have someone involved who understands the tribal laws and cultural issues related to First Creek. “He is so full of knowledge,” he remarked.

Guy Thompson sees cleaning up First Creek fitting well with the walking patrols he and other neighbors, sometimes as many as 30 people, do to deter drug dealers and other criminals.

“What we are after is a nice, livable neighborhood,” he remarked.

As he and Martin Stoaks walked around the watershed Nov. 24 they pointed out places where meth lab equipment was dumped and later removed.

They noticed some things they would rather not see – new homeless encampments that were not there on their last visit.

It is an ongoing effort that they feel will be helped by the partnership between the Tribe and city.

Tacoma City Council passed a resolution Nov. 18 approving the city’s involvement in developing a stewardship plan for the watershed.

City Councilmember Rick Talbert, who represents the East Side, said the two governments have collaborated on some environmental efforts. But he sees this as moving into a deeper level of interaction. He has often called for such interaction in his seven years on the council. “I do not think we can continue to talk about having that collaboration,” he said. “We need to dig in our heels and get to work.”

David Whited said he will soon bring a similar resolution to Puyallup Tribal Council for its approval.

Chris Ott is the Endangered Species Act Program coordinator with the city. He discussed a watershed plan created for Lake Washington, something that will be done for First Creek. While departments within the city and tribal governments will be involved in developing it, the emphasis is on getting feedback from people who live in the area. “We are just partners,” he said. “The watershed belongs to the community.”

“The watershed is a major symbol of the transformation of this community,” David Whited remarked.

The next meeting of First Creek Neighbors will be at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 3 at Portland Avenue Community Center. Anyone interested in learning more about the watershed is welcome to attend.

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