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.