There’s been an explosion of activity at the Village Green recently, and even more to come.  You may have noticed the picnic pavilion is under construction. The Village Green Foundation and the Kingston-North Kitsap Rotary Club are collaborating to build the open-sided structure near the playground.

Volunteers are extensively involved and local contractors are being used for work that is heavier than volunteers should do. Thanks to Jon Sole of the local Rotary Club and to all of the community members who are helping to make it happen: Matt House, Russell Bishop, Dave Wetter, and the countless people who have donated to Rotary projects. The project might be done in time for the next big event.

Groundbreaking for the Martha & Mary Village Green Apartments, 35  affordable senior rental units, will take place Aug. 9 at 10 a.m. All are welcome.

This event is a milestone for the Village Green Foundation’s community center project as well as for the senior apartments:  the foundation is sharing the infrastructure cost of the subsurface work — sewer lines, water lines, telephone conduit — so that the community center work can proceed when we have finished raising the funds for the building. We are targeting late spring 2013 for groundbreaking for the community center building, given that our capital campaign is on track throughout this year.

Don’t miss our fourth annual Pie in the Park Aug. 23 at 6 p.m. It’s as much a fun-raiser as a fundraiser, and this year should be an occasion for still more giggles, as we’re adding a children’s pie-eating contest, which starts at 6 p.m. By that time we’ll see plenty of evidence of senior apartments under construction, and one more exciting project. Read on!

The Pea-Patch garden is about to start up. Final arrangements were made for water, fencing and a management team. Look for activity in August.The Village Green Metropolitan Park District will be conducting a logo contest. Look for more information at the August events mentioned above, and on the Metropolitan Park District (MPD) website, www.myvillagegreen.org.

The MPD gratefully recognizes the efforts of all of the volunteers at the Village Green — they keep our costs low and are setting the standard for the future stewardship of the community center once it’s built.