Wanted: Co-creators who love their community and want to show it. What is a co-creator?
Co-creators are those individuals who, often unofficially, are making their communities better, more interesting, more lovable places. These exceptional people make the content we all consume, and places are much better for having these people active and engaged (Peter Kageyama).

How can you be a co-creator? By producing what we call "Love Notes."

What is a Love Note?

In Kenmore, a Love Note is more than a letter on paper. Here in Kenmore, a Love Note is a simple act or gesture by an individual or group (i.e., co-creators) that engages the community and creates fun, beauty, or a collective sense of community and place. 
Examples Include:

• Knitting decorative sweaters on tree trunks
• Bringing neighbors together for a block party on private property
• Organizing a book club or support group at the Hangar
• Painting art and inspiring messages on small rocks and leaving them around the community
• Chalk art at the Town Square or on a neighborhood sidewalk
• Sewing fleece scarves at the Hangar for Mary's Place
• Organizing "Just Get Me Started" do-it-yourself classes at the Hangar
• Creating a "Pop up Story Walk" at a local park
• Organizing a litter pickup at a local beach, school, or park

Love Notes are initiated and implemented by co-creators with very little involvement from the City. City involvement is limited to just two things:

• The City will provide the venue if you need one, as long as the Love Note is open to all and is not political or controversial, and 
• The City will help promote the Love Note through its social media channels. 

Pure Love Notes vs. City-Supported Community Projects

Love Notes are initiated and produced by co-creators, not the City.

Love Notes

A "pure" Love Note is something that is 100% implemented by a community member or group and the only support needed from the City is providing a venue and promoting it on social media. A Love Note does not typically involve the City. If the City is involved, City involvement is minimal and limited to the two things just mentioned. 

City-Supported Community Projects

September 25, 2023 UPDATE: The City is not currently accepting proposals for City Supported Community Projects until policies and procedures are completed and adopted by the City Council. 

A City-Supported Community Project, on the other hand, goes beyond a Love Note and requires more City resources than a venue and social media promotion. Given competing priorities, budget constraints, and staff workloads, the City may not be able to support a proposed City-Supported Community Project.

Similar to Love Notes, City-Supported Community Projects are initiated, produced, and managed by members of the community. City staff do not lead or play a primary role in City-Supported Community Projects. 

City-Supported Community Projects: 

• Require more city staff time than simply posting an event on social media and reserving a venue space. 
• Require more permits than a straightforward special event permit; 
• Require City funding; or 
• Require other City resources such as project consultation, traffic control, and use of City equipment or materials.

A City-Supported Community Project requires City Manager, City Council, and Budget approval. 

Examples of City-Supported Community Projects include the following: 

• Painting a mural on a City-owned wall; or requesting City funding to help pay for a mural
• Producing a fun run event that requires City resources (e.g., traffic control)
• Organizing a block party that requires the City to block off the street
• Painting art on fire hydrants or utility cabinets
• Installing and managing a community garden on City property
• Organizing a habitat restoration project at a City-owned open space

How long will it take to implement my idea?

Given there could be a range in complexity of individual Love Note ideas, there is not an implementation process that is a one size fits all. It really depends on the scope of the project and what it will take to implement that idea. We LOVE to see the community engaged and we want to hear from you and help you execute your ideas, but we cannot do all of them at once. 

If your idea is a pure Love Note and you are simply asking to reserve a City-owned location like space at the Hangar or a room at City Hall, we can make that happen fairly quickly. 

On the other hand, a request for a City-Supported Community Project that goes beyond a pure Love Note will definitely take much longer and is subject to budget and staff workload constraints. 

Because City resources are fully allocated for each two-year budget, proposals for City-Supported Community Projects will be considered for the next two-year budget cycle. The City's two-year budget begins on January 1 of odd years. For a City-Supported Project proposal to be considered for an upcoming two-year budget, the proposal must be submitted to the City by August 31 of even years leading up to the next two-year budget. For example, to be considered for the 2025-2026 biennium budget, a project proposal must be submitted by August 31 of 2024. 

Approval of proposals will depend on what ideas have already been proposed and/or approved, budget and staffing constraints, and other competing priorities.

How do I go about proposing and implementing my idea?

Tell us about your Love Note idea! By filling out our online form and providing the City with all the details (who, what, where, and how), we will respond to your request by providing you with information on what it would take to make your Love Note a reality. If your idea goes beyond a Love Note and requires City resources, contact the City's Recreation Supervisor. 

Do I have to Pay Any Fees?

If your Love Note or Community Project is free, open to all, and complies with other limitations listed below, the City will waive the special event permit application fee and other City fees.

Are There Limitations?

Yes. Love Notes and City-Supported Community Projects are meant to be inclusive, fun, and open to all. They are not political or controversial, and they are not a forum for issues that cause disagreement or that may alienate others. They do not promote or provide advertising for a specific business or organization (although businesses and organizations can sponsor and be listed as sponsors).

The main point of Love Notes is to make people smile, have fun, create beauty, and bring people together.

Current Love Notes