March 10, 2023 | News

Super Mario’s Tukwila Roots

One of the most recognized video game characters of all time got his start in one of the most unlikely of places. Mario, the famous plumber turned princess-saving superhero, is a direct descendant of a local Tukwila tradesman turned tradesman and real estate developer.

Mario A. Segale was born in Seattle on April 30th, 1934. He grew up on the southside, where he attended Highline High School, and eventually started his own construction business after purchasing a single dump truck. A clever businessman, Mario made a name for himself by growing his initial investment into a construction and real estate empire. While building his fortune in the early 1980s, Mario made another key investment that would eventually shape his legacy in ways he never could have imagined.  

A small start-up video game company in Seattle trying to break into the growing market rented space from Mario. The story goes, employees of the company (called Nintendo of America) were struggling to come up with a name for a certain plumber-themed character featured in their now classic video game, Donkey Kong. After many failed attempts to capture his likeness, the creators finally noticed the physical resemblance between their little 8-bit superhero and the landlord collecting the month’s rent. “Mario” stuck and history was made. Although the real Mario never really leaned into his connection to the widely successful video game franchise, he did once jokingly mock the creators for not offering any royalties. 

Years later, Hollywood is adapting the story of this little plumber from Tukwila enlisting the help of another Seattle area local, Chris Pratt. Releasing on April 5th, The Super Mario Bros. Movie is a star-studded affair that’s already garnered massive hype. 

And what better way to celebrate this pivotal moment in Mario’s history than by watching the movie at Westfield Southcenter’s AMC in the very city where the story first began? Not only that, but Tukwila’s video game culture is still going strong.

After catching the film, continue the celebration at one of our many gaming centers, including:

Legacy Gaming

This local arcade gaming lounge hosts a variety of top-of-the-line gaming experiences. Play your favorites on traditional consoles like Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, and PC, or step into the next generation with virtual reality gaming. You can also turn back time and play some of your favorite classics like Mario, Pong, and thousands of other foundational games. 

 

Dimension XR

Gaming has changed immensely since Mario first popped onto the scene and the thrill of exploring virtual worlds has only gotten more intense. At Dimension XR, experience the next evolution of gaming and get a glimpse of what the future has in store through dynamic virtual reality gameplay.

 

Sykart Indoor Racing

And of course, celebrating Mario wouldn’t be complete without paying homage to one of the character’s most iconic spinoffs: Mario Kart. Although banana peels are not allowed, Tukwila’s own Sykart is the closest thing to bringing the high-powered action of Mario Kart to life. Gather your friends, dress as your favorite character, and step on it.

 

June 27, 2022 | News

Celebrating 50 Years of Title IX

This month marked the 50th anniversary of the Education Amendment Act. The law’s landmark Title IX was instrumental in advancing gender equity in schools and removing barriers for girls and women in sports. To celebrate, we’re spotlighting a handful of the incredible athletes who have passed through the Tukwila community.

Kat Roche, Major League Rugby Referee
Kat is a former college rugby player and self-proclaimed fitness junkie, most notable for breaking new ground in Major League Rugby by becoming the first female lead referee. Her first MLR match as lead referee was right here in Tukwila last year when the Seawolves defeated the Houston SaberCats. Her career with MLR continues to have an impact on the world of sports, inspiring other women to pursue similar positions.

 

 

Carly MacKinnon, Seawolves Marketing and Communications Director
Carly is the Marketing and Communications Director for the Seawolves as well as a 15s player in the Seattle Rugby Club, where she was part of the team’s 2015 and 2016 USA Rugby Women’s Cup National Championship team. She is also a certified USA Rugby Coach and has spent years coaching high school girls in the sport.

 

 

Lauren Barber, Seawolves Director of Youth and Community Development
Lauren is the director of Youth and Community Development for the Seawolves, where she helps cultivate the next generation of rugby players in our community. A four-time national college rugby champion, Lauren has achieved a variety of leadership roles in the world of rugby, including assistant coach for the professional women’s Premier Rugby Sevens Headliners and vice chair of the youth state-based governing body, Rugby Washington.

 

Sierra Shugarts, WWU Alumni and 2016 National Player of the Year
Sierra was team captain at WWU, leading her team to the school’s first national title in 2016 and earning her Player of the Year honors. From there she traveled overseas, playing soccer in both Sweden and the Czech Republic, before returning to the PNW for new opportunities. But her long and decorated career first began right here in Tukwila at Starfire Sports. Now, Sierra has her sights set on giving back to the game which gave so much to her by putting on the jersey once again, only this time as “coach.”

May 4, 2022 | News

Tukwila Library Unveils their Electronic Locker Program

Washingtonians love their books. Of course, it helps having perfect weather conditions year-round for curling up and escaping into a good story. But there’s also a great sense of pride for the general love for knowledge and creative expression that permeates our communities. So, when the world went into lockdown to combat the spread of the COVID-19, it’s no surprise that cutting access to in-person library spaces sent bibliophiles across the state into disarray.

But the shock was short-lived. King County Library Systems (KCLS) acted fast to reconnect people with their beloved books by leveraging OverDrive—the digital platform that gives residents access to ebooks and audiobooks without ever having to leave their homes. Libraries also began supporting curbside pickups as well as launching online virtual programs to continue serving the community. 

Curbside pickup “surprise bags” were made available by KCLS during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

The latest initiative undertaken by King County Library Systems involves the rollout of electronic lockers at a variety of locations—including right here in Tukwila. “The lockers provide an easy and convenient way for patrons to pick up materials,” stated KCLS Executive Director Lisa Rosenblum. The lockers, which provide 24/7 access for all patrons, were funded by the KCLS Foundation and from a portion of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). We recently caught up with the staff over at the Tukwila branch to see how the program has been going since its debut back in February. 

Tukwila Mayor Allan Ekberg with KCLS Executive Director Lisa Rosenblum and Washington State Librarian Sara Jones at the unveiling ceremony for the Tukwila Library electronic lockers on February 11.

 

How have the electronic lockers been received by the community? ​  

The Tukwila Library lockers received a warm welcome from the community at the grand opening on February 11. Governor Jay and First Lady Trudi Inslee also recently came to the Tukwila Library to visit one of our pop-up vaccine clinics and the library lockers. 

Since the Tukwila lockers have only been open a little over two months, we don’t have adequate feedback to share from patrons at this time. However, we know that the first set of lockers we installed at the Bothell and Covington Libraries in October 2020 have been popular additions to the community. Patrons enjoy the ability to pick up library materials any time with 24/7 access.   

How do you think electronic lockers will contribute to overall readership/library attendance? ​  

The electronic lockers increase access to library materials; they offer an easy and convenient way to pick up items any time of the day. Any opportunity to provide residents’ greater access to information and library materials is an opportunity to increase readership, knowledge, and quality of life.  

Anything else you’d like folks to know about the Tukwila Library? ​  

The Tukwila Library is a beautiful space that is well used and beloved by the community. We hope to see you soon, either outside at the new lockers, inside, or online! 

Learn more about the electronic lockers and how you can use them here.

October 27, 2021 | News

Tukwila Welcomes Students Back to School

Last month, the small but mighty Tukwila School District welcomed students back to their classrooms.

Founded over 100 years ago, the historic district has about 3,000 students enrolled at its five schools: Cascade View Elementary, Thorndyke Elementary, Tukwila Elementary, Showalter Middle School, and Foster High School.

As one of the most diverse school districts in the county, Tukwila School District embraces the many languages spoken and different cultural backgrounds represented in their hallways and classrooms. Over 80 languages are spoken at their students’ homes and about half are enrolled in English language and cultural customs learning.

This year, students and the almost 400 district staff were greeted with some fresh amenities and upgrades that will improve student learning and campus life. Here are just a few:

  • Foster High School was built in 1992 and hasn’t had a renovation since. In 2021, the school completed a $30+ million renovation, including adding over over 15 classrooms, expanding the common spaces, overhauling the gym and weight room, and upgrading other critical building infrastructure.
  • Showalter Middle School was built in 1937, remodeled in 1996, and updated this past year with an expanded gym, cafeteria, and common spaces and upgraded building systems.
  • Cascade View Elementary, Thorndyke Elementary, and Tukwila Elementary expanded their footprints, remodeled existing spaces, and updated the building systems to be healthier and safer.

Learn more about the Tukwila School District’s diverse student body, qualified staff, and exciting new facilities here.

September 22, 2021 | News

Outdoor Art on Display in Tukwila Parks

Over the summer, Tukwila Parks and Recreation partnered with Urban Artworks to support the local art scene and add visual vibrancy to the city with the “Arts-in-the-Parks” initiative. The program solicited local artists and provided them with stipends to bring their visions to life through painting murals in select locations throughout the park system.

Check out the murals for yourself with this self-guided map and keep an eye out for the upcoming Pop-up Banner Gallery bringing art to Tukwila neighborhoods near you!

Here are just a few of the fantastic creations these talented artists brought to our community:

A Day in the Garden, Angelina Villalobos

On the site visit at Riverton Park, Angelina noticed the beautiful Gully Gardens P-Patch in full bloom. Her goal was to create a design that represented the flowers of each season in the Pacific Northwest, along with the endangered native bird, Varied Thrush.

 

Pristine Pacific Northwest, Heather Sparkles

“The location I was given for this project was the cabin at Bicentennial Park, which gave me thought as to the concept of ‘home’. I wanted the window and door panels to feel like entrances to the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest. My hope is that it will inspire people to treat the park and all of nature around us as we treat our own private home dwellings – with care, respect, love, and stewardship.”

 

Bird Friends of Tukwila, Annemieke Beemster Leverenz

This mural depicts a stylized vista of the Green River and Cascade Mountain Range as seen from Tukwila. The view is populated with native birds that frequent the area.

 

Starry Calamansi Night, Nikita Ares
“I was inspired by the location itself! The forms and colors were based on the energy of people constantly moving and passing by the park, and the colors of the green nature plus the playground.”

April 1, 2021 | News

Ribbon Cutting & Grand Opening of Legacy Gaming Community

The Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the opening of Legacy Gaming Community in Tukwila.

Legacy Gaming Community is a new age arcade that trades the game cabinets and quarters for high-tech consoles. The result is an immersive gaming lounge fit for the modern gamer. They specialize in four forms of gaming: Virtual Reality, PC Gaming, Console Gaming, and Retro Gaming. Any gamer can rent a station and genre of their choice, with content appropriate for their age, in 30-minute intervals.

“As the mother of an 11-year-old gamer, I know how important it is to have access to top equipment for the ultimate gaming experience,” said Andrea H. Reay, President/CEO of Seattle Southside Chamber. “I’m grateful to Juanrean Cooper and Legacy Gaming for providing a place where our whole family can connect with friends and enjoy gameplay in a safe and clean environment. Creating opportunities for our community to gather in play is essential as we come out of this pandemic and we hope to see you soon at Legacy Gaming Community.”

The Chamber is hosting a small grand reopening for Legacy Gaming on Friday, April 16th that will strictly adhere to all CDC guidelines. Guests must RSVP to the Chamber no later than Monday, April 12th as well as wear masks and practice social distancing at the event.

The ribbon cutting will take place outside of Legacy Gaming, located in Tukwila at 654 Strander Boulevard, between 1:00pm and 1:30pm. The ribbon-cutting ceremony will commence around 1:15pm.

“Legacy Gaming Community is focused on getting back to being a Village for our Youth!” offered Juanrean Cooper, Owner of Legacy Gaming Community.

Event Details:

Grand Opening Celebration of Legacy Gaming Community
Date: Friday, April 16th, 2021
Time: 1:00pm to 1:30pm
Location: Legacy Gaming Community
Address: 654 Strander Blvd, Tukwila, WA 98188
Watch Live on Facebook Here

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, guests must RSVP to attend this event. Please RSVP no later than Monday, April 12th by emailing Andrea at the Chamber at [email protected] or by calling (206) 575-3016 to confirm your participation in person. All in-person guests must wear masks and adhere to social distancing guidelines.

For those that are not able to attend in person, learn more about attending virtually on their Facebook event webpage.