The Skating Rink by Craig Zimmerman

When I was growing up in Federal Way, there was a group of downtown buildings called "European Square." As the photo shows, all of the buildings were fashioned after old world style architecture.

A skating rink was located in the building with the clock tower. On Fridays and sometimes other nights , me and a couple of friends would go around and around the oval to the latest 1970s hits.

There was something magical about that brief time that I have not known since. All these years later, I still think about the first time that I skated around the rink with a girl, holding hands.

 Some time ago,the skating rink with all it's magic was replaced by a big box store.

The Fisherman

With his home-made pole, The Fisherman seemed slightly out of place among the expensive fiberglass poles that most of the other anglers held at the dock. Still The Fisherman's bucket was usually full of fish. This was a man who knew what he was doing.

 In my early teens, I developed an obsession with fishing and I would often ride my bike down to Dash Point to try my luck off the dock. The Fisherman was usually there when I arrived, his wooden pole dangling over the railing. Sometimes, I would choose a place close by so I could watch him at his craft. 

The Fisherman was old and appeared to be from the south Pacific region. I suspected that for him fishing was a part of life rather than a hobby like it was for me. At that time, I was only beginning to understand that being successful at getting food is a matter of survival for many people.

A couple of years later, I began to drive, and the dock and other places were left behind, but I still think about The Fisherman and the lessons I learned from him. 

     
                   Craig  Zimmerman

      
                             

Urban Sprawl

I grew up in a suburb of Seattle called Federal Way.Federal Way is named after an old highway that runs through town. In the 1980s, there was a movement to change the name of Federal Way to "Evergreen". Even then the idea was ludicrous given the urban-sprawl look of Federal Way.

In the early 1970s, the developers had not yet been given free rein to do as they please and Federal Way still had a few charms left. One of the most interesting attractions was a cluster of gothic-style buildings called "Olde European Square".

A few small shops were spread around a commons area and a sweeping outside stairwell led to a skating rink on the second floor of one of the buildings.

Roller skating was one of my favorite activities when I was a kid. It took  multiple bruises before I learned how to skate, but after that I went to the rink nearly every week.

On a night that I will always remember, I held hands with a girl I liked as we slowly skated around the rink.

The skating rink was closed in the late 1970s, but the gothic buildings remained until the 1990s when they were torn down and replaced with an electronic appliance store.

Trip to Dash Point

The other day, I took a trip to Dash point to gather some driftwood. Dash Point is a Puget Sound Beach park in Federal Way, Washington. Not far from Dash Point is Dumas Bay wildlife sanctuary. Dumas Bay sanctuary  is primarily for Great Blue Herons. At one time, Dumas Bay park was clogged with English Ivy and Blackberry bushes, but I noticed that volunteers have removed a great deal of the invasive plants.

   The beach between Dumas Bay and Dash Point was littered with debris, including the usual cans and  various plastics. Someday humans will learn to stop using our waterways and wetlands as a garbage can.