Arts & Entertainment Community Environment

Harbor Happenings: City celebrates North Creek property purchase

This week’s calendar has plenty of opportunities to enjoy music, movies and even a dedication ceremony at Gig Harbor’s newest “park.”

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The city of Gig Harbor will host an “un-groundbreaking” ceremony at the North Creek Salmon Heritage Site near Donkey Creek Park at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 14. The ceremony celebrates acquisition of 5.15 acres of land for conservation.

The city recently bought the property from the Haub family, who had planned to build 18 homes on the site. Financial support from the Puyallup Tribe of Indians and the Gig Harbor Land Conservation Fund helped the city buy the parcel. It will be conserved in perpetuity in its natural state as part of the city’s public parks system.

The land has historical and anthropological significance. And because it’s near the mouth of North Creek, it’s important to the health of local salmon.

The state Department of Fish and Wildlife and the WildFish Conservancy have found coho and chum salmon and coastal cutthroat trout in the creek. The Ecological Society of America lists the creek as a site for steelhead.

Mayor Tracie Markley and members of the Puyallup Tribe will lead Saturday’s event. Representatives of the Haub family and the Gig Harbor Land Conservation Fund also will participate. The site is located at 4219 Harborview Drive.

The city of Gig Harbor, with help from the Puyallup Tribe and the Gig Harbor Land Conservation Fund, purchased 5.15 acres of land abutting North Creek.

Music, theater, films 

• The Gig Harbor High School jazz bands will participate in the Regional Jazz Festival at Stadium High School in Tacoma on Thursday, Jan 12. The festival is an all-day event. The jazz bands will also perform at 7 p.m. Jan. 13 during the Gig Harbor High School boys basketball game against Yelm.
• Singer Kenny Callahan performs at the Olalla Winery at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 13. The winery is located at 13176 Olalla Valley Road. Buy tickets here.
• Peninsula High School’s production of “Puffs, or: Seven Increasingly Eventful Years At A Certain School of Magic & Magic” takes place Jan. 13, 14, 19 and 20. The Puffs are a group of well-meaning students “just trying to make it in magic school.” It’s a play for anyone who has never been destined to save the world. Curtain time is at 7 p.m. in the Milton S. Boyd Auditorium at PHS, 14105 Purdy Drive, Gig Harbor. Tickets are available at the door and online.
• “Elvis: That’s the Way It Is” is Wednesday’s Flashback Cinema at the Galaxy Theatres, playing at noon and 6 p.m. Sunday’s Flashback movie is “Jurassic Park,” showing at 11:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Tickets are just $5.