This Fri., Jan. 20, members of the community will gather at the Rainier Vista Boys & Girls Club, located at 4520 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S., to honor community leader Bill Burton, as the City of Seattle will officially name a street after him.
During a meeting on Nov. 15, S. the City Council unanimously voted to officially designated South Oregon St. to be renamed “Bill Burton Way.” In coordination with the installation of the new street signs, all members of the public are invited to celebrate the renaming from 12:30-1:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 20.
The event is set to begin outside the Rainier Vista Boys & Girls Club located at 4520 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S., where attendees can view the new “Bill Burton Way” street sign. In addition, the Club’s basketball court will officially be named “Bill Burton Court,” where the remainder of the program. Light refreshments will also be provided.
William ‘Bill’ Burton started his career at the King County Boys & Girls Club in 1979. He later became the Area Director for the Rainier Vista Boys & Girls Club and sought to provide a welcoming space for youth in what was once a neglected building. Over the span of more than 20 years, he worked tirelessly to redevelop the building into a world class $24 million facility. The project was Bill’s gift to the community he grew up in and the Rainier Vista Club has become a pillar of the neighborhood that is second to none locally.
“It’s more than just a club,” said Nate Miles, an active board member of the Rainier Vista Boys & Girls Club. “Bill Burton has made that place a safe haven.”
Burton empowered youth by inspiring them to thrive and demonstrated a fierce determination to see them build confidence and successfully grow in all aspects of life. Now, more than 100 youth visit the Rainier Vista Club daily and participate in a variety of nationally recognized programs.
“Years from now… when someone drives down the street and says ‘who is Bill Burton?’ Kids will say ‘That’s Uncle Bill,’” Miles said. “‘That’s Bill Burton, the guy who made sure we had this building.’”
