The Board of Directors of the Greater Kirkland Chamber of Commerce and Kirkland Downtown Association voted last month to separate the combined board of directors for the two organizations, after five years of operating with a combined board structure. This change comes because the Greater Kirkland Chamber of Commerce is working to grow all of the major business districts in Kirkland, while the Kirkland Downtown Association is focused solely on downtown.

“The expansion of the Kirkland Downtown Board of Directors is an exciting endeavor, as it will allow us to pull in more participants with an interest in the vitality of the downtown area, including business owners, residents and property owners,” said Kirkland Downtown Association President Kristen Gonzales.

The Kirkland Downtown Association will continue to focus on events and projects that bring people to downtown Kirkland to shop and play, including events such as Celebrate Kirkland 4th of July, Kirkland Summerfest, Kirkland Classic Car Show, Kirkland Summer Concert Series and the upcoming Kirkland Winterfest.

The Greater Kirkland Chamber of Commerce has made great strides to incorporate participation from each business district in Kirkland and seeks to continue encouraging participation from all areas of Kirkland. The organization has been intentional in bringing networking events to each neighborhood in 2015, including after hours, networking lunches, and special events taking place in Juanita, Totem Lake, Kingsgate, Bridle Trails, Rose Hill, and South Kirkland, as well as downtown.

“Beginning in 2015, the Greater Kirkland Chamber of Commerce Ambassador program began assigning a designated person to represent each business district in Kirkland. This has allowed us to stay updated on the needs of each area of the community, and brings attention to the unique needs of each area of the city,” said Greater Kirkland Chamber of Commerce Ambassador Committee Chair Ryan James.

The Kirkland Downtown Association and Greater Kirkland Chamber of Commerce will continue to share office space and resources. Both organizations are excited to continue a great partnership, while focusing on growing into their independent visions. Applications for the expanded Board of Directors of the Kirkland Downtown Association are currently being accepted.

For more information or to apply, contact Kirkland Downtown Association Director Barbie Collins Young at barbiey@kirklanddowntown.org.