Tent city Nickelsville will say goodbye to Skyway Friday night, after a relatively quiet three-month stay on the grass at Bryn Mawr United Methodist Church.

The tent city will return to Seattle, to a location that’s a closely guarded secret, to establish what organizers hope is a permanent place for the homeless to live.

Nickelsville arrived in Bryn Mawr on March 5 from the University Congregational United Church of Christ in the University District in Seattle. Earlier, there was a controversial stay on West Marginal Way in Seattle.

At its peak in Skyway, the vagabond tent city for the homeless had about 75 tents; the number was down to about 50 early this week. Residents have been busy breaking down the camp in readiness for the move.

The church was required to obtain a permit from King County to host the tent city, good for three months with no renewals. The church provided water to the camp at 80th Avenue South and South 116th Street.

The county permit cost the church $1,400, a charge that so “incensed” a member of the congregation that he called then-county Executive Ron Sims, according to Harold Booker, the chairman of the church’s Board of Trustees. Sims arranged to return the $1,400 permit fee to the church.

The county has put together a 10-year plan to end homelessness in the county. One of the Sims’ jobs now in President Obama’s administration is to help keep people in their homes who have been affected by the mortgage crisis.

Jose Rosalez, who as bookkeeper keeps track of everyone at Nickelsville in Skyway, had nothing but praise for the Bryn Mawr church and the neighborhood.

“The stay has been very wonderful,” Rosalez said.

There have been few, if any complaints from neighbors, although there were a “couple little incidents,” he said. Nickelsville adheres to a strict code of conduct and provides its own security.

Residents had to leave camp to shower; portable toilets were set up next to the camp.

Much of the food was donated, including by the Bryn Mawr church and the New Beginnings Christian Fellowship of Renton. New Beginnings cooked Sunday night meals three times a month and the Bryn Mawr congregation provided the fourth Sunday meal.

Last Sunday, the Bryn Mawr church gave Nickelsville $1,000 to help cover the cost of moving back to Seattle.

Left behind are the satisfaction of helping the homeless and a lawn that’s going to need to a new beginning. Pallets were used to protect the grass, but still there are paths in the lawn and other worn spots. That wear and tear was expected.

“We knew that when we agreed to host them that probably our lawn would be destroyed,” said Booker, the trustee chairman. “We decided that we will just redo the lawn.”

Booker’s assessment of the three-month stay? “Things have gone just great,” he said. In fact, he called the last three months “educational.”

The congregation ministered to the homeless of Nickelsville, including feeding them, and welcomed them to their services. There were some initial fears in the community about the tent city; but once neighbors understood Nickelsville, they embraced it and chipped in to help, Booker said.

Some of those who volunteered at the tent city brought their children, who “could see that everyone in America is not well-off,” said Booker.

“It’s like we are losing good neighbors when they leave,” Booker said.

Booker himself arranged for three loads of firewood for the tent city. The wood deliverer gave the residents an extra load when he realized that Booker was paying for the wood himself.

“Everyone has been willing to help,” he said.

Now, Nickelsville is headed back to Seattle.

The name is derived from Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, who has not supported such temporary measures to house the homeless, favoring instead a permanent solution.

According to the Nickelsville for Dummies Web site, “Nickelsville is a permanent homeless shantytown in Seattle which will accommodate up to 1,000 people. Nickolodeons (Nickelsville’s residents) will live in permanent structures (not tents) and will not have to move every few months. Emphasis will be on safe and sanitary conditions.”

“We would like to see Greg Nickels come help us move,” Rosalez said. That probably isn’t likely.

Recently, the City of Seattle dropped trespassing charges against about two dozen people arrested last September at Nickelsville when it was on West Marginal Way in Seattle, according to Rosalez.

The camp could create controversy again this weekend, when it moves back to Seattle, to that undisclosed location.

THE MOVE

Directly from the Nickelsville Web site

Supplies such as garbage bags, duct tape, plywood, 2 by 4s, nails and rope are needed. Drivers with trucks as well as personal vehicles are needed to transport the Nickelodeons. As Nickelsville’s capacity will grow tenfold, Nickelsville especially needs a couple of hundred new tents, to use until the structures are built.

MOVING WEEKEND

To avoid misunderstandings it is crucial we arrive together and stay together. This will be a great weekend for homeless people in Seattle, plan on spending it with us. Keep in touch via e-mail.

DONATIONS

We made a deal with the port a potty company. Nickelsville has agreed to pay $2,000 by 5/29/09 (done!), $1,000 on 6/5/09 and then pay double our monthly bill until we are caught up with our debt. We do need financial help BIG TIME. Please mail contributions to: Nickelsville, c/o VFP Ch92, P.O. Box 2548 Seattle WA 98111.