Mike McGinn, who announced his bid for Seattle mayor March 24, is a north Seattle resident and said it was living in this community that got him involved in politics.

McGinn moved to Greenwood 11 years ago and got involved in his community by attending neighborhood planning meetings and working with his neighbors to improve the area.

“Working with my neighbors on things that were important to us was a good thing to do,” McGinn said. “It got me more involved.”

McGinn went on to become president of the Greenwood Community Council and worked on issues, such as sidewalks, drainage and transportation, that he said were important to the north end.

Transportation and education, two of McGinn’s three main platform issues, are vital to Ballard and the rest of north Seattle, he said.

For example, the Metro funding crisis is putting the planned RapidRide corridor on 15th Avenue Northwest at risk, and an improved transportation system is necessary to support development in the area, McGinn said.

He said there are also a number of unique problems facing Ballard and the surrounding areas.

One is the lack of infrastructure needed to create a more walkable neighborhood, especially for seniors and the disabled, north of Northwest 85th Street, he said.

He said another is the rapid development in Ballard.

“Are we getting the types of new development we like that will make it a good place to live?” McGinn said.

As well as a former community council president, McGinn was a local chair of the Sierra Club, a founder of the Seattle Great City Initiative and a co-chair of last year’s parks levy.

“It all started when I started working on what I wanted to do in my neighborhood,” he said.

McGinn joins two other announced candidates, executive search consultant Norman Sigler and former Seattle Sonic player James Donaldson, as challengers to Mayor Greg Nickels.