Port of Port Angeles: “Keep Out. No Trespassing”

A few months ago, that dock along the Port Angeles waterfront — between the estuary and the place where those pilings and cormorant sculptures used to be — was closed off with a cyclone fence. And the nearest parking places were all blocked off. A few weeks later the cyclone fence was gone and the parking spaces were reopened, but the dock had several “Keep Out” and “No Trespassing” signs which hadn’t been there before.

A friend of mine walked out onto the dock the other day and was accosted by some sort of security guard (presumably from the Port of Port Angeles). He was warned that he’d be fined if he was caught “trespassing” on the dock again.

He was told that the Port of Port Angeles has now “taken over” that dock and they don’t want anybody walking around out there. WTF? What’s the purpose of this?

Undoubtedly it’s easier and more convenient to just close off formerly-public property and keep the lowly public out. I hope this approach doesn’t get too common, or the next thing you know they’ll be closing the estuary so that the “riffraff” won’t be hanging out there. And think how much easier it would be to maintain the City Pier if it was closed most of the time, and only opened for specific events. And that public (for now) walkway that goes around the Landing Mall…