New Port Angeles To Be Unveiled July 11th
On Saturday, July 11th, there will be a celebration of the downtown Port Angeles spruce-up. The volunteers of “Our Community at Work: Painting Downtown” will have a ribbon cutting ceremony at 1 p.m. on Front Street between Laurel and Lincoln streets.
Following that, the Dawg Cart and the Port Angeles Food Bank will be serving free hot dogs and lemonade. The celebration will also include the unveiling of four new additions to Port Angeles’ outdoor art gallery.
Architect Charlie Smith designed the paint schemes for all of the newly repainted buildings, and he’ll be conducting free tours of the spruced-up buildings.
Following that, the Dawg Cart and the Port Angeles Food Bank will be serving free hot dogs and lemonade. The celebration will also include the unveiling of four new additions to Port Angeles’ outdoor art gallery.
Architect Charlie Smith designed the paint schemes for all of the newly repainted buildings, and he’ll be conducting free tours of the spruced-up buildings.
Labels: “Our Community at Work: Painting Downtown”, Architect Charlie Smith Port Angeles, Dawg Cart, downtown Port Angeles spruce-up, Port Angeles Food Bank, ribbon cuting ceremony Front Street July
posted by Tom Harper at 11:42 AM
52 Comments:
This is NOT an Edna Petersen campaign event disguised as a communty celebration, just to make THAT clear.
Right?
Dear Edna! Always putting the community before herself. Unlike others.
I'd like Mr. Smith to explain why his color scheme for downtown centers on this baby-diaper-poop-brown that now adorns so many buildings.
Call me a naysayer if you will, but there were other colors available, surely.
Lipstick on a pig......
The colors that they SAID they were going to use were supposed to be "historic". The colors used include baby puke, baby poop, clown purple, cheap blue, and I'm insane yellow. Me thinks the person picking the colors either has no taste, or is stuck with a color pallet from the 70's. If that is their idea of HISTORIC, I'd say they're color blind.
I hear that someone's meddling wife did some of the color picking.....nothing like appeasing wifey and screwing the downtown.
Business as usual.
Thanks Edna, town looks like a dirty diaper.....way to go, girl.
Thank our lovely downtown association for their (lack of) vision, and their (totally meaningless) promotions and events. So nice they favor (CERTAIN OF THEIR FAVORITE)businesses (to excess, while snubbing the rest of the downtown).
I'm really impressed this happened at all. The town is so full of naysayers and obstructionists it amazes me when anything actually gets done around here. And I do like the color schemes, mostly. Maybe it's because I've never had to change a baby's diapers, but I think it's a lot warmer than what existed before. And sure looks better than "peeling, dirty white". So I'll be the dissenting voice here and give kudos to everyone involved... I won't always do that for all of them, but I will for this anyways.
Personally, I like "peeling, dirty white".
I agree with Anon. at 10:15 -- it's great that this got done. There were a lot of buildings that just looked crummy, and they look fresh now. That's a big improvement. And a lot of labor, materials, time and energy got donated to make it happen -- I applaud that, for sure.
Thanks, everybody!
sure, sure sure. Great it was done. Too bad we didn't do it with the colors that were proposed...so that all would look good for many years (not dated, already).
It was a lot of work by a lot of wonderful people. The complaints aren't about the painting (well except peeling white paint person) they're about the colors chosen. The mustardy/brown turd color is a bit too much, and the purple and blues are cheap looking. So sad the color selector didn't have more taste.
Nice painting. Great effort. Bad colors.
We're not getting stuck with more rusty, weird "art" courtesy of Bob Stokes, are we?
"... the Dawg Cart and the Port Angeles Food Bank will be serving free hot dogs and lemonade."
Seem to remember the original point to "spruce-up" the downtown was to impress the throngs of tourists that were to decend upon Port Angeles when the bridge repair work was done.
Are we to interpret the selection of the Dawg Cart and Food Bank as the caterers of this event as a form of "downsizing" of expectations? A "re-alignment" of statement to better fit the state of Port Angeles these days?
This effort is right up there with the previously announced goals of seeking more voter appovals for more taxes during the worst economic climate in recent history. Spend limited resources to impress tourists exactly when most people are belt tightening, statistics show tourism and travel are declining by large percentages, and businesses are closing.
Yep! Port Angeles sure has vision!
So ... these turd brown buildings are just a figment of our collective imaginations and the real colors will be magically revealed next Saturday?
Gosh, I can't wait!
Friends, August 18th is only weeks away, yet the Future of Port Angeles hangs in the balance!
Shall we return to the stale, tired, obstructionist, no-vision ways of Edna Petersen and Peter Ripley? Do we want to elect a bland, untested also-ran?
No!
The only candidate with a vision of Port Angeles, the leadership skills and, dare I say it, the Moral Integrity to get the job done is that Fighting Progressive, Max Mania.
Max Mania will smite the naysayer. Max Mania will crush the obstructionist. Max Mania stands for sensible taxation to save our treasured Fine Arts Center and he will bring the beloved Farmers Market right smack downtown. Max Mania is not full of empty talk and campaign promises which he will conveniently forget once elected.
Yes, Max Mania is the candidate for the Future of Port Angeles. The Future begins, August 18th!
"Thank our lovely downtown association for their (lack of) vision, and their (totally meaningless) promotions and events. So nice they favor (CERTAIN OF THEIR FAVORITE)businesses (to excess, while snubbing the rest of the downtown)"
What a bunch of crock!!!
The problem with downtown is the business owners that sit on their thumbs and do nothing but bitch.
What color scheme will Max Mania promote for the newly painted downtown, or will he allow the dirty diaper theme to "stick"? THESE are the pressing election issues that confront the voters of Port Angeles!
LOL
The trouble with downtown is that there are businesses of any kind there. Downtown should just be a series of empty store fronts that our new "Arts Council", can fill with flower pots and other dubious, Bob Stokes-inspired rubbish.
Max Mania is a front for the "artist" gang who want to turn P.A. into an "artist colony" and divert what little money the town has into various "artistic" projects like more of those horrible statues and buildings painted crap brown.
If you want to have your property taxes raised yet again to fund a boondoggle for certain "special interests", then by all means vote for Max Mania!
These negative blogs about color of paint, etc. are totally off base. Have you forgotten what this project is all about... Our Community At Work. So you don't like the paint color, get over it or get involved. These negative blogs DISGRACE the efforts of the 100+ volunteers, 3000+ hours of volunteer work, building owners who had the final say on their paint colors, businesses who discounted their paint and supplies, our youth and military that got involved. It's easy to be a couch potato quarter back, it's a lot harder to run with the ball.
Don't you just love all the naysayers.
People from even outside of the downtown area come in and help but that's not good enough for some.
They just have to bitch about everything under the sun. What will it be next week?
"These negative blogs about color of paint, etc. are totally off base. Have you forgotten what this project is all about... Our Community At Work. So you don't like the paint color, get over it or get involved. 6:23 PM, July 06, 2009"
Ummm.. We ARE involved, can't you see? We ARE allowed our opinions about the paint colors, and about how Port Angeles taxpayers are being deceived, swindled and conned by this crew, aren't we?
Some of us may be smart enough to see the lack of wisdom in the efforts. As one poster said "Lipstick on a pig..."
Hey, 6:30pm poster!
Dude, you've got paper-thin-skin-itis ... but don't worry, there's a cure. Take the entire bottle of valium and chill out!
In case you didn't know it, there's this thing we have in this country called Freedom Of Expression. That means I can freely say "Thanks, volunteers, for your time painting downtown. Too bad most of the colors are crap brown and ugly." Now, you may not like it, but hey! that's your problem not mine. Get over yourself, dude, and don't forget to take that bottle of valium.
Wait, how are taxpayers being "swindled"? From what I understand, the equipment is donated, the paint is bought by the building owner (at a discount), the labor is all volunteer. There's very little being paid for "by the taxpayers". Unless there's something I'm missing, in which case please let us know what that is.
oooh, it's the "you can think that, you can say that" crowd rearing it's ugly head.
Seems to ME that you are the unpatriotic, unsupportive of a community, and the splinter faction that doesn't understand that bonding -- even over baby turd paint colors -- is positive.
Go. Read more of your positive thinking and self affirmation books.
Since when is disagreeing about a paint scheme "unpatriotic"?
no no no.....disagreeing about a paint color is just fine, this was in context of the poster who said:
"These negative blogs about color of paint, etc. are totally off base. Have you forgotten what this project is all about..." "These negative blogs DISGRACE the efforts of the 100+ volunteers, 3000+ hours of volunteer work.."blah blah blah
I was expecting HER/him/it to break out flag waving. It's "you shouldn't think that/say that" which is rampant in this country. The next phrase (usually) is how unpatriotic it is to question, to comment, to be (ooooooh) negative. Bad vibes!
The reality....the paint colors are ugly. Nice job painting and volunteering. However, the Emperor has no clothing. Colors are ugly...and old fashioned (liked ..oh wow man, 80's are back)
I've been out of town for the last couple of weeks, and went through downtown yesterday. Other than being amazed at how many vacant storefronts there are, and how little traffic there is on the roads (compared to this time in previous years), I really didn't see a great difference. Yes, I could tell some buildings had fresh paint, but the overall view didn't seem any different.
As it happened to turn out, I was down there when the Coho was unloading, and I made a point of going down to that corner of the Landing by the city pier to watch where the "visitors" went. Virtually every one either turned at Lincoln and headed East (out of town),or went south up Lincoln (also headed out of "downtown").
But, I guess the building owners needed some kind of a reason to "spruce-up" their buildings, and the "community volunteers" provided that. Obviously, they were content to not be concerned about how shabby their buildings were, before.
Business in town is way down. Not a normal tourist season at all. I don't think all the publicity about border patrol checkpoints has helped a bit (BC media has really played THAT up).
I'd wager that you'll see 50-60% of the existing businesses downtown fold by the end of August/early September.
They've been damaged in the last two years...severely, by the fu-*-ed up Public Works and their poor planning and bullheadedness about working WITH businesses regarding a.) street closures, b.) the gateway fiasco AND the sewer project AND the 8th street bridges, and, (c.) the price of the parking at Gateway and the added expense for small businesses to buy parking passes for all their employees.
Doesn't help there is an arrogance and lack of any protection or help from any of the so-called business associations (chamber, pada, paba) Oh sure, they'll take $$ but don't do squat other than pay themselves and think you should prostrate yourself at their feet. It's total frustrating b.s.
Add then add to that all the taxes a small business must pay including:the steady increase of utility base rates and other "hidden taxes", ridiculous banking fees (accepting credit/debit cards can cost a business up to 8% of the net!) and, the amazing nonsense that Olympia has come up with to tax the HELL out of businesses ....and outrageous penalties if the forms aren't postmarked by the deadlines (really?! 20-50% in penalties?!!!)
Small business should be the backbone of the country...but it's near impossible to stay in business.
Port Angeles is a micro version of the whole country.
Thanks Anon 2:37. Nice to see a realistic assessment of what is happening in Port Angeles! Businesses keep closing down and shutting their doors, and the "leadership" talks of spending millions for building more office and retail space over at Rayonier. Hunh? How about supporting the businesses that are already here?
I don't know, when people say the downtown is emptying out, I just flash black to the mid-'90s. It’s bad right now, but nowhere near as bad as then. For a while it really did look like the town was about to close doors. Empty, dark, dilapidated buildings were the norm. It was a scary looking place. Now it just looks like it's a town struggling, not dying. I really believe we'll survive.
I agree, though, we need to focus on what we've got rather than following some pipe dream. I keep hearing about how difficult the Port Angeles government organizations make it for local businesses. There are a lot more storefronts than business centers. There are plenty of empty lots, but few gathering places, trails or attractive parks. There’s a lot of sprawl, and some abandoned locations and empty lots along the way. If you look through the help wanted ads it’s mostly RN, RN, RN. Somedays it seems like Port Angeles is nothing but a welfare and meth town.
And yet, Port Angeles has a lot to offer. We’ve got a beautiful natural environment surrounding a not-so-beautiful town. We’ve got a lot of kids leaving, yes, but we’ve got a few staying who are starting their own businesses and are hungry for success. We’ve got small businesses like ACTI who just won a Lockheed contract and will need to expand. We’ve got some established residents who are working on getting K-Ply up and running again, which will bring back jobs. Love it or hate it, the artist community is flourishing and bringing attention, people and sometimes baffling shapes to Port Angeles.
I don’t think Port Angeles is going to get some mythical savior to help us out. The Rayonier site is years off, if it ever happens. After decades of stalled attempts, Sequim jumped ahead of us on the convention center. Microsoft isn’t going to move up here, and their employees are more likely to simply pass through Port Angeles on their way somewhere else, like those people getting off the Coho. We aren’t going to get the big box stores, and I’m not even sure if we should.
No, the change is going to come from within. That's one major reason why I think the painting of downtown is great. People, local people, got together, rolled up their sleeves and worked on fixing what we've got instead of sitting around wishing for the next best thing. If we keep that attitude, we can accomplish more by ourselves than the city has in years.
I think we’ll be okay. We’ll hit plenty of rough patches along the way, but I think we’ll be okay.
Nice idealism. Try starting a business in town, and check back with us in 18 months.
The reality: this is an anti business town. Roadblocks every step of the way, and the "locals" do not support local businesses...they'd rather shop at Walmart or make the big outing to Silverdale.
It's only getting worse.
We're isolated -- physically and mentally -- and the sad truth is we're an ex company town mentality. The worth ethic sucks. I short, the town oozes HICK. Hard sell in the tourism market.
If global warming continues unabated, Port Angeles will be under water and all the downtown buildings and statues will make a lovely marine habitat. That's a good thing!
Try looking on the bright side for a moment, people!
I've been in business for 6 years now in downtown PA and life is good.
Sorry to hear some of you aren't doing so well. Maybe it's your attitude and do nothing mindset.
"I've been in business for 6 years now in downtown PA and life is good."
Yep.. Anybody walking around, seeing the empty streets at mid day, and the number of vacant storefronts that increase by the day can SEE that "life is good" in downtown Port Angeles!
Obviously that is a result of my "attitude" and "mindset". If only I had a different attitude and mindset, the streets would be full, and the stores booming.
Reminds me of a song: "If I only had a brain.."
"the number of vacant storefronts that increase by the day"
Really? Seems Port Angeles would just about be empty by now then. But, that's right, 60% of Port Angeles businesses are going to be gone "by September". Just wait, every business has to close sometime...
yeah, my "attitude" is all great....but the deposit bag is more than a little light. By my estimates, we're down 50-60% from last year, and some businesses are down further. If YOU are a down town business...you are either a.) lying, or b.) insane, c.) haven't been open long enough to know what a good summer is. Or, d.) your business is selling illegal drugs.
Try LOOKING (using those two balls in your head) at the (lack of) lines infront of the Coho terminal. You can drive right up and get on the next sailing. When has that EVER been during the SUMMER?
Next, look at the available parking...it's not because there is so much, it's because retail is down, way down. Walmart has had decreased sales, Costco is reporting lower same month sales (meaning there has been a change from 12 months ago), all the retail reports say that buying is way down, hotels nationwide are reporting reduced tourism, airlines are having price wars, to attract more passengers.
So, why would YOUR store (and your attitude) be bucking the state of the nation? Region, and State?
Are you on Prozac? Is it always happy and light in your world, or are you an outright liar, which is what I suspect.
Go talk to any merchant on First or Front streets....the rest of us are singing the same song...learn the words.
Guess the streets were empty yesterday.
"Guess the streets were empty yesterday."
One of the "fun" realities of these types of conversations is that "tomorrow will tell". We can speculate and be as "rah-rah" as we may feel is appropriate, but tomorrow will be what it will be.
The statistical numbers will be tabulated to evaluate how many tourists did in fact spend money in Port Angeles. As someone with a bit more noteriety than I said recently, "One day of economic good news does not a "recovery" make".
Come January, we'll see what downtown Port Angeles looks like. Then we can revisit this conversation.
I'm sure the downtown building owners who got all that free (volunteer)labor to clean, repair and paint their buildings will share in the profits they make, when they sell their once shabby buildings for more than they otherwise would have gotten.
Right?
Elect Max Mania for a brighter future for downtown Port Angeles!
Another fun reality about these types of conversations is there's always another tomorrow. Last year downtown was going to empty out because of the construction. That hurt bad, but downtown survived. Then the recession started and, again, people were predicting downtown was going to close. Then the bridge was going to close downtown. Hell, downtown's been going to close for at least the last 20 years. Even in this thread, first someone predicted 60% of business were going to be closed by October (and, let me tell you, that's a whole lot of empty space); wait a few comments and downtown will definitely be closing by January.
So, fine... We'll see how it goes in January. The problem is, even if the town isn't 60% empty then ... Well, there will always be another tomorrow. And downtown will definitely be closing doors then.
I would venture to say that the downtown area is at about 90% Full. I've been living here for about 20 years now and that hasn't changed.
Doom, Doom, Gloom is all we hear from some.
Thank goodness there's a brighter side.
Be it known to all and sundry, that we, Emperor Nokton the First, Emperor of the United States, Protector of Canada, Great Sachem of the Native Americans, do hereby state the following:
Upon Our orders, downtown Port Angeles shall close at 11:35 Post Meridian on December 30, 2009 and all business enterprises of whatosever kind and function will permanently cease.
Obey these Our Orders with fear and trembling, lest Our stern hand of retribution smite thee.
downtown is 90% full, eh?
Yeah, the Gottschalk's building is still FULL of junk (bad tenants...all the stuff they couldn't sell is just laying around). The big building across from the furniture store is still as empty as a barren woman's womb. I see a little action in the old shoe store that closed down in February. However, it's a revolving store town. How many stores have opened/closed in the last 5 years?
I can't even begin to count them...
The problem is more than half the buildings downtown are owned by the same slumlord landlords. They over charge, have substandard (and dangerous) buildings -- needing plumbing, wiring issues, dry rot, and asbestos. The buildings are expensive as hell to heat (no insulation). A small business spends too much of every dollar on rent/utilities and cannot rely on steady, or regular foot traffic. Many of the city's mandates and attitudes are NOT small business friendly.
Until you've had a business downtown, you have no idea how dire the situation is. Go out, spend $10-20-30-40 or 50k to open a business....with great expectations, great attitude, a great idea...and then just sit and watch your investment dwindle down a rat hole.
Times are indeed tough for many downtown merchants. It is, therefore, imperative that any prospective business owner, and indeed any established business owner, look to a true business and community leader.
I am, naturally, referring to Edna Petersen and her successful and charming store, Necessities and Temptations. Edna's model for success should be studied and copied by all business owners in the downtown area and her graciousness and charm should emulated as well. Edna and her store, sucessful and accomplished, should be proudly boasted of by all Port Angeles residents and the business community at large!
Edna is role model for the bsuiness community and a generous patroness of the greater community. If it were not for Edna would downtown be as spruce and tidy as it is now?
Yes, negatives tongues may wag and secretive cabals may gather in the shadows to refine their plots, but those who truly appreciate downtown and greater Port Angeles know that Edna Petersen is the true comunity leader with the leadership vision to see us through these tough times.
ahem, she's not a good candidate for city council.
Edna is not forthright enough. She's not open and friendly. She is way, way tooo into backroom deals and the powers that have been, and continue to be.
No, let her keep running her junque shop and let her keep doing events like painting the town.
We need fresh blood, and less "as it has been' around this town. Less "Karen Rodgers-esque" and more new deal.
More Max Mania!
Man, your store must really be fun for customers to shop at...
"Excuse me? I really like this widget, but I'd like it in ice blue. Is that something you can order?"
"I could, but why bother? We'll be closed in three months."
"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that."
"All of downtown will!"
"All...?"
"You're insane if you think otherwise!"
"Excuse me?"
"It's your fault. All customers want is to shop at Walmart or make a trip to Silverdale."
"I'm doing my part to shop local."
"That's just a myth of the media. If they'd see my books, they'd find out no one shops here."
"I'm standing right here!"
"Liar!"
"Maybe I'll look for this online."
"I knew it!!"
no, the comment is more like "oh, that's too expensive, I can get it cheaper at Walmart"
OR
"I never go downtown"
OR
"no work, no money. Sorry"
"I would venture to say that the downtown area is at about 90% Full. I've been living here for about 20 years now and that hasn't changed."
Oh! This must be the voice of the "New Port Angeles" that was ".. unveiled July 11th"! Reality doesn't matter to the "New Port Angeles" ! All that matters is a (literally) blind adherance to the party line that all is great, and getting better. This poster sees NO changes in the downtown in the last 20 years. Yep, that sure is credible.
Another poster speaks of doing their part, and shopping locally. Absolutely commendable, but guess what? All the business that are closed in Port Angeles would NOT be closed if ENOUGH folks "shopped locally". That is one of the many points being made here. Rhetoric aside, the closures show that folks in Port Angeles systematically do not support local business, and many close as a result.
Oh. Excuse me. The nationally highlighted "Frugals" burger chain IS supported. You DID see that episode of "Trading Spouses" (or what ever it was called)on TV? THERE was a great window into "real life Port Angeles" the world got to see..
Yes, change is blowing in the wind and soon those winds of change will be rocking City Hall like a hurricane when Max Mania, the Fighting Reformer, takes his place on the City Council!
Throw the windows of City Hall open and let the bad air out, say the citizens of Port Angeles. The bad air of "backroom deals" "no-bid contracts" "crony capitalism" "pre-arranged votes"! After election day Max Mania will be doing some sprucing up, bet your bottom dollar!
We aren't going to take it any more. Two candidates represent the tired, stale past. The other candidate, well, who knows? Max Mania is a true community leader with the ability to confront the issues squarely, to face down graft and corruption in the seat of city government, to boldly take Port Angeles up where we belong!
Yes, Max Mania is all that ... and then some!
Funny to see how some always see their glass half empty.
It will be very interesting to see which business will close in the near future. Of course they'll blame everything and everybody but themseleves.
No, I have not seen "Trading Spouses". What is that, a reality show about swingers? I swear, they'll put anything on TV.
I didn't realize Port Angeles had such a vibrant swingers community.
Look, I honestly don't think things are *that* bad, and I don't think Port Angeles will be closing come 2010. But I'm not blind. Times are tough all over, and they've never been particularly outstanding here. I'm not pretending otherwise. But what I see, what I'm hopeful of, is that there's the *opportunity* to make this place grow. Ever since I moved here in the early '90s, this place has seemed like it's just coasting along, waiting to die. I don't get that impression anymore. In fact, I'm seeing a lot of positive things happen, a little here and a little there. Maybe it will fizzle out and we'll be back to where we always are. I sure hope not. I'm tired of sitting around moping. I want to do something to make this town grow, to help it survive. A little bit here, a little bit there.
"It will be very interesting to see which business will close in the near future."
You miss the point of all this. I don't think the folks here who sincerely care about Port Angeles and its' future see short term "trends" such as which businesses succeed or fail as the real issue, when it comes to the policies of the supposed "leadership". It is not about the "attitude" nor "mind set" of the readers and posters, nor of the everyday residents.
It IS about the same few who have been dictating the policies in this town for however many years now. It IS about the last couple sets of candidates who ran their elections telling voters THEY would be "different", but once elected, vote with the "old" council.
Edna, the PADA, PABA, CoC, EDC, etc, etc, etc do not have a convincing history of promoting needed "changes", as present circumstances clearly show. This thread was originally about how Edna et al had concocted a plan to give Port Angeles a "spruce up" to impress the flocks of tourists expected once the Hood Canal bridge repairs were done. Most of the rest of the world has been engaged in belt tightening in response to the global economic meltdown. And that meltdown is far from "over" by most estimates, with next year expected to be worse than this one.
It isn't about a fundemental life view of " ..a glass half full, or a glass half empty". It IS about the ability to recognize "reality", and the ability to respond appropriately! As this "paint the town" thread shows, Port Angeles continues to be lacking.
Post a Comment
<< Home