First Phase of Port Angeles' Waterfront Redevelopment
By the end of 2012, the first part of the Port Angeles Waterfront Redevelopment plan will have been completed. This will include an esplanade on the west side of the ferry terminal. There will also be a makeover of Railroad Avenue from the western edge of the ferry terminal to Oak Street, and Oak Street between Railroad Avenue and Front Street. This will include repaving, widening the sidewalks and improving the lighting.
posted by Tom Harper at 10:51 AM
13 Comments:
Well, we can see the $14 million spent on the "Gateway" really paid off. Since it was built, Port Angeles went from a 3 international ferry town, to just one ferry that can't stay filled.
Remember the artist's conception pictures of the "Gateway" before it was built, with the throngs of people milling about? In reality, it sits empty most of the time.
But, as we see, it is all about "grants", again. These "waterfront improvements" all being paid for by grants and taxpayers' money. Where would Port Angeles be, without all the grant funding that keeps it (somewhat) afloat?
Without all the tax money pouring in, Port Angeles would have dried up long ago.
This project is funded by the money belonging to the city of Port Angeles. It's our money. I have been trying to get the Mr. West and Mr. Meyer to see that like the gateway this is not going to be what they promise. I am not against beautifying the waterfront, I am against spending this much to put in a flat of concrete. They also plan to redo the pier with something that looks the same but not as nicely done. They tell me there is broad public support for this project which i disagree. As of tonight I will be doing a live feed on twitter of the city council meeting and everyone thereafter. This is so that those who can not make it to the meetings can keep abreast of what our city government is doing so that we can have a clearer voice as a community. The council is willing to listen, i have found, but not many city residents participate in the way the city is run. We just complain about the decisions after they are made. Lets change that and make this the city we WANT to live in. Check it out at @PAexaminer on twitter or if you do not twitter all feeds will be archived and open for discussion at www.PortAngelesExaminer.weebly.com These will be sort of a play by play of the meetings with my comments thrown in. Discussion is welcome and encouraged!
What's your point? There is an important international port here right next to very important shipping lanes. And an important park. And lots of public forest land. Yes, this will never be a ghost town, because of those things. Bring it on feds, I say, your money, and the people DC sends here to create jobs while protecting our heritage and resources.
Gonna run out of grant money someday, every town in this country is going after them. Frankly, I don't know how all this silly grant crap got started anyway.
Did you see that now the number one US EXPORT is fuel?
So, you wonder why you're paying so much? Cuz someone in another country is willing to pay more than you.
anami said...
"This project is funded by the money belonging to the city of Port Angeles. It's our money."
I may be wrong, but I believe the "redevelopment" money the city is using came from the State of Washington taxpayers in the form of the Chi-Whit-zen settlements.
That said, I look forward to the "live feeds" from the city council meetings.
Thanks.
Did you see that now the number one US EXPORT is fuel?
I did, and I was under the impression that we hardly had enough refinery's to supply our needs.
There sure is a lot of smoke and mirrors in this country.
Now com'on Billy, that sure isn't news to YOU, is it? That "1 percent" have been jerkin' us around like frogs on the line for years.
We all have been paying record amounts of our money for fuel this last year. Not because we're using more, but because this slime has been just ripping us off blind, all the while saying it has something to do with "Middle East instability".
Right. Instability that didn't stop them from having enough of everything to be able to make the fuel we could have cheaper, to help restore our economy, the number one US export.
The Republicans say how "Business can do a better job with the economy"? That candidates with big business backgrounds will solve all our problems. Really?
From all this, it really looks like they are the real problem, only looking out for what they can get into their own pockets.
While the USA goes down.
The money comes out of the cities budget and it is earmarked for capital projects. Sure a waterfront development is a capital project but so is creating a co-operativly owned industry that creates thousands of jobs for Port Angeles. If you ask me that is way better than this money spent to "impress international businesses" to Port ANgeles. International businesses like Nippon to whom the city gives over 32,000 in electrical discounts while our rates go up and who employed something like .5% of the population. The quote above is from Nathan West he later said he actually said "inspire" but the point is the same catering to these companies is more important than intelligent uses of this money for our community.
Well, maybe these "improvements" will do the trick, and suddenly Port Angeles will be a properous community. Maybe folks are just waiting in the wings, saying "If only there was a cement sidewalk along the water, I'd move my business to Port Angeles".
We'll see.
I hate the water front plan. I hate the fact that our city seems to not listen. The city council is just window dressing, as the town projects are dictated by a man who's background was in the military -- unlimited budget. Projects are done because "he says so" which is just so very wrong for this town, at this time. The grant money for one project probably gets robbed by peter to pay paul. Why do you think the city finance guru is headed for some hot water?
The Economic Development Fund money being used for the waterfront "promenade" (why does that word remind me of something to slick down one's hair?) could be much better spent for upgrading essential infrastructure - like city streets and alleys; street lights; water mains.
I bet 95% of the people in Port Angeles think that this waterfront project is a waste of money. But Kent Myers can put on a pretty slide show for the Chamber of Commerce and service clubs and when the audiences politely applaud, he translates this into how much the community strongly supports the plan.
It must be pretty heady stuff to be sucked-up-to by all the out of town consultants who make big bucks off of our little town.
"But Kent Myers can put on a pretty slide show for the Chamber of Commerce and service clubs and when the audiences politely applaud, he translates this into how much the community strongly supports the plan."
You sure got THAT right!
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