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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 20, 2015)
8A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2015 Square: Some want to see more input from the community Continued from Page 1A as an interim step, the same idea the city had a decade ago when the old supermar- ket was demolished for an interim plaza while a perma- nent design for the block was debated. The supermarket’s foundation collapsed after heavy rains in 2010, leaving the hole. Cronin cautioned the ad- visory committee that the city could take another six months hearing public feed- back and still have multiple opinions and a lack of clear consensus. “I need to take some time to kind of process it and come up with the best solution,” Cronin said afterward. “And I don’t know what that solution is. Or if I have a solution.” Cronin has prepared a re- development strategy that outlines a handful of steps, including building commu- nity support, identifying GHYHORSPHQW FRVWV DQG D ¿- nancing path, and marketing the square to the real estate development community. He will likely take a ver- sion of that strategy to the City Council in December, and may — or may not — rec- ommend a library and hous- ing option. “The council has a choice to make a decision and live with that decision,” Cro- nin said, “or they have the de- cision to not do anything and just continue to collect more input and do more listening in the community.” A civic square Mayor Arline LaMear and WKH &LW\ &RXQFLO LGHQWL¿HG Heritage Square as a possi- bility for a new library and workforce housing after the library expansion into the Waldorf fell apart because of opposition from preserva- tionists who want to save the old hotel. The concept is to turn the square, home to the Garden of Surging Waves, into a civic center that could help draw more people and business downtown. Ingrid “Sunnie” Bell and Joshua Bessex/The Daily Astorian A sign at Heritage Square explains the history of the site, as well as future steps going forward. The city is debating whether to build a new library and housing on the square. Mike Phillips, the command- er of the American Legion Clatsop Post 12, which takes XS D VLJQL¿FDQW SRUWLRQ RI Heritage Square, told the City Council on Monday that they oppose a new library and housing at the square. The Legion, which plans memorials, murals and other improvements to the post, prefers a plaza with a gaze- bo and kiosks representing the city’s ethnic and cultural groups. Bell, who has worked with house in October at Fort George Brewery and Public House’s Lovell Showroom to show off some design options and has done other public Lack of consensus outreach, but no favorite has The project advisory com- emerged. mittee was not ready Thurs- “This is big. I really day night to say whether a would like more input from new library or housing should the community,” said Norma go on Heritage Square, a Hernandez, the chairwoman sentiment that, many on the of the city’s Parks and Rec- FRPPLWWHH EHOLHYH UHÀHFWV reation Board, who serves on the lack of consensus in the the advisory committee. community. She said she has heard The city held an open many different opinions, in- the Legion’s auxiliary, also said that any redevelopment project should go before vot- ers for approval. cluding many that are unfa- vorable. “I don’t think it will be fair to our citizens,” she said of a recommendation. “I think they still need to voice more. Some of them are hold- ing back. Some of them are still muddling about it — they need to think a little bit more about it.” Dan Stein, who works in commercial real estate and serves on the advisory com- mittee, did not want to go be- \RQGXUJLQJWKHFLW\WR¿OOWKH hole as an interim step. He said, like several others on the committee, that he does not think a new library has to be at Heritage Square. “I think that we’re over- stepping,” he said. “I think that this group, candidly, is overstepping. I think that we were asked to investigate it. I think we’ve made a very good faith effort. “From what we’re seeing in the community, both at the meetings and anecdotally from all of us, that there real- ly isn’t a consensus.” A special thanks goes out to Trece Gurrad, vice-president of patient care services, for her dedication to United Way and its mission. Trece is CMH’s United Way representative and a member of the Board of the Clatsop County United Way. Thank you for your generosity *4/*HYLNP]LYZ CMH Caregivers raised more than $16,000 to support Clatsop County United Way during its recent fundraising drive. We are proud to support United Way as it improves the lives of people in our communities. We encourage you too, to support United Way, which passes the money it raises on to worthy non-profits in Clatsop County. Trece joined CMH in March of 2013. Since then, she has led several initiatives to improve patient care, including installation of a new nurse call system. Her dedication to CMH and its neighboring communities is apparent in her everyday actions. Under Trece’s leadership, CMH’s United Way donation drive was fun and very successful. Thank you, Trece! &YDIBOHF4USFFU"TUPSJB0SFHPOttXXXDPMVNCJBNFNPSJBMPSHt"1MBOFUSFF%FTJHOBUFE)PTQJUBM
