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About The Columbia press. (Astoria, Or.) 1949-current | View Entire Issue (March 11, 2022)
The Columbia Press 4 Hammond: Continuing a sense of place Continued from Page 1 care of them (residents). We had to assure them that they would not lose that.” While the pandemic has dampened progress in myri- ad ways, the city of Warren- ton has a renewed interest in ensuring Hammond thrives. The city’s Building and Planning Department has been tasked with taking steps to remove blighted buildings, including vacant shops and even the decaying post office. Others in the city are working to entice new business along Pacific Drive. The city’s Marinas Adviso- ry Committee is focusing on improvements at Hammond Marina and encouraging businesses to open there. Spruce Up Warrenton, a grassroots group founded to improve downtown Warren- ton, has expanded its mission to include downtown Ham- mond. The city’s Parks Advisory Board approved the design for a new metal sign that will go at the entrance of Ham- The bell from the old Ham- mond School is preserved in downtown Hammond. mond’s downtown, an un- usual three-lane thorough- fare with a grassy, tree-lined median. “It’s the perfect little en- tryway,” Mayor Henry Bal- ensifer said. “Once we get more planning staff and a restructured planning de- partment … then we can start moving on cleaning up the commercial districts and downtown Hammond. We’ve been working to get people to lease or buy vacant buildings. Right now, it’s a boarded up, abandoned town.” Balensifer took his ideas for an eye-appealing gateway sign to local designer Polk Ri- ley, who developed both the Hammond sign and vertical signs that would designate March 11, 2022 all of Warrenton’s districts – Lexington, Flavel, Kindred, Hammond. “The idea was, how do we ensure that Hammond gets recognition as a former town and a district of Warrenton, but clearly is part of Warren- ton,” Balensifer said. “It’s got a ZIP code still and so very much a distinct identity from that. … But the town doesn’t exist anymore. We want to pay homage to that past and that history while acknowl- edging we’re all part of War- renton.” Money already is in the budget for the large entrance sign; the district designation signs will come later. “I guess it’s better than nothing,” said Gerald Poe, the only city commissioner who lives in the Hammond District. “I think any im- provement to Hammond as far as being welcoming is a good thing.” He’s looking forward to more focus on the vacant and deteriorating downtown buildings. Letter to the editor Support Kujala for county seat I was very happy to read in the newspaper that our current Warrenton/Ham- mond area representative on the County Commission, Mark Kujala, is asking to be re-elected. Our Warrenton and Ham- mond area is grouped with a small slice of Astoria in the county representation dis- tricts, but the vast majority of the population of the area resides west of Youngs Bay. Mark has always tried to do his absolute best for our peo- ple, and for him to be chosen as the County Commission chair acknowledges that the other commissioners believe he is doing a good job. I ask for you to please vote for Mark Kujala in the No- vember election so he may continue to represent our in- terests with the County Com- mission. Rick Newton Warrenton 4H plans Super Saturday, invites all Clatsop County young peo- ple ages 9 to 19 are invited to a free Super Saturday work- shop from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, April 9, at the Clatsop County Fairgrounds. Super Saturday activities include classes in shotgun, rifle, archery, a search-and- rescue dog demonstration, swine education, an intro- duction to small animal care, hiking, paper bead jewelry, egg education, Finnish art, robotics, and science. Children ages 5 to 8 are in- vited for games, storytime, and small animal encounters. Admission is free with the donation of nonperishable food items for the Clatsop County Food Bank. Lunch is available for $5 (sign up before arrival) or bring your own lunch. Registration is required by April 4 at signup.com/go/ faXnYBb or by calling OSU Extension at 503-325-8573.