Some thoughts on the new Cornwall Beach Park.
First, let's create a new experience on the waterfront. Marine Park, Boulevard Park and Zuanich Point create a very monochromatic experience in Bellingham. So what sort of buildout might we see?
The initial construction should be minimal as it fits into the cleanup, restoration and sequestering of the landfill. Grading the site should provide a base to start from not a final product. I say this because I believe that designers work very diligently to create the experience on paper then build it in reality, sort of a Disney-esque approach. The problem with this approach is that unlike a theme park public spaces have to work all by themselves without artificial stimuli constantly injected from a guiding hand. Leaving the park in a minimal state for some years will allow the public uses to identify themselves and then budgets can be altered to provide a permanent solution for those uses.
There is a cleanup at the RG Haley property, now City owned, that may take advantage of a need for some parking or hard spaces. Through capping, sequestering and managing stormwater/groundwater we may see a lower cost cleanup there. If the land is capped we can use it for parking areas, boat storage and day use boat launching. The shoreline will be armored in areas but a groin built into the bay can provide protection for a softer beach and boat small boat launch.
I suggest that a small boat launch could provide a replacement for the launch in Fairhaven when the old one silts in. The Fairhaven launch is already compromised so we should get this going quickly.
Another idea is to add 7 sandy firepits. The emotional joy we get from enjoying a shoreside fire is almost a primal one yet in urban waterfronts it's nearly impossible to do. Cornwall Beach offers this opportunity. This type of activity also breaks up the monochrome Bellingham waterfront park experience.
My vision right now? A boaters area with some parking for trailered boats that can be launched there, an organization like the Community Boating Center managing a small boat activity or selling bundles of firewood, basic infrastructure that is affordable and doable right now e.g. regrade, cap, hydroseed, add firepits and a few gravel trails.
I am a pulmonary patient and go to the salt water as a refuge because the air is cleaner. Burning fire is a source of dangerous air pollution that is harmful to anyone with asthma or lung disease. The lights from the fire and the smoke would also be harmful for migrating birds and wintering sea birds. We really need to think of approaches that are more sustainable and in harmony with nature.
ReplyDeleteYou and I will disagree but I gotta ask, how is an urbanized area ever going to be sustainable or in harmony with nature.
DeleteI say we will disagree because I believe it is impossible for what humans do to ever be in harmony with any natural system. Your peaceful shoreside jaunt which relaxes you personally and refreshes your spirit is not in harmony with any of nature's creations which is why every insect, bird, fish or sea lion flees at your approach.
I do understand your desire for clean air, I too suffer from environmental allergies from impure air and yet I can't seem to stop the world in it's tracks to satisfy my need - would if I could but I can't.
Your point about burning wood has value, especially in relation to recent discussions about air quality in Whatcom County. The 3rd largest air pollution source here is burning wood.
Thanks for jumping in here and commenting, it's always valued even if we seem at odds. :-)
My last thought from the FB discussion: creating real, top notch habitat in a dense urban environment is practically impossible. I believe that we must do our level best to maximize urban habitat improvements and minimize further degradation. But with stormwater outfalls, water's edge industry, boating, light and noise pollution, recreation and so on there just isn't good habitat in that kind of human space.
DeleteTherefore, while we are working for the best outcomes in the urbanized areas we must also focus tremendous effort in our suburban, exurban, rural and hinterland spaces where we can get legitimate, top-notch habitat with lasting results.
A good, local success story is the wild salmon found spawning recently in a revitalized Lake Terrell Creek - real suburban/quasi-rural habitat that just isn't going to be reproduced on Whatcom Creek.
Down where I grew up, and just outside Centralia, my brother found a salmon in a creek that I didn't even know was a 'creek'. I mean I knew it as a drainage not a real creek with access to the Chehalis River. The presence of that salmon was made possible by State action amidst the howling of farmers, foresters and ORVers. 30 miles upstream from that my mom's resident otters were found once again eating the migrating salmon, again made possible by action that allows for legitimate setbacks and no-impact areas.
Similar occurrences probably happen on the Nooksack but, unfortunately, I seriously doubt we'll find any otter habitat on the creek in downtown Bellingham.
Best outcomes in Whatcom Creek? Get the stormwater out of it.