With 137 acres of waterfront to use as a palette for the Bellingham's new oceanscape, you'd figure that the endless possibilities would excite and ignite the masses. But, just as the camel was the product of a committee, with both the City and the Port of Bellingham working collaboratively, the people on the street should get ready for more deliberation than the Scopes Trial, with a murkier verdict. Which is brilliant. Venice developed over the course of a lot longer than the time we're giving ourselves here, and it still floods. Boardwalks like Boulevard Park, that you remember for a lifetime might need almost as long to plan; ocean-side parks like Marine Park, that we pass down to our kids should start with architectural design that was passed through generations of architects. Have you ever gone on a city tour in Europe where the architecture is more than 400 years old? Those buildings that draw a picture of the city they're in span over governments toppling, changes in history. To know that the statues, structures, parks, and seascapes weren't just the product of a few groups of people, but rather a few generations collaborating to elevate the history of Bellingham, sounds like a better destination than a quick cab ride to a marina and waterfront condos. The existing structures on this acreage we're to work with were built in a short amount of time, for the short term gain of a few. Maybe we could teach our kids that we learned our lesson, and we're taking our time.

Chris McNamara

Labels: Bellingham Waterfront Development, Chris McNamara, Opinion