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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Cda Chamber Gives Full Support To Bringing Back Hydro Races Environmental Alliance Rejects Proposal For Labor Day Racing

The move to return hydroplane racing to Lake Coeur d’Alene took on a more serious tone Thursday when the chamber of commerce announced it is forming a separate organization to focus on bringing back the boats.

The chamber board voted to endorse putting Coeur d’Alene on the professional racing circuit each Labor Day weekend provided “all environmental and public concerns are adequately addressed,” a chamber news release said.

Meanwhile, the Kootenai Environmental Alliance voted this week to oppose hydroplane racing. “We are opposed to the potential disturbance and pollution on the lake,” said George Brabb, alliance president.

The environmental alliance also is opposed to using Tubbs Hill as a grandstand site, as hydroplane promoters want. “We think of Tubbs Hill as a special resource for the community,” Brabb said. “It’s pretty fragmented and could easily be destroyed.”

But in its resolution passed Wednesday, the chamber “also insists on strong and effective management of environmental and public concerns,” according to the news release.

Chamber manager Pat McGaughey, however, opposes allowing citizens to vote on whether to allow the races. He maintains the City Council should make that call.

In 1985, when the last serious attempt was made to renew hydroplane racing in Coeur d’Alene, voters rejected the idea 3-to-1 in a record turnout.

The City Council will hold hearings on the issue next month. It voted in November to consider the races but did not take up the issue of a public ballot.

McGaughey says the races won’t cost taxpayers anything and will bring all kinds of tourist dollars to town. The new group will deal with all of the questions and costs, from sanitation to security, he said.

Law enforcement officials, who emphasize they don’t have an official position on the races, say there are several serious questions remaining.

It will take lots of manpower to cordon off the portion of the lake that will be used for the races, said Sgt. Dan Soumas, who runs the Marine Division of the Kootenai County sheriff’s office. Because race promoters are asking to use the highest traffic area on the north side of the lake, it could take all six of the Marine Division’s boats and all of its deputies to handle the racing events.

That would leave Kootenai County’s 17 other lakes without marine patrols, Soumas said. “We can make alternative arrangements, but who is going to foot the bill?” Soumas said.

The Marine Division is funded by boat registration fees. There are questions about whether boaters who pay those fees benefit from their dollars being used on hydroplane racing.

Sheriff Pierce Clegg notes that Labor Day weekend can be one of the busiest on Lake Coeur d’Alene. The races would come about the time most of the summer-only marine deputies are returning to college.

There are bound to be arrests by virtue of the crowds that will attend the races. That could be a problem because Kootenai County already is housing 185 people in a jail built for 129.

“We want to do whatever the community wants,” Clegg said. But “we want to do it safely.”

, DataTimes MEMO: Idaho headline: CdA chamber lends support to hydro races

Idaho headline: CdA chamber lends support to hydro races