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Park’s open space vital

The Spokesman-Review

All property owners pay taxes into Conservation Futures – our popular open-lands fund. Yet, for many city residents who don’t have cars and/or don’t hike, Riverfront Park is their open land. On a recent sunny weekend the park was filled with people. The city continues to promote downtown living, and the huge Kendall Yards project will offer an easy walk to the park. No doubt usage of the park will increase dramatically.

Removal of the YMCA building is an open-land and shoreline recovery issue. Thus, conserving this site for the future is a good fit for Conservation Futures funds. But, will the City Council accept the CF funds? The council has exempted downtown condos and Kendall Yards from taxes for the next decade or so. Surely, the council isn’t now clinging to the old YMCA building as its budgetary salvation?

In the depths of the empty YMCA building, a flowing stream and a live beaver have recently been discovered. Both seem to symbolize the call of many residents to the council to accept the CF money and raze the building, thereby opening the land and restoring the natural shoreline of our cherished river and park.

Judy Belous

Spokane



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