Spokane7
68°
May 24, 2011 in Idaho
CdA Council approves McEuen plan
The Coeur d’Alene City Council on Tuesday voted 5-1 to move forward on a plan to dramatically update its aging downtown park, McEuen Field, despite extensive opposition, mostly to removing the baseball fields and the Third Street boat launch.
“You can beat on me. You can not like me. My next time around if you don’t re-elect me, that’s fine,” said Councilman Woody McEvers. But, he said, “I’m going to do the best job I can for the future. I’m doing the best I can and that’s how I came to this decision.”
Councilman Ron Edinger cast the dissenting vote.
“I’ve got a clear conscience. I can get up and look in the mirror and say, ‘Ron, you did one hell of a job,’” Edinger said to wild applause from the crowd, most of whom favored putting the matter to a public vote.
The vote came after a lengthy and heated public hearing that drew as many as 400 people. Thirty minutes into Tuesday’s meeting, dozens of audience members began shaking “public vote” signs and chanting “vote, vote, vote!”
It was par for the course in a process that has drawn extensive controversy and opposition over the past few months since a steering committee and design team released the plan.
Highlights include relocating the Third Street boat launch and ball fields, reducing the size of the surface parking lot and adding acres of green space and walking trails.
Hundreds of people showed up to either cheer or jeer the plan. Supporters called it a visionary plan that would make the park more accessible to more people. One woman even pledged $5,000 to support the park update, along with 300 hours of volunteer labor.
“We need to save McEuen from atrophy and under-utilization,” said Jennifer Drake, a fourth generation Coeur d’Alene resident. “It’s about aiming for greatness and only being happy when we achieve it. It is absolutely the right thing to do for this community.”
However, opponents decried the removal of the boat launch and said the plan would create a Disneyland-like park not in keeping with Coeur d’Alene’s small-town feel. They said it was inappropriate to spend millions on it during an economic downtown. Two even sang Joni Mitchell’s song “Big Yellow Taxi” – “They paved paradise, put up a parking lot.”
“No way has the community come up and asked for a vote in anything as strong as this,” said Sharon Culbreth. “Take it to a public vote. The city can’t afford this at this time. Please don’t be so arrogant.”
Before public comment began, council President Ron Edinger made four motions – to eliminate any changes to Tubbs Hill, to leave the ball fields and boat launch in place and to put the matter to a public vote.
Only the motion to remove any consideration of Tubbs Hill from the plan passed. The council said any changes to the popular nature park, such as making it more accessible to people who use wheelchairs, would be taken up separately.
The council also approved a motion made by Councilman Mike Kennedy that requires that no new taxes, levies or bonds be used to pay for the changes to the park.
Cost estimates for the plan range from $23 million to $40 million with a two- to three-level parking structure as the biggest ticket item. Other costs for the plan’s 27 different elements range from $55,000 for a sledding hill to $428,000 for a children’s play area to $2 million for a grand plaza and waterfront promenade.
Although funding for the entire plan has not been identified, the city’s urban renewal agency, the Lake City Development Corp., has said it has about $12 million to devote to several public projects, including McEuen Field. How much will be made available, and for which features of the park, remains to be seen.
The plan includes replacing the boat launch at Silver Beach on Lake Coeur d’Alene and relocating the ball fields elsewhere in the city. The plan emerged after months of meetings between a 21-person steering committee and a design team. Adjustments were made after numerous public meetings and the return of 1,400 surveys.
Two Fernwood residents dead after Monday accident 
greenlibertarian on May 24 at 11:01 p.m.
Numerous errors in this story. As but one.
“The plan includes replacing the boat launch at Silver Beach ,,,”
Huh?
oneanddone on May 25 at 5:05 a.m.
Errors are nothing new to the Cda Press, if it’s an error. Maybe Hagadone managed to sneak in a taxpayer paid improvement of his marina at Silver Beach. He certainly got his money’s worth from the City Council this day. Anyone remember way back when he signed on the bottom line guaranteeing that 3rd St dock would belong to the community forever? I’m also pretty certain that in the next release of Webster’s Dictionary the definition of “disingenuous” will be the continuing effort by local politicians to tell us that funds spent by LCDC really aren’t taxpayer funds.
eagleeye on May 25 at 7:04 a.m.
The city has a plan to build a new boat launch on public owned land at Silver Beach. It has been talked about for months. Maybe a little education on the sublect would be in order before making a comment.
RGNASH on May 25 at 7:09 a.m.
Get the tar and feathers for the scumbags….These people are like Scabs that cross a picket line. They have shown that they must be one the take from the Hag….What did they get in return to give all our Treasures to The Hag…short for Hagadone….Now the Hag with claim the park for himself and as an extention of the hotel for his conventions that take over our town and can’t even use local resources. Whats next a boardwalk around Tubbs Hill??
City council of Hagville (CDA) should be behind bars and not the hags bar
How about using some cash to repair the City Park.
Not going to spend $$ at the hotel anymore..The CDA Resort is crumbling after building in on log pilingss…
Boycott Hagville (CDA)
johnclarke on May 25 at 7:26 a.m.
“Maybe Hagadone managed to sneak in a taxpayer paid improvement of his marina at Silver Beach.”
oneanddone - maybe? This has been Hagadone’s plan all along! He has always wanted that boat launch and ball field out of there. He does not want the unwashed masses next to his resort.
The CDA resort is super overpriced, and simply not that great compared to many destination resorts. So essentially you now have the folks that can afford to stay and play golf - and the locals who are not welcome. What they are welcome to do - is foot the bill.
I will never understand this Cowles/Hagadone mentality. Pay for you own improvments people, stop sticking the taxpayer with your bills. It’s not like you can’t afford it.
steveberde on May 25 at 7:50 a.m.
How great for CDA- when it’s all finished you will be hard pressed to find anyone who
Was against.
I applaud the council for their courage. I wish Spokane had their leadership and courage.
Steve Berde
johnclarke on May 25 at 7:57 a.m.
Courage apparently equals no public vote. I don’t know what you mean with your Spokane comment. The “leadership” was courageous enough to stick us with a shopping mall parking garage for like a zillion dollars.
What’s the next taxpayer funded corporate welfare scam ?
How about we fix the roads with our tax dollars? okthanksbye
greenlibertarian on May 25 at 9:01 a.m.
The plan includes replacing the boat launch at Silver Beach on Lake Coeur d’Alene
eagleeye on May 25 at 7:04 a.m.
The city has a plan to build a new boat launch on public owned land at Silver Beach. It has been talked about for months. Maybe a little education on the sublect would be in order before making a comment.
I guess what threw me off was “replacing” the boat launch at Silver Beach. There is no existing boat launch there to replace, near as I can tell. It’s an odd, but perhaps correct use of the term “replace”, not the meaning we usually ascribe to the word.
travelodge on May 25 at 9:23 a.m.
I for one welcome the improvements. The new facilities will be a great addition to CDA’s waterfront. I support the councils decision wholeheartedly.
I say bring the Hydro’s back too!!