Riverfront promises broken
The Park Board is threatening to close the Imax due to low patronage. I just went to the 3:30 showing of “Breaking Dawn,” and there were only 10 people. Imax isn’t the problem; it’s too many times, and prices too high.
The Spokesman-Review has printed numerous letters of mine with my suggestions for Riverfront Park. This is the first year I only went there for the Fourth of July, the Spokane Symphony concert, and Pig Out. Otherwise, there’s no reason to go downtown, as there are hundreds of acres of parkland in Spokane to choose from.
In 1999, the citizens were lied to and deceived by the city and Park Board. They told us there wasn’t enough money in the budget to maintain Riverfront. So we voted to buy land, and put in “revenue generating” attractions. Not only is the land empty 13 years later, some was sold for $1 to build a condo on park land.
Check out Elitch Gardens in Denver. A smaller-scale version could easily be built here, with quality attractions drawing visitors and citizens alike to downtown. But the first priority needs to be restoring the Pavilion and putting a permanent roof on.
Richard Trerise
Spokane