Most Of Council Would Return Center To Ballot Spokane Voters Narrowly Defeated Science Center Plans In September

A majority of Spokane City Council members said Tuesday they’d vote to put the proposal for a science center in Riverfront Park’s Pavilion back on the ballot in March.

“I’d definitely vote to bring it back,” said Councilwoman Bev Numbers, who shared the sentiment with five colleagues.

A Park Board subcommittee agreed Monday to ask the council to bring the proposal back to voters for a second try.

In September, voters narrowly defeated plans for the Pacific Science Center in the Pavilion. “No” votes topped “yes” votes by slightly more than 1 percent.

Council members Numbers, Phyllis Holmes, Joel Crosby and Orville Barnes, and Mayor Jack Geraghty said they still support the plan.

Despite their enthusiasm, half of them cautioned the Park Board.

“I expect answers to the questions the opposition asked,” said Barnes, whose comment was seconded by Geraghty and Numbers.

Barnes admitted the council was partly to blame for those questions not being answered before.

“I’m a contributing factor, and I don’t want to do that again,” Barnes said.

Attempts to reach Councilman Chris Anderson were unsuccessful.

While the council welcomed the plan’s possible return, opponents called the move to bring the proposal back a “slap in the face” to voters.

“They’re set on their own agenda,” said Steve Corker, who led the campaign to keep the science center out of the Pavilion. “That’s unfortunate.”

“They’re telling us ‘You’re going to do this again until you get it right,”’ said Lucy Reiner, who opposed putting the center in the park.

The subcommittee’s recommendation must be voted on by the entire Park Board before it goes to the council. Board president Dennis Hession said Tuesday he’s confident the plan has unanimous support.

“What they’re trying to do is to create arguments that defend their position rather than really finding out what citizens want,” Corker said.

“They keep hiring consultants to tell us what to do. They ought to be concerned about what the community wants.”

Corker said he thinks the Park Board should survey “no” voters about where they’d like to see the science center, adding that he’s not convinced it would succeed in Riverfront Park.

“My biggest fear is that they’ll build it and it won’t be well-attended,” Corker said.

He said he’s heard several possible locations suggested, such as the Washington Water Power Co. downtown steam plant.

Rob Strenge, WWP spokesman, said he’s heard casual conversations about putting the center in the plant, but the company hasn’t been approached by the science center.

Kevin Hughes, spokesman for the Seattle-based center, said a location outside the Pavilion isn’t being considered.

Besides being cost-prohibitive, it would mean starting over with new plans and studies.

“That would really mean going back to square one,” Hughes said.

The day after the vote, science center officials said they wouldn’t try a second time. Hughes blames that response on “disappointment.”

“Our proposal remains on the table,” Hughes said. “If the community can rally around and make this work, of course we’re interested.”

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: NEWS CONFERENCE Steve Clark, a Spokane Park Board member, plans a press conference on the Pacific Science Center proposal at 10 a.m. today in the Chase Gallery, Spokane City Hall, 808 W. Spokane Falls Boulevard.