Citizens’ Ideas For Property Run The Gamut Merry-Goround, Ice Rink, Library Just Few Of The Plans People Have Dreamed Up For Cda

There were calls for sled runs, fountains, places to cross-country ski and a merry-go-round.

Getting rid of the city boat ramps, pushing parking underground, and building better playgrounds also were on the minds of citizens who attended Tuesday evening’s brainstorming session on the future of the city’s downtown property.

The city owns a crescent-shaped piece of ground that includes Memorial Field, City Park, the boat ramp and McEwen Field.

Those include tennis courts that people initially said they wanted to keep.

More picnic shelters, converting Memorial Field into a civic center and coming up with beach-side volleyball courts also were batted around.

Some people talked of making Tubbs Hill accessible for the handicapped.

But when the far-ranging lists had to be narrowed to a few top choices, those ideas fell in favor of a new library, a combination community center-recreational facility, an ice rink, and a performing arts building.

A community railroad that would connect the city’s waterfront facilities was offered among the top choices.

Combining an aquarium, botanical garden and arboretum also made the list.

Some pushed for not building any new community facilities downtown, but locating them in north Coeur d’Alene, because that’s the direction the city is growing.

And while getting rid of the boat ramp didn’t make the top cut, relocating it did.

Among other things, people appear tired of the number of boat trailers around downtown parking areas.

About 70 people gathered at North Idaho College to make the suggestions.

They were split into groups of seven or eight to make the long wish lists that later were trimmed to three top choices in each group.

All of the suggestions will be recorded.

The ideas will become part of the city’s long-range plans for its downtown holdings, Mayor Al Hassell said.

“We thought it was about time to get the community together to find out what the community wants,” he said.

“I don’t care how adept the council is at coming up with new ideas, the community will come up with more - often some of the best.”

There probably will be little action on the suggestions this year.

But something likely will take shape in the next few years.

If it’s a pool and community hall it probably will be at Fifth and Front streets, where the parks and recreation offices are.

At a retreat last spring, the council made a community center one of its top priorities.

That facility would include gyms, a swimming pool, a video game room and a community meeting room with an estimated $3.2 million cost.

, DataTimes