State Planners Honor Mayor Bloem

Two people are largely responsible for the transformation of the Coeur d’Alene waterfront and downtown over the last 25 years — Duane Hagadone and Coeur d’Alene Mayor Sandi Bloem. Hagadone, of course, is responsible for changing Bob Templin’s old North Shore Resort into the Coeur d’Alene Resort of today, with the floating boardwalk & private golf course and floating green. His plans for Blackwell Island will further place his lasting stamp on the waterfront. Bloem, meanwhile, has been the guiding light in the makeover of downtown Coeur d’Alene as a downtown business owner. Also, as mayor, she deserves considerable credit for the ongoing Riverstone project, Prairie Trail, and education corridor along the Spokane River. Not to mention the McEuen Field upgrade and, off the water, the Kroc Center. Bloem’s work was recognized Thursday when she was awarded the Planning Leadership Award at the 4th annual convention of the American Planning Association/Idaho in Moscow. You can read about it here.

Question: What has been Mayor Sandi Bloem’s greatest accomplishment over the last 25 years?