In response to a Terrence Vent article, “Neighborhood bounded by old and new: Mix in Latah/Hangman area poses challenge for council” (South Voice, Thursday, March 15, 2018):

As one of the senior residents of the Latah/Hangman creek neighborhood, I found Terrence Vent’s article poorly researched and misleading.

I take most exception to the statement that “the Hangman creek community” is against the Hangman Creek Trail Corridor. If the “community” is Davidson, Huschka, and Schrock, they don’t represent the overwhelming positive neighborhood comments supporting the project, or the thousands of volunteer hours that are going into the trail’s plan and development. Last fall we held an extraordinary two day neighborhood charrette planning meeting, sponsored by the National Park Service. The charrette was heavily attended, and out of 297 people who filled out the questionnaire, only 3 were negative.

The trail concept goes from People’s Park to Hatch Road. The plan includes a professional habitat management plan, planting and tree restoration, and outreach to every citizen and neighborhood including the (Spokane) City Council.

Great cities have trails and green corridors that celebrate nature while protecting it. Spokane deserves leadership at all levels willing to create a better future, and not just wring their hands over how tough life has become in the big city.

Chris Kopczynski,