We commend leaders in the city of Chehalis for coming together in support of a comprehensive long-range plan for simultaneously dealing with growth and improving the city beyond just the downtown area.
Last week the City Council allocated $175,000 for a year-long study toward that end. It will include examining household demographics, employment, parking, land use, traffic accident statistics and an inventory of businesses and property in the Old Town and Twin City Town Center areas.
The goal of the plan evolving from the study will be to map out the citys look in the future. The plan will take into account the growth and change that is occurring and anticipated and recommend how to tie all the elements together cohesively.
This is based on a community vision for the future. Its a major step that improves transportation, economic development, how the community looks, how people flow through the community, said City Manager Merlin MacReynold.
Leading the project, appropriately dubbed the Chehalis Renaissance and in part inspired by the citys new Vernetta Smith Timberland Library, is the citys new economic development director, Joanne Schwartz. We felt we needed to get our arms around it and we needed a direction, she said of the growth and change that is occurring. We wanted it to come together in a single plan of action … in one master plan.
Chehalis Renaissance leaders point out that rather than focusing just on the downtown area, the plan will also coordinate residential and commercial growth in other areas of the city.
Such comprehensive planning appears overdue. The citys last revitalization study and plan began in 1999 with a downtown focus. The study led to recommendations the city has since implemented, including improving city entrances, kiosks and signs listing community events, restoring the farmers market and the Facade Improvement Program.
With the new study pending, Chehalis Renaissance has already determined its first project - landscaping of the new library, expected to open in about a year.
This isnt just a plan. Its implementation. Were not putting money into a book thats going to sit on a shelf, assured Councilman Terry Harris. The 1999 plan was a success and theres no reason to think the Chehalis Renaissance wont be either.
We congratulate Chehalis officials for taking the initiative and leadership on this and wish them success in meeting the exciting challenges they are taking on. Without planning, vision and cohesion, the citys growth and look would be helter-skelter.
Support hospital event
The 19th annual Festival of Trees holiday fund-raiser to benefit Providence Centralia Hospital under way this week is held for and deserves support from the entire community.
This years goal is $120,000, with at least $100,000 of that going toward a digital mammography system at the hospital and $20,000 for a state-of-the-art fetal monitoring system for the hospitals birthing center. Last year about $114,000 was raised.
The event, sponsored by the Providence Health Care Foundation with support sponsorships from local businesses, began Monday at the Blue Pavilion on the Southwest Washington Fairgrounds.
With the exception of Thursdays Thanksgiving observance, the festival will continue through Saturday, concluding with the Gala Dinner and Auction.
Tonights Holiday Premier honors 75 or so talented designers in the community for their creative decorating of trees and their wreathes, ornaments and other items donated for the festival auction. Wednesday is Family Night, with an emphasis on children, to be admitted free. Friday is Senior Day, free for seniors, and Community Night, with free admission to the public and plenty of great live local entertainment.
Admission will be charged for others at public viewings each day of the auction items.
The festival is a great way for the public to show its appreciation for the hospital, help it serve our health care needs better with modern technology and to get in the holiday spirit.
