Pick a small town, any small town, and take a good look at it. What’s interesting about it is that it probably started out one way and, over time, became something else. Unless it’s one of those quaint Colonial villages that sell licorice in the shops and where everyone wears leather pants — that kind of thing is unnatural, though. But real-live towns have to make decisions in order to survive. Sometimes they’re little decisions, made daily, and sometimes they’re big decisions that determine the future direction of a town’s growth.
Let’s look at the town of Hoquiam, Washington, up in the Pacific Northwest, right on the edge of Grays Harbor. The town was born and raised a lumber town; logging was its life. And now, years later, logging continues to be a part of the town’s heritage, celebrated annually in parades and logging competitions and an internationally known Loggers’ Playday. But if there’s a chance to grow, how should it be handled?
Meaning what to do with its waterfront area. The Hoquiam River flows through downtown on its way to Grays Harbor, and it is this area that has raised the discussion. Waterfront development has done wonderful things for cities such as San Antonio and Baltimore, and while it is quite a bit smaller, still there’s so much potential in a river running through a city.
The waterfront was last a cultural focal point in the 1980s. Recently development has taken an interest in the area, and so it’s on the people to think seriously about how they want their town to grow, and what they want it to grow into, and how best to use their taxpayer money. There are, of course, no guarantees.
A potentially interesting factor in the development is its relationship (call it a friendly rivalry) with Aberdeen, the larger town to the east. The two cities are separated by an avenue, so they’re closely connected. Changes in one will undoubtedly affect the other. The responsibilities, then, in making development decisions are bigger than just the city’s own limits. A developing city becomes a regional evolution.
Whatever it finally becomes, Hoquiam will have to maintain its heritage while forging ahead — becoming something new while remaining recognizable as what it once was. This is not easy, especially as towns grow. But it is of course possible, especially if the community makes these big decisions together, wisely.
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