The Homer Tribune :: Homer, Alaska

The Weekender: What's Happening This Weekend in Homer?

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

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OPINION

• Editorial

• Letters to the Editor

City hall — get involved now

You know how it is — you go to a planning meeting armed with lots of fresh ideas and concepts to contribute to the public process, only to find that the planning is well beyond the point where it can implement a truly open, inclusive process.
A great example of this was Fred Meyer II. As required by city code, the Fred Meyer architects came to town several times armed with glossy poster boards depicting their plan. What’s your opinion, they asked. Homer turned out in droves, offering suggestions to make the building fit in with the community’s aesthetics. When they came back, the buildings had been modified slightly, but were fundamentally the same design. Why? Because it would have cost way too much to rip up the existing design and start over.
But for once, planners have got it right. The city is working toward building a new city hall, and they want your input now. Trust us when we say few decisions have been made yet about this project. It is still wide open where the city hall will go, what it will look like, what facilities it should contain, and how it will be funded. That’s not to say there aren’t lots of ideas floating around. At the first meeting of the committee charged with making recommendations to the council about the project, tons of ideas were presented. Perhaps the building should be several stories high with parking underneath to minimize the footprint of the building. Perhaps it should include a meeting facility open to the public. Perhaps it should house more departments than the current city hall does.
One thing is for sure — if the current plan for development sticks, decisions on these things will be made at record speed. Unlike Homer’s typical method of plan, present, revise, repeat, repeat that can sometimes take several years, the council recently approved a schedule that would start construction of the facility next summer, with occupancy by fall of 2009. That’s warp speed by Homer’s standards.
So now is the time to speak up if you have ideas. This building will break ground in the town center, and possibly incorporate a town plaza area for public use. It will likely dictate the shape of the entire area — where roads will run, what areas are most easily developed by businesses attracted to the area, where paths and green space will lie.
This part of town, with its former history as the site of the KBBI Concert on the Lawn, and its contentious role as the site of Homer’s first foray into large box stores, has inspired strong emotions from Homer in the past. Protesters picketed tree removal of the area, while the Fred Meyer debate spanned years. The bottom line, however, is that some development in the town center area is inevitable. Much of it is in the hands of private owner — Cook Inlet Region, Inc. — and will ultimately be developed for commercial use of some sort. The fact that the city is now poised to make those first inroads is an advantage to public wishing to get involved in shaping this area.
The meeting will be held Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Homer City Hall Cowles Council Chambers.

Graduate glory shared by community
Is it just us or are graduates getting a lot savvier? Homer High School’s graduation speakers had one thing figured out that few graduates of past years could lay claim to — they didn’t take themselves too seriously.
“Who are we to be giving you, the class of 2007, advice?” they said time and again.
It was a beautiful thing: Modesty and youth in one package.
Homer’s graduates are certainly due praise for their accomplishments, but so are the teachers, parents and community members who supported them. The way Homer envelopes its youth throughout their lives is perhaps the greatest thing our community has going for it.
Examples of this could be seen throughout the gymnasium last week. The graduating class was a little over 100 students strong, and the Alice Witte Gymnasium was packed to the rafters with easily 1,800 people. That’s 18 supporters per student, not counting those who were standing by the doors. That’s close to half the population of the city of Homer, and nearly 18 percent of the city and its surrounding population. That’s a lot of people supporting 105 kids.
Homer has much to offer its residents — beautiful scenery, outdoor opportunities, a lively cultural scene — but the way it encourages and applauds its youth is the shining jewel on that crown. So congratulations, Homer, on another job well done, another class of graduates sent off into the world with as much support and assurance as most can hope for. It’s a job well done.

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