The dirt trail between Bowman and Simpson parks, shown in March 2021, would be turned into a multi-use under a proposal by the Albany city staff.
Albany city officials have an idea for an improved walking and biking trail along the south side of the Willamette River. The “multi-use path” would follow the route of an existing dirt track that links Bowman and Simpson parks.
The parks and public works departments are asking the city council to authorize an application for a state grant for the path’s construction under ODOTs community parks program. The request is on the agenda of the city council meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 28, the last council session of the year.
The city estimates the cost at $3.4 million. If the grant is approved, it will require a city contribution of a little more than $353,000.
It’s about half a mile from where the existing trail starts at Bowman Park to where it emerges at Simpson Park, across the parking lot from Talking Water Gardens. Along the way the trail crosses Periwinkle Creek on a low concrete bridge containing two culverts.
At Bowman, the trail passes the lower parking lot of The Banks, an apartment complex. The apartment developers are obliged to improve the trail for about 200 feet along their property. The city project would do the rest.
In a memo to the council, the staff wrote, “The project would border and serve an older established neighborhood, [and] complete a gap in an existing riverfront trail system that connects downtown Albany with several regional parks as well as commercial and employment opportunities near WinCo and Costco… .”
To reach the commercial area, users of the path would continue on the Cox Creek Path, cross Salem Avenue to Waverly Park, go around the lake, duck through the underpass, and come out on the other side of Pacific Boulevard.
The city already owns the land for the path or has an easement along the route.
Money for the required local contribution would come from street and park system development fees assessed on new construction, and the staff said there’s enough money on hand. (hh)
The red line represents the proposed multi-use path from Bowman Park to Talking Water Gardens.
With all the ills in the world (and in Albany), I think the money to improve paths could be used more productively on helping the unfortunate.
We have read in just this past week about Hasso’s discomfort with government overreach, his disgust over profligate government spending, and his agonizing frustration with government edicts. That Hering still stands tall against the slings and arrows from City Hall clearly demonstrates his dogged determination.
In fact, Hering’s angst is highly selective. His concerns over government reach are finicky. His criticisms vary depending on which oxen is being gored, or on who stands to benefit. Take today’s screed about linking two City owned parks via a proposed City-developed path. Hering writes: The city estimates the cost at $3.4 million. If the grant is approved, it will require a city contribution of a little more than $353,000.”
In this instance, Hering is enthusiastic for the Federal government to grant $3,047,000 dollars it doesn’t have, while Albany will have to pony-up $353-thousand, assuming the City’s contribution is subtracted from the total estimated cost. Apparently federal deficit dollars are less concerning.
No one has ever accused Hering of carrying a torch for our federal deficit. His oeuvre stands as powerful testimony to his distaste for excessive spending and taxation. Yet even as he regularly rants against government profligacy, it seems when it comes to pleasant trails through verdant forests, Hasso turns a blind eye to shelling out $3.5-million in deficit funding, all so that he might ride his bike more comfortably twixt Bowman and Simpson parks.
The English poet, Horace Smith, perhaps said it best: “Inconsistency is the only thing in which men are consistent.”
1. Hasso posts a factual, informative news report.
2. Hartman asserts without evidence that Hasso is guilty of concealing a hidden motive.
3. Therefore, Hasso’s report is flawed.
Hartman’s logic reminds me of a $10 word coined by C.S. Lewis – Bulverism. Look it up.
You should start your own website. At least then you could read your own garbage and stop filling Hasso’s up with nonsense and wasting everyone else’s time. Your comments are like a train wreck. We don’t want to look, but we have a hard time looking away (all the gibberish).
Oh, God! You took the brunt of the slung arrows this time from one of the “old-ish” men who follow your blog, Hasso. It is good that some humans can have open minds and change them when they see fit. Too bad the Maga crowd can’t think and detach themselves from Trump.
Mr. S. – Are you saying that Mr. H. (Hartman, not Hering) is condescending? Wow, that’s rich…coming from one of you guys.