The rebuilt intersection of Water Avenue at Montgomery Street looked substantially finished in Saturday’s rain. But it’s still closed to traffic, and the new railroad crossing is unfinished.
If you were looking for a shorthand progress report on Albany’s Waterfront Project, and even if you weren’t, City Manager Peter Troedsson provided one on Friday.
Here’s what Troedsson reported to the city council in his weekly report:
“Project completion is expected in time for a July 1 grand opening. We’re looking forward to welcoming the community to the revitalized Monteith Park, where visitors this summer will see that the park has been transformed, with a new stage that can be used for live music performances, an expanded seating area on the regraded lawn, new concrete walkways and stairs improving access to the park, a new playground and splash pad, remodeled restroom with accessible facilities, new landscaping, and a new boardwalk and remodeled piers that overlook the Willamette River. The Thurston and Montgomery intersections have been completed and the railroad crossing improvements along the corridor are substantially completed. A schedule to complete the plaza street section between Washington Street and Lyon is being developed to coordinate with Pacific Power and other franchise utilities.”
He seems to have been a little optimistic about the railroad crossings. They’re not nearly ready to be used.
At Montgomery Street, for instance, I saw on my Saturday bike ride that the new plates have been installed on the track, but there’s not yet a connection to the newly paved street on one side or the Dave Clark Path on the other.
The same is the case with a new crossing just east of the Lyon Street bridge.
And as for the remodeled piers, the western one seems to be done. But at the eastern one near the Avery Mill building there hasn’t been any progress for a while and the pier remains dismantled.
The main thing, though, is that Monteith Riverpark is still expected to be ready for visitors in less than two months so a grand opening can he held on July 1. (hh)
Thanks to a commenter (see below), I fixed a counting error in the original version of this story. It’s only two months before the grand opening, not three.
Gawd! What next? Stairs to the park! It didn’t need stairs to access it before. I can’t imagine what in heck they have done. I don’t think that I will ever set foot in the park again, because I have been very vocal about disapproving of the whole project, and I need to stick to my guns. So, Hasso, please tell us, at some point, about the stairs and where they originate and lead to.
No need to announce your departure. I’d be willing to bet plenty of other people in Albany will gladly enjoy the refreshed park while you stew in your negativity and nostalgia.
The grand opening on July 1 is actually 2 months away, Hasso.
The grand opening on July 1 is actually 2 months away, not 3.
Of course. Some day I’ll learn to count.
As usual – many thanks for the update!
Back about 2-1/2 years ago, I complained about “bricks” I did have my streets mixed up, but here’s your BRICKS Sharon-
https://hh-today.com/infrastructure-bonanza-what-about-streets/
Hasso, I was at Post Office today so drove on down Washington Street to look at Monteith Playground. As I turned onto Water Street. what a shock!! One’s brain and eyesight gels quickly, and all you see is playground equipment. You don’t even notice the trees…of course, they are all gone, except the ones in back of the playground along the river. And the “Community Center” looks pathetic and doesn’t even come into your consciousness….you are transfixed on the playground equipment sticking up into the air. You don ‘t even see the steel “roof” that they call a stage.
When Cumberland Church Community Center gets up and running and if the guy who wanted to buy the old skating rink finds a place to buy to fix into a center for seniors, I’ll bet the city will have to tear down the present Community Center, a la former Sr. Center, for lack of activity. It is missing air conditioning and heat right now and has a huge hose pumping in temporary heating and A/C through one of the doors onto the patio facing the river.
And Water Street…looks as bleak as ever. Trash strewn along the side of the road…and it is not construction trash….just plain old people trash.