In response to Chris Parks' recent SitNews letter calling for us "...to update our facilities to take full advantage of the cruise ship traffic ..." I believe it is critically important to take a bigger picture look at how we are going to manage continued growth in the numbers of people coming off cruise ships into our community. Not only do we need to accommodate these passengers with facilities that encourage them to spend time and money in our community but we also MUST remember, that UPLANDS DEVELOPMENT and PARKING are priorities. Increasingly in the Summer and even in the Winter there is not one open parking space in the NewTown area North (West) of the tunnel.
Why not increase the Revenue Bond to provide funding both for the promenade and restrooms very important for the tourists and also for a parking garage for the people who serve the tourists in the downtown area? With the potential of additional docking space, a larger number of workers will be arriving in the New Town area with their cars and not only will they be frustrated by lack of places to park, but the people already living there will be even more negatively affected by the parking problems.
There are a couple of locations in town that could support a multi-level parking garage without impairing the view of the residents. For example, the space next to the American Legion building on Park Avenue. Such a parking garage could be accessed by people driving in from the North or South without ever needing to drive onto Water Street. A jitney, perhaps funded with transportation funds, could run a continuous circuit through the downtown and NewTown areas delivering workers to and from their jobs. This would serve to relieve the already congested downtown area as well. Please look into the future for longer range solutions to protect and enhance our community.
About: Bobbie McCreary is a resident of the NewTown area. She writes she is "a strong advocate for long range planning for our community".