Kennewick officials want to hear what residents think about how to improve the commercial and residential neighborhoods along Columbia Drive between the cable and blue bridges.
A community survey will try to identify issues of citizen concern involving shopping habits in the downtown and riverfront area, job opportunities, housing conditions, transportation, public services and fire and safety measures for the bridge-to-bridge area.
The survey, being conducted by Beckwith Associates, will guide the consultant and city in creating a strategic plan for revitalizing the Kennewick Bridge-to-Bridge/Rail-to-River area. It is expected to be a 12-month process; it began in June.
Tom Beckwith told the study's task force Wednesday that he hopes to have the survey available online by the end of the week and ready for distribution at city hall, libraries and other public locations shortly thereafter.
The survey will hit the community days before the consultant leads a series of neighborhood workshops at the Clover Island Inn beginning Tuesday. The sessions are designed to receive public comment about likes and dislikes of the project area, and to brainstorm how it could be improved through a master plan and development over the next 20 years.
Beckwith said the 28-question survey will take about 10 minutes to complete.
Beckwith has already interviewed and received comments from nearly two dozen stakeholders. They include representatives of the city and county, the Tri-Cities Visitor and Convention Bureau, Kennewick General Hospital, Port of Kennewick, Kennewick Housing Authority, Ben Franklin Transit and TRIDEC.
"They are interested and engaged. And they agree the bridge-to-bridge area is a unique, premier site for riverfront development," Beckwith said.
Among stakeholders' concerns are how to upgrade Columbia Drive's business district, having some kind of cultural facilities such as a performing arts center and creating a mix of high-density housing for the area.
The community survey will be widely promoted and available online until January, Beckwith said.
The two-hour neighborhood meetings, which begin at noon, are scheduled for Tuesday, Wednesday, as well as Oct. 29 and Nov. 4. More two-hour sessions are scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 29 and Nov. 4-5.
A citywide two-hour public workshop will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Nov. 18.
-- John Trumbo: 582-1529; jtrumbo@tricityherald.com
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Kennewick, port meet today
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An all-day meeting on Clover Island today with city and port officials will focus on how to redevelop Kennewick's riverfront property formerly known as the Willows Trailer Court.
About 28 acres are in the area, which the port has been acquiring piecemeal for four years. The port owns 15 acres, including the Willows, and has options to buy several more retail properties and the Chieftain Apartments.
Today's public meeting starts at 9 a.m. at the Clover Island Yacht Club. It's the second one this year with Gary Black, a professor of planning in the Bay Area who specializes in pattern language projects.
Smart Start workshop Monday in Richland
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Learn how to start a business in Benton and Franklin counties at a workshop presented Monday by the Washington State University Tri-Cities Business LINKS program.
The Start Smart workshop will answer questions focusing on business plan basics.
The Start Smart workshop is at 6:30 p.m. at the Richland Public Library, 955 Northgate Drive. Registration for the two-hour workshop costs $25 for up to two people. Pre-register at www.tricity.wsu.edu/links or call 372-7101.
Tri-City volunteers count the homeless
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The dense underbrush under trees in Columbia Park didn't indicate anyone had been using the area as a temporary home.
Christina Canida of Kennewick looked for signs of footprints in the patches of ice and snow that covered the mostly dry grasses. She and Steve Gaulke of Richland, another volunteer for Thursday's one-day homeless count, had been told some people might be camping out in Kennewick near Clover Island.
So they looked along the Sacagawea Heritage Trail and in covered places that looked somewhat protected from the winter weather.
Port of Kennewick wants to improve access at Duffy's Pond
Port of Kennewick wants to improve access at Duffy's Pond
Improving community access and recreation opportunities around Duffy's Pond may become part of efforts to revitalize downtown Kennewick.
Port of Kennewick commissioners received an update Tuesday about working with the city of Kennewick and the Army Corps of Engineers on a plan to develop Duffy's Pond.
Improving public access to the pond would complement the port's improvements on Clover Island and build on efforts to redevelop Columbia Drive, said Tana Bader-Inglima, Port of Kennewick director of governmental relations and marketing.
Kennewick man, woman honored for service
Kennewick man, woman honored for service
Kennewick's man and woman of 2011 are known for rolling up their sleeves and helping to get the job done, instead of just giving orders on a project or community event.
Dennis Poland and Barbara Johnson received the honors at the annual banquet Monday night, which was attended by almost 200 people.
Poland, president of Ray Poland and Sons, and Johnson, general manager of the Columbia Center mall, were surprised when the announcements were made at the Three Rivers Convention Center.
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