Columbia Park should be a crown jewel for our community, and should be something that is a regional draw. Develop the weeded area between the highway and Columbia Park Trail, to be multi-story, mixed-use buildings. Offices, retailers and restaurants on the main level, condos on the upper levels. An assessment could be put on each owner that would pay for the maintenance of the open spaces between Columbia Park Trail and the river (think of HOA dues).

This would benefit the park and the community, and get more people out to Columbia Park -- make it that fun and hip downtown area that we lack.

-- ROB ELLSWORTH, Kennewick