Workshop highlights coming, Community Revitalization Plan projects

BRIDGEPORT – Bridgeport City Council members received a comprehensive overview of the city’s Community Revitalization Plan for the SR-173 corridor at a public workshop presented by the Revitalization Committee on Monday, Sept. 26.

Revitalization Committee member and Planning Commission chairperson Leslie Robb opened the workshop with some background on the Revitalization Committee and recited a list of its ongoing projects. City Planner Kurt Danison described each of the projects in detail, and city clerk/treasurer Judy Brown delivered a PowerPoint presentation on grant funding and the impressive Berryman Park planned renovation.

“I’ve worked with a lot of towns,” said Danison, “and having this group in place has gotten a lot of stuff done in the last two years even with COVID in place: pretty amazing.”

The plan was completed last year and to gain more insight into what affected business and property owners wanted it to accomplish the city acquired a Rural Development Block Grant (RDBG) last March to fund a survey toward that end. Danison said the six key findings from that survey included:

            • Improved communications across the language barrier.

            • Better understanding of regulatory permits, codes, and other requirements.

            • Small business financial resources and accounting advice.

            • Competition from unregulated retail activity.

            • Improved public safety.

            • More community events.

Detailed discussion of these points and recommended city actions are outlined in a full report available online at bridgeportwashington.net

One eye-catching design suggestion in the 89-page Revitalization Plan involves development of a concert and event venue at the current site of the Kitty Kat Car Wash at the corner of SR-173 and 12th Street. A concept design of the site features:

            • Open lawn areas for seating and dining.

            • A vendor and food truck space.

            • Repurpose the car wash building to create an open-air stage with seating areas and public restrooms.

Another design concept shows a completed parking area on city-owned property at SR-173 and 24th Street where visitors can begin a self-tour of the city’s more than two dozen tree sculptures. The city has debuted a colorful fold-out brochure showing the locations of its 29 sculptures with descriptive information for each one and a short bio of artist Jacob Lucas.

Concept street designs envision decorative crosswalks with grass-accented pedestrian refuge islands

Current projects for 2022 include:

            • Welcome to Bridgeport signage – RDBG funding has been secured and the project started.

            • Tree sculpture parking lot – RDBG funding for Phase II has been secured and the project started.

            • Berryman Park application for renovation – The state Recreation and Conservation Board (RCO) board will approve the ranked list of projects later this month. Bridgeport has been advised that of 62 projects submitted the city’s is ranked fourth. The approved list will be submitted to Governor Inslee on Oct. 31. The RCO board will award the grants between June 1-30, 2023.

Future projects include:

            • Long term maintenance (permanent bases, etc.) of the tree sculptures.

            • Berryman Park Phases 2 and 3.

            • Bouska Square renovation.

            • Fireman’s Park renovation.

The city has a lot on the table in terms of current and future projects. As steady progress continues through actions like the SR-173 Community Revitalization Plan, both Bridgeport residents and visitors stand to benefit from added amenities and improvements headed their way.