A
Message from Chamber CEO Douglass Wilhoit:
Time,
Funding was
right
for Marina Project
OCTOBER
2008 -
I
know, I know I usually start my article “I am sitting here looking out
my window onto the water and across at the ballpark, Arena, The Sheraton
and Weber Point Event Center” but it is gratefully true. As I write this
column, I am watching the circus trucks pulling into the south side of the
arena getting ready for the 2008 show.
I
am thinking what a great Industrial & Technology Barbecue we had at
our new location at The Sheraton. I again want to congratulate all the
honorees and thank the sponsors , our partners along with the Chamber and
Sheraton staff in helping to make it a huge success.
I
also want to mention The Record’s Mike Klocke for becoming one of us. A
couple of months ago I thanked him for the great piece on what people like
about Stockton and said he is becoming more and more of the fabled
“Chamber Type.” Well, Mike did it again in his Sunday, Sept. 14th
article titled “Always more questions than answers.” He listed 20 good
points but No. 14 sounded like the mantra we have been carrying for many
years and I quote; “A harmonica player at the symphony, hip-hop
performers at the downtown art walk, a daylong family and literacy fair,
the Port’s in the California League finals, high school football
openers, community theater…and some people think there’s nothing to do
in Stockton?”
The
Chamber/CVB has been championing that notion for years and glad to welcome
Mike to the land of Stockton Chamber types. Please go to
www.visitstockton.org and sign up for our weekly announcement of events
and then get out and experience your home city.
A
follow up to Mike’s September 14th article the Ports WON the
California League Championship. They had a great season that made them a
wild card and then they rolled over Modesto, San Jose and Lancaster to
bring the championship home to Stockton/Banner Island Ballpark and the
City of Stockton. I attended as many games as I could this past season and
enjoyed each and every one of them.
If
I could not attend, I made sure someone was in our seats. Many of you
(214,080 fans walked through the gates) are season ticket holders and I am
sure you did the same. If you were able to attend or gave your tickets to
family or friends, I know you and or they came away with a great feeling
of pride. If you have not been to the ballpark, hopefully you will become
a season ticket holder. The Ports have a variety of ticket plans to meet
every budget. Get out there next year and enjoy the ballpark, the team and
your fellow Stocktonians.
Now
to the serious stuff and one of my frustrations and that of many other
informed citizens. I am referring to the lack of knowledge or
understanding of the NEW MARINA PROJECT! I know there are many, many new
people in Stockton who do not remember the days when the marina and
businesses on the South Shore were full of life and fun. Over the years,
for many reasons, the area went into disrepair and then along came the
downtown reawakening that is continuing along our “jewel” the
waterfront. I am watching the barges and cranes put the support beams in
place and have a front row seat to the building of the NEW MARINA.
My
frustration is that I have seen several letters to the editor in The
Record criticizing the City for spending $22 million for the NEW MARINA
when there is a budget shortfall. I question why there was not a footnote
by the paper at the end of these letters explaining that the money CAN
ONLY BE USED FOR THE MARINA and not police, fire, roads, trees, parks or
mistletoe removal. At the bottom of the page of my column, you will see
the funding sources that if not used for the NEW MARINA would be lost.
This is a redevelopment project and the funds are in Marina Account
#334-7359 and cannot be used for ANY OTHER PURPOSE.
Now,
let me describe to you the Downtown Marina and Joan Darrah Promenade
Project: The much needed project is a continuation of several recent
downtown revitalization improvements that will transform Stockton’s
waterfront area into a destination for recreation, community events, and
creation of an urban, mixed use district of land uses, including downtown
housing.
The
goal of the project is to create a vibrant downtown core by constructing
waterfront improvements that will connect various activity centers, while
highlighting the natural BEAUTY of the waterfront. The goal is to create a
tree-lined promenade that provides and highlights access to the water, an
array of guest docks, and a truly unique marina. The project is also
intended to encourage visitation and development opportunities along the
waterfront by providing both boating access and a continuous pedestrian
pathway along the water.
The
project scope includes reconstruction of the existing pedestrian promenade
on the North Shore adjacent to the ballpark, arena and The
Sheraton/Conference Center, construction of a new promenade along the
South Shore of the channel, installation of guest docks on both the North
and South shore to encourage guest boaters, and construction of a 66 slip
marina with a uniquely designed tension fabric canopy boat berth covers
that will be a compliment to the Weber Point Event Center canopy. Public
art will include several distinctive kinetic sculptures and a series of
historic interpretive panels displayed along the walkway.
The
landside project entails construction of a continuous promenade. The
promenade will link the ballpark on the North Shore with Morelli Park on
the South Shore, will provide circulation connecting key downtown
destinations such as the facilities on the North Shore (ballpark, Arena,
Sheraton) to Weber Point all away around to the Waterfront Warehouse and
all points in between.
It
will also tie into planned residential and commercial developments. The
majority of the promenade will be 20-feet wide and with a band of concrete
and a band of interlocking pavers running side by side to encourage the
separation of pedestrians and multi-modal users.
In
addition to the promenade this project includes construction of two public
plazas, 41 additional parking spaces adjacent to the marina,
reconstruction of the parking area behind the Waterfront Warehouse, a new
park on the South Shore adjacent to Morman Slough, landscaping and a
variety of pedestrian amenities such as outdoor furniture, bike racks and
lighting (matching those found at Weber Point).
There
is so much more but this is a great deal more than you have been exposed
to in the past and I hope you will share this so we don’t see any more
ill-informed, untrue and naysayer letters to the editor. Remember this is
a “USE IT OR LOSE IT” situation and CANNOT be used for ANYTHING else.
All
the documents I used for reference are available online on the city
website, www.stockton.gov (see item 8.01 on the July 29, 2008 City
Council/ Redevelopment Agency agenda) so you can check it out for
yourself.
I
and many others cannot wait for the completion of the marina to the return
of the glory days of the waterfront and maybe we will be able to bring
back Captain Weber Days. I know, many of you younger or newer Stocktonians
are scratching your heads trying to figure that out. Wait until the marina
is done and then you will see and I will explain!
Funding
sources for Marina Project
HUD
Section 108 Loan $10,051,965
Boating
& Waterway Loan $9,496,610
Infastructure
Grant $1,383,175
Ca.
River and Parkway Grant $1,248,000
Boat
Pump-out Grant
$200,000
Total
$22,380,750
Note:
All loans are 20-50 year low-interest
loans
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