The current concept for the scenic walkway around the sports boat parking lot is mixed.
The walkway leaves Front Street accessing a waterside park and memorial (a great idea). The walkway beyond the park..not so.
Following is a description of this section of the proposed “sea view” walkway: After leaving the park, the walkway crosses a double back down boat ramp. It then proceeds for 200 feet along the un-landscaped parking lot, the fronts and rears of parked vehicles intruding into the walkway. It then passes the hazmat containers and garbage dumpsters alongside the (proposed) harbor master office. It then crosses a different ramp for commercial fishermen. Lastly, it passes more parked cars before going between the ice house and fuel dock, returning to Front Street. This is not a scenic walkway.
Additionally, the intrinsic danger of encouraging tourists to cross two separate back down ramps doesn’t include the potential frustration and between fishermen backing boats or heavy equipment and distracted, inexperienced pedestrians.
I propose changing the walkway surface between the harbor master office and park. Make it the same surface as the parking area. Sign this area: for ramp access only. The walkway budget is $395,000 from Fish and Game and, for fencing, $100,000 from the borough. Divert the savings to building a park bathroom.
The park and harbor access would be spurs, not a continuous path. The scenic walkway would be along front street; the park more usable for Haines.
Gerard Ballanco