Let’s honor the memory of Watson Squire and finish his vision of a Kenmore waterfront park by putting in a landing. There are already existing shallow boat lagoons that were built for staging the mini-hydroplane races in the 1960s that could easily have a small craft landing attached. It would be nice for people in canoes and kayaks to land at Squire’s Landing and walk up to Kenmore for coffee, lunch or snacks and a boost for local businesses.

There is already a trail from right below 80th Northeast at Northeast 175th and anyone could carry or wheel a canoe or kayak down the trail to the landing from 175th or enjoy a walk or jog on a perimeter trail.

Last year I showed councilwoman Laurie Sperry the riverfront meadow that was created by decades of dredging that is still there on high ground for picnics and fishing. A riverfront perimeter trail would be a perfect place for walkers and joggers and tie in nicely with our recent highway 522 improvements. Before all the bridges washed out over Swamp Creek, we used to walk to the riverfront every day. It is stunningly beautiful, full of otters and beavers and we should not miss this golden opportunity to have citizen access to the riverfront.

A perimeter park trail would cross Swamp Creek at the west border of the park where the bridge washed out in 1996, but where there is still the concrete bridge abutment just below the Trail Walk condominiums. Below where volunteers cut out blackberries on the recent Earth Day clean up.

Citizens deserve a footpath starting at the east side of the new park and following the river to the west end looping back up next to the Trail Walk condominiums. Let’s not be shortsighted regarding this one-time opportunity.

Please e-mail the City Council at cityhall@kenmorewa.gov with the subject line, “We Want the River.” The city does not have the $14 million yet for the planned boardwalk trail over the sewage-smelling swamp, so this is a good time to try to sway the council into what the taxpayers deserve — a riverfront trail.

There is nothing wrong with choosing a cheaper asphalt trail over an expensive boardwalk trail. It’s our tax dollars!

I voted for the Open Space Bond in 1987 because I was thinking about future generations and the enjoyment of the beauty of the riverfront for them. It’s what Watson Squire wanted for Kenmore.

Gretchen L. Nixon