Lack of access to park is ‘criminal’

I tried to go to the beach recently at Howarth Park. Not only is the bridge access (and all access to the beach) closed for the entire summer, but then the beach is going to be closed from September through spring 2016 for renovation.

People in Everett wait all year to finally get beach weather, and tis really is the only decent beach access in all of Everett. Sure, you can go to Mukilteo, which is much further away, very crowded and hard to get parking. And although the upper park area has been made very nice, and views are great, the beach itself is basically nothing but rocks. The jetty is a lot of fun, but won’t open for well over a month. For that you have to take a ferry, which usually involves a lot of waiting. Also parking is usually very bad. It’s a great place to go for a special little day trip, but is nowhere near as easy to get access to as the Howarth Park beach. There you can drive and park, go over the foot bridge, and you have a lovely, sandy beach, not too crowded, children playing on the actual beach, dogs chasing sticks into the water, people swimming and playing on logs, and everyone having a generally lovely time. It is peaceful and just beautiful. And now no one can use it for nearly a year.

That bridge has been down there for decades. It has been rusty for decades. Just last week the bridge did not suddenly develop a problem that could not easily have been seen or anticipated months before, if not a year before.

I think what the city of Everett should do is make a fix that allows this bridge to be used over the summer (fixed in the next couple of weeks.) They can close it in the fall to do a more complete job. They want to run things this badly, they can pay for their mistake and still give the people of Everett access to the beach when it really matters. Give what our weather is like around here, it basically is “criminal” to have that beach access closed over the summer.

Leslie Peterson

Everett

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Opinion

toon
Editorial cartoons for Friday, March 29

A sketchy look at the news of the day.… Continue reading

Initiative promoter Tim Eyman takes a selfie photo before the start of a session of Thurston County Superior Court, Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021, in Olympia, Wash. Eyman, who ran initiative campaigns across Washington for decades, will no longer be allowed to have any financial control over political committees, under a ruling from Superior Court Judge James Dixon Wednesday that blasted Eyman for using donor's contributions to line his own pocket. Eyman was also told to pay more than $2.5 million in penalties. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
Editorial: Initiative fee increase protects process, taxpayers

Bumped up to $156 from $5, the increase may discourage attempts to game the initiative process.

Schwab: Who was Langerhans? And when’s the ferry to his islets?

The Herald’s resident retired surgeon slices into the anatomy of the etymology of our anatomy.

Comment: Cervial cancer treatable; if you’re screened for it

A screening for cervical cancer can detect cancerous or precancerous cells and direct treatment.

Comment: Framers gave us Goldilocks Constitution; let’s use it

It was meant to be resilient, not perfect, but it has to be used as designed toward workable solutions.

Comment: GOP in Congress isn’t fighting crime; it’s arming it

Budget cuts to the FBI and ATF and other riders have made it easier for criminals to get firearms.

toon
Editorial cartoons for Thursday, March 28

A sketchy look at the news of the day.… Continue reading

Washington state senators and representatives along with Governor Inslee and FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez break ground at the Swift Orange Line on Tuesday, April 19, 2022 in Lynnwood, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Editorial: Community Transit making most of Link’s arrival

The Lynnwood light rail station will allow the transit agency to improve routes and frequency of buses.

Protecting forests and prevent another landslide like Oso

Thank you for the powerful and heartbreaking article about the Oso landslide… Continue reading

Boeing’s downfall started when engineers demoted

Boeing used to be run by engineers who made money to build… Continue reading

Learn swimming safety to protect kids at beach, pool

Don’t forget to dive into water safety before hitting the pool or… Continue reading

An image of Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin is reflected in a storefront window during the State of the City Address on Thursday, March 21, 2024, at thee Everett Mall in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Editorial: State of city address makes case for Everett’s future

Mayor Franklin outlines challenges and responses as the city approaches significant decisions.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.