Ken Miller’s article about Tacoma’s “wild cards” (TNT, 10-30) got me thinking about Tacoma and where it could go from here.
It’s tempting to look for the big ideas that make something great. In this case, what “big idea” can help make Tacoma even greater than it is? As much as I’m drawn to big ideas, I also know that most times it’s getting a lot of little things right that make something great.
Tacoma has great museums, great candy, a great farmer’s market and great people, a deepwater port and diversity. It also has a thriving arts scene – as evidenced by the success of the Broadway Center for the Performing Arts. The BCPA is successful because of the big ideas, of course, but also because it gets a lot of little things right and it started by listening intently to the community – something we as a city need to constantly remind ourselves to do.
What then are some of the little things that can make us great? With the hopes of continuing the dialogue, here’s the beginning of a wish list. None of these ideas are new:
• Capitalize on the fact that we are blessed with an abundance of the great outdoors. Build on the presence of Point Defiance as one of the greatest urban parks in the nation and work like the dickens to connect it to downtown and the many neighborhoods by foot, bike and boat.
Between the downtown and Point Defiance are a number of wonderful parks that should be highlighted and connected to make the pedestrian experience even more memorable. Strengthen our connection to the waterfront.
• Capitalize on amateur sports. Many high school events are hosted at the Tacoma Dome. Families spend immense amounts of time and money supporting their family members and friends in athletics. How can we create an even better experience for them?
Furthermore, there is a lack of suitable all-surface playfields and athletic facilities in this area. What can we do as a city to encourage the development of more? That would strengthen our connection to families.
• Capitalize on our stock of historic building and parks.
We are doing plenty of things right here, but we can do more. For example, Wright Park has been beautifully restored (kudos to Metro Parks for its outreach efforts). But we lost an important historic building this last year with the demolition of the Luzon. Now the Winthrop Hotel looks vulnerable as well.
Let’s not wait until the threat of demolition to rally around it and preserve an important part of our heritage and urban fabric. Strengthen our connection to our past.
• Clean up Tacoma’s front door. I’m talking about how Tacoma looks from the freeway. The landscaping is not very appealing, the fencing is haphazard and ugly and the Dome is often dirty (bring on Andy Warhol’s big daisy). Once visitors get onto Interstate 705, the view of Tacoma is much improved; however, thousands drive by every day, and their opinions of our city are shaped by the lack of curb appeal.
Enough attention to such “little things” would go a long way toward attracting innovative talent and distinguishing Tacoma as a great place to live and do business.
Stuart Young is a Tacoma architect who has worked on local projects including multifamily housing, Albers Mill and the Children’s Museum of Tacoma.
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