Parks commission says no to Erickson Park site for Bubble building
By Tom Callis, Peninsula Daily News
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In a 4-3 vote on Thursday night, the commission, which serves in an advisory capacity to the Port Angeles City Council, decided that Erickson Park is not the right place for the structure known as the Bubble.
"I'm somewhat disappointed by the decision," said James Schouten of Friends of the Fieldhouse.
"Ultimately, they are only an advisory board."
He said the group will ask the Port Angeles City Council to approve locating the Bubble at Erickson Park, "as soon as we can get on their agenda."
Parks Commissioner Charles Whidden said the Bubble — a 296-foot-long, 118-foot-wide, 40-foot tall structure kept aloft by air pressure — would be too disruptive in the park at Third and Francis streets near the Clallam County YMCA.
Although he supports having it somewhere in the city — specifically suggesting a spot west of Volunteer Park — he called Erickson Park, "a lousy location."
Commission Chairwoman Jean Hordyk, who opposed the group's decision, supported locating the Bubble at Erickson Park.
"It would enhance our community in many ways," she said.
Sports opportunities
The nearly 5-year-old structure could hold up to 240 spectators, and provide an indoor location for soccer, lacrosse, T-ball, tennis, volleyball, basketball, and other sports, Schouten has said.
The Bubble has been stored in a private hanger at William R. Fairchild International Airport since it arrived in January.
The U.S. Tennis Association in New Jersey awarded the Bubble to the Clallam County YMCA for free, as long as $17,500 in shipping costs were covered.
The total worth of the Bubble is about $700,000, said Schouten, who is a YMCA board member.
Schouten said the group's site plan would cost between $550,000 and $600,000.
About $250,000 has been raised through private donations, but Friends of the Fieldhouse hopes that the city would cover the additional costs for the project through the lodging tax.
The group will go before the city lodging tax advisory committee on Wednesday to seek $350,000 in funding for placing the Bubble at Erickson Park — which has to be approved by the City Council.
The committee will meet at 3 p.m. Vern Burton Conference Rooms at City Hall, 321 E. Fifth St.
Schouten said the amount could be paid over seven years at $50,000 a year.
Near Volunteer Park
The commission discussed placing the Bubble on a 350-foot wide, 600-foot long grass area west of Volunteer Park — located at 1602 S. L St. near William R. Fairchild International Airport.
Whidden said the city-owned property is on the south side of 18th Street, east of the Clallam County Juvenile Detention Facility, and would provide a less disruptive location for the Bubble.
It hosts a soccer field now.
Whidden was the most vocal commissioner in his opposition to placing the Bubble at Erickson Park.
He said that the Bubble would take up an open field and be too close to two residences.
Keeping the Bubble constantly inflated may cause a noise problem, he said.
Schouten said the 4 kilowatt electric motor that would be used wouldn't be any louder than a heat pump.
Whidden said he would support the Bubble being placed at Erickson Park if the group considered placing it partly on the present location of two homes adjacent to the park, one of which is owned by the YMCA.
Whidden said this would take up less open space, and any noise created wouldn't disturb nearby residents.
He acknowledged that the YMCA would have to acquire the other home.
Whidden said this would be a "show of good faith" on the part of the YMCA.
March public meeting
After presenting four potential locations at a public meeting in March, the Friends of the Fieldhouse choose Erickson Park as the ideal location for the Bubble.
Volunteer Park, Webster Park and Shane Park were also considered.
Erickson Park is seen as the best location for the Bubble by the group, because there, it would have a manager.
Steve Charno, YMCA board president, has said the YMCA would manage the Bubble without city subsidy if it were in Erickson Park near the YMCA building.
Schouten said a proposed contract with the city would give the YMCA the right to the space used by the Bubble at Erickson Park for 25 years.
The city, in turn, would receive the improvements to the park, such as additional parking and drainage work — as well as three tennis courts and a synthetic field that would be placed inside the structure.
Parking plans
Though the park's 37 parking spaces would be taken up by the Bubble, the group's site plan places 78 parking spaces on the north and south sides of the facility.
The site plan also calls for additional drainage work that would be done at the cost of Friends of the Fieldhouse.
Under the group's site plan, the Bubble would be placed between South Francis Street and the skate park on Race Street.
It would be atop the parks' present parking lot and a grassy space next to the skate park.
YMCA board member Gene Turner said the park would stay the same except for the location of the Bubble and new parking.
Turner said the YMCA has not donated to the project, but would handle all maintenance and electrical costs of the Bubble.
To use the Bubble, people would be charged $45 per month, or $15 to $20 per hour, the rate charged by the YMCA to use their facilities.
The fee provides access to all of the YMCA's other facilities.
Turner said a scholarship fund is available for those who can't afford to pay.
Schouten said the YMCA cannot accommodate the Bubble on any of its properties.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
Last modified: September 20. 2008 9:00PM