PORT ANGELES — Eight Coast Guard members joined the town’s spruce-up project last week by painting the south side of the Harbortowne Mall and removing all of the brambles between the building and The Gateway transit center.
“They called me right out of the blue and said we need a project,” said Jan Harbick, co-chair of “Our Community at Work: Painting Downtown.”
Between 20 and 25 staff members of Peninsula College and Olympic Medical Center painted the street-side of the building on May 30 and other volunteers are expected to paint its west side this week.
Painting Downtown includes about 200 volunteers and 40 buildings and storefronts, mostly downtown. Volunteers, or the building owners themselves, adopt a building which they clean and usually paint in order to spruce up the look of the city, mainly downtown.
Paints, equipment and supplies are donated or provided at a discount by local stores.
The project — organized by about a dozen community members with support from the city of Port Angeles — began on April 29 and gained momentum last month.
It was originally intended to end when the Hood Canal Bridge reopened, but will continue until all of the work on the buildings is completed, organizers say.
Assistant Engineering Officer Brian Hayden of Coast Guard Group/Air Station Port Angeles referred to the volunteer work as a “win-win.”
“The Coast Guard gets to show that we care for the community and help the area look better,” he said.
“We all live and work in this community as everyone else does.”
The Coast Guard members weren’t the only ones with paint brushes in hand last week.
Harbick said that about 22 youngsters in a youth group from the local Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and between six and eight adults painted an apartment complex at Eunice and Front streets on Tuesday.
“They did an amazing job,” she said.
Volunteers also have been painting the Aldwell building at Laurel and First streets and DeLaney’s Other Side on Front Street across from The Gateway.
Completed projects
A work crew from Liquid Painting finished painting the Montgomery Ward & Co. building at 113 W. First St. last week, and volunteers from the Winderemere office in Port Angeles have completed painting the Wenger building at Front and Lincoln streets.
Harbick, who is also vice president of the Port Angeles Downtown Association, said the Morse building at Laurel and First streets was expected to be completed by today.
Also today, Harbick said members of the Elks Naval Lodge will begin to replace the awning on the Elks building at First and Lincoln streets. The Elks will also repaint the building, she said.
While many buildings are getting new coats of paint, some are simply cleaned up.
The new paint schemes are designed by Charles Smith of Lindberg & Smith Architects and Alicia Brewin of Alicia Interiors who donate their time. Each design requires the approval of the building owner.
Other completed paint projects include the Downtown Hotel and Cornerhouse Restaurant, Bella Italia, Copies Plus and Arthur D. Feiro Marine Life Center.
Supplies and equipment are donated or provided at a discount from NC Machinery, Hartnagel Building Supply, Angeles Millwork, Sunset Do it Best Hardware, Parker Paints, Swain’s General Store and Fastenal.
The Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce, downtown association and about 20 individuals have donated about $1,300 for the project.
The Port Angeles Food Bank, Dawg Cart, First Street Haven, Chestnut Cottage and Country Aire have donated food for the volunteers.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
