PORT ANGELES — Dream out loud.
Officials with the city of Port Angeles, Feiro Marine Life Center and the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary want to know what residents would like to see done to improve City Pier.
What would it be? More events? Boat docks? Kayak rentals?
A new joint Feiro Marine Life Center/NOAA Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary visitor center? Other ideas?
Everyone is invited to provide input during public studio and workshop sessions scheduled Thursday though Saturday.
“We want to get as many people as possible and make sure we’re getting the most accurate public input possible,” said Nathan West, the city’s director of Community and Economic Development.
Drop-in studio
The open drop-in studio, and a presentation Saturday afternoon, will be at 104 W. First St., in the former location of Maurice’s at the intersection of First and Laurel streets.
Sessions are scheduled:
■ Thursday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., with another workshop beginning at 6 p.m. that day.
■ Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
■ Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon.
Saturday presentation
Consultants with Studio Cascade of Spokane, which is under contract with Feiro and sub-contracted with the city, are expected to combine public input into a concept for the pier and present it at 2 p.m. Saturday, said West and Melissa Williams, executive director of Feiro Marine Life Center, which is on City Pier.
“Now, four years since the public shared in a major planning effort to give the waterfront back to people of Port Angeles, it is time for fresh action-oriented input about the largest remaining phase of the project,” West said.
“Our goal is to inspire new public concepts that result in follow-through and completion of this very important project.”
Component of Phase 3
City Pier is one of three components of Phase 3 of the city’s $17 million Waterfront Development Project.
Phase 1 — an esplanade along Railroad Avenue and improved street surfaces for the avenue and Oak Street — was completed in September 2013. It cost $4.09 million.
Phase 2’s $2.5 million West End Park, which features two artificial beaches and a walkway, opened in September.
Phase 3 eventually will include modifications of City Pier, the Lincoln Street and Railroad Avenue intersection and Hollywood Beach.
But this week’s public input will be gathered for only the City Pier portion of Phase 3, West said.
The total cost of Phase 3 — or even of the City Pier component — has not been determined until decisions are made about what will be done.
Marine life center
Among those decisions is whether or not the public wants a bigger and better Feiro Marine Life Center combined with an Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary visitor center.
After the new facility location on Oak Street fell through in 2014, Feiro has worked with the Sanctuary and the city on the idea of possibily building a new, improved facility on City Pier, Williams said.
The vision is for a place to house visitor services and educational programming beyond the limitations of the current 3,500-square-foot Feiro building on City Pier and the Sanctuary’s 800-square-foot Olympic Coast Discovery Center located in The Landing mall.
“Essentially the idea is to design a new marine discovery center that acts as a gateway experience to learn more about the entire Olympic Peninsula Coast,” said Carol Bernthal, sanctuary superintendent.
“It would include both a living collection and hands-on exhibits, and be a modern learning center for our community and guests to our entire region.”
Information from feasiblity studies by Dave Shreffler of Shreffler Environmental of Sequim, who studied environmental permitting needs, and consultant Scott Schaffer, who considered market potential of new building, will be included in that which is presented to members of the public this week, Williams said.
Consultants have interviewed stakeholders such as the Economic Development Corporation, the North Olympic Discovery Marathon and the Lower Elwha Klallam tribe to understand influences on the look and feel of a future City Pier, she said.
The city’s portion of planning concerns such non-building aspects as pier functions, landscaping and parking, West said, while Feiro and the Sanctuary are focused on a possible building.
“We won’t make any decision until we get the results of the public survey back and see if people are interested,” Williams said.
“That will make a big difference in whether we move forward.”
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Executive Editor Leah Leach can be reached at 360-417-3530 or at lleach@peninsuladailynews.com.