Ferries may be the best way for future travel

The other day I was talking to a friend and he was disturbed about how things are changing in Sandpoint. He said, “The way they are tearing down all the old buildings there won’t be anything left for our kids to experience how Sandpoint used to be.” He continued, “I am afraid we are going to lose our identity as a community and our customs and heritage will be lost.”

I left him somewhat depressed and angry. Was he right? Are we losing the past that has molded our town into what it is today? Names of places that have been ripped from the pages of our history flashed across my mind: Whitaker house, The Coon house, Dolphin House — the first real school house in Sandpoint, the old grain mill, Sand Creek, the old Farmin School, and others. 

As I sat thinking, I was fast joining the feelings of my friend when I realized that we could not stand still. We had to go forward or backward, and the choice was ours to make. We went forward and the evidence is clear — we are going to have a freeway right smack dab down Sand Creek. There are various names used for this textured concrete structure like overpass, the chute, byway, the bye-bye way, and some that are better left unsaid because they cannot appear in print.

Folks, I want all of you that identify with the feelings of my friend to take heart. I think I have come up with an idea that will meld the old with the new. It will take some thought and planning but that is not a bad thing. The lack of forethought and planning will usually end in some sort of disaster. For instance, the sidewalk fiasco over at city hall that left people angry and confused. The insane idea of even considering closing all the drive-thrus in Sandpoint that left people in hysterical laughter but still wondering, “What will they come up with next?”

The above are good examples of no forethought — no planning. The planning for my suggestion should start now while the bulldozers are working and the “textured” cement is being poured. We cannot afford to wait four or five years until the freeway is finished, and here’s why. Some experts predict the freeway will possibly help with the Sandpoint traffic situation for about a year. After that, we may be left with the same old problem of those smelly cows and pigs offending our delicate nostrils. We have become far too cultured to have to put up with the slightest hint of a barnyard smell.

I would like to offer a well thought out suggestion that I think would bring together the old with the new. It will give us the foundation of the past, coupled with the current obsession to allow people to zip down to Coeur d’Alene and use our byway to bypass Sandpoint. I would like to suggest that we bring back the days of old Cap Markham and put in a fleet of ferries owned by the city. It can be done for far less money than the city gave away on the recent bank deal. We could build a fleet of ferries to operate from the south end of the long bridge to the Kootenai border in no time at all. The ferries could be constructed out of town and floated into place, hence no noise or congestion. The fleet could be called, “The Sandpoint Transport Company” and would be escorted, and guarded, by our now famous fireboat, the Mighty Minnow. In the winter, the Minnow could be retrofitted to act as an icebreaker for the fleet. 

The city ferries will not be like those big things they have up in Canada — 10 cars or two large trucks would be just the right size. I know we have to make some money on this venture but that can be easily done. There will be additional room on each boat for a financial enterprise. On each ferry, there could be booths for real estate, attorneys, and the makers of strange and exotic coffee. The city would make some real revenue by renting out the spaces. If a company wanted to own their own ferry, I am sure the city could work out some kind of deal to give them a big tax break or just give them a ferry — they just love giving things away.  

Now I want to take a minute more and tell you about the star boat of the proposed Sandpoint Transport Company’s fleet. It will be larger than all the other ferryboats and it will be the new home of the Sandpoint City Council. Its name will be “The Family Feud” and its superstructure will be made of glass to symbolize the transparency of the mayor’s administration. The glass will allow the citizens of the town to see their leaders in action but there is one drawback — if a person wants to hear what was said, or yelled, or bickered, at one of the eight to10 hour council meetings, they would have to purchase a set of eight DVDs. These discs would make a wonderful present for some youngster wanting to understand the mystifying workings of city government. (In the future, look for these DVDs under the title of, “How to run a real meeting.”)

I am sure by now you have determined that I am crazy, and I agree. However, before you negate my idea, sit down and think a moment, and you just might agree that it makes as much sense as anything we have come up with to date.