Picture this Olympia! I’ve got an idea for developing a real downtown gathering place at the property where the artesian well is located. The Olympia Co-op should buy the property and convert the building to its new downtown location and have the artesian well designed into a real fountain. The Co-op could include a deli and coffee shop with tables that spill out into the courtyard. Folks can park their bikes, have lunch, pick up some groceries and “take the waters” dipping into Olympia’s heritage all in the same visit. (Ultimately, the City Hall could be guilt tripped into giving up the parking stalls they’ve acquisitioned at this site thus hindering its commercial development due to bad planning on the city counsel’s part.) I can’t think of a better idea for blending a new viable commercial enterprise with a vital urban public space (“community plaza”) for all types of downtown visitors and denizens to come together.
Trent Kelly