Mayor of America's Vancouver Royce Pollard, left, today acknowledges $2.5 million federal stimulus to city's Columbia River Waterfront renaissance project announced by U.S. Rep. Brian Baird (D-3rd)

Federal stimulus package helps open
Vancouver’s huge waterfront project

Vancouver’s Columbia River renaissance waterfront project got a stimulus shot in the arm today with the announcement by U.S. Rep. Brian Baird (D-3rd) that a $2.5 million jolt from the federal government is part of $9.19 million stimulus money that will be distributed by the Southwest Washington Regional Transportation Council to a number of southern Washington transportation projects.

The waterfront project money will be used to complete street access between downtown Vancouver and the former Boise Cascade paper mill.

Vancouver mayor Royce Pollard, during a news conference at the site, said: “The waterfront renaissance project is the pinnacle in the next chapter of downtown Vancouver’s revitalization. The opportunity to connect our community to our waterfront is unmatched in terms of size and potential. This project will forever change the face of Vancouver and the state of Washington.”

Baird said he was in the forefront of those in Congress asking that the current stimulus act contain projects that would create jobs.

Except for access from Columbia Street, the 40-acre project is walled off from the city by the Burlington Northern Santa Fe rail line.

Construction will begin is six weeks to open access on Esther Street and Grant Street with below-rail roadways.

The access projects are expected to be completed in less than two years. Steve Hansen, one of the local investors in the project, said today that they hope to have some construction on the waterfront site completed when access is fully opened.

When completed, in  perhaps a dozen years, the project will have cost private investors over $1.3 billion and will house as many as 10,000 residents.

Hats and gloves optional for
museum’s tea and luncheon

Hats and gloves are optional for the Clark County Historical Museum’s annual Women’s History Month tea and luncheon at 11 a.m. Monday, March 16, in the museum at 1511 Main Street.

The story of Emma Smith DeVoe and May Arkwright Hutton, who were responsible for giving the women in the State of Washington the right to vote in 1910, will be presented.

Admission is $30 for members of the museum; $35 for nonmembers. For tickets, call 993-5679.

Most legislators holding
town hall meetings Saturday

Seventeenth District State Reps. Deb Wallace and Tim Probst, both Democrats, are holding a town hall meeting at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 14, in the Rose Besserman community room in the Fisher’s Landing Transit Center. For further information, call (360) 786-7976.

Forty-ninth District state legislators are holding a town hall meeting from 10 a.m. to noon, Saturday, March 14, in the Clark County Elections Department, 1408 Franklin Street. Taking questions and reporting on the current state legislative session are Democrats Sen. Craig Pridemore, and Reps. Jim Moeller and Jim Jacks.

Eighteenth District legislators, all Republicans, are holding Saturday town hall meetings at 10:30 a.m. in the Oak Tree Restaurant in Woodland, and at 12:30 p.m. in Battle Ground City Hall, 109 SW 1st Street. The legislators are Sen. Joseph Zarelli and Reps. Jaimie Herrera and Ed Orcutt.

Restaurant at the Historic Reserve
Friday menu now includes salmon

A grilled salmon entre has been added to the Restaurant at the Historic Reserve Friday menu. The salmon dinner and a prime rib dinner are $17 each between 5 and 7 p.m. on Fridays, according to Julie Kummer at the restaurant. Call 906-1101 for reservations.

Oops!

Diplomas for 12 military veterans who received high school degrees from the Battle Ground School District last week were presented by Gov. Chris Gregoire’s husband Mike Gregoire, and by John Lee, director of the state Department of Veterans Affairs, both Vietnam veterans. The special ceremony took part during a school board meeting in the Maple Grover Middle School. The Insider misidentified the presenters.

Calendar

Magenta Theater presents A Midsummer Night’s Dream, directed by David Bower, at 7 p.m. this evening and Saturday evening, March 14, in the Magenta Theater, 606 Main Street. Tickets range from $10 to $15. For further information, call artistic director Jaynie Roberts, 606-0033. <> The Hockinson School District is holding an open house to present four candidates for superintendent of the school district from 3:30 to 6 p.m. Friday, March 13. The open house will be in the Hockinson High School library.

Community Calendar Links

• Southwest Washington Center for the Arts

• Greater Vancouver Chamber Community 

• City of Vancouver Calendar