Options High School Bike path

[Tim Paxton]

Update on Options High.

 

Turns out the Bellingham School District has a secret.

 

They don't need to vacate the popular bike path along Bellingham High School to build their new Options building.  They even bragged about

that topic at the in intermission of the May 18th hearing, in front of the press from Nwcitizen.com.

 

The real reason for the land grab is the School District bought some astro turf for the BHS soccer practice field and want 14 feet more to make it a regulation length field.    That's it.  Bike path must go for a regulation astro turf soccer PRACTICE field.  This is from a public works email forwarded to me.

 

BHS has gotten along fine with their soccer program for decades without shutting down a Primary Pedestrian pathway.

 

Even the out of town Hearing Examiner, to his credit walked the trail

and noted just dumping people onto Franklin Street is not a replacement

for the open green space of this valued bike way.

 

The 14 feet could be gotten on the West end of the  soccer field easily but they see this as an idea time to abuse the support that the uninformed feel for the Poor Options Kids and grab that 20 foot wide bike path.

 

You can help keep that bike trail open and not be dumped onto a busy

Franklin Street (400 students racing to / from school with parents or driving?)

 

If the Hearing Examiner rules for the Alley Vacation this week, make sure you contact City Council and say "No. Thanks."  They get to approve this topic at least.  They have an adopted Council policy of not vacating paths adjacent to open space.  Bellingham athletic fields qualify. Or contact

them now and say, "No, don't vacate the Sunnyland bike trail"

 

Shame on the Bellingham School District for pretending they need to

route bikes onto a busy street for the Options kids and trying a old fashioned land grab.