Millennium Trolley
Community Support for the project will bring about better
traffic, parking.
From "Letters to the Editor", Issaquah Press, March 1, 2000
Thank you for reporting on the progress of our “Millenium Trolley Project.”
As you know, our historical society and its volunteers have had a big impact on
Issaquah over time by undertaking large projects, such as restoring the depot
and saving the Alexander House (Visitor’s Center). These and other facilities
- such as Gilman Village, the Village Theatre, the Salmon Hatchery and the
Pickering Barn (which will once again serve as a public market this year!) -
work together with the natural beauty of the surrounding hills to give Issaquah
a special charm.
Getting between these facilities can currently be a challenge, but they are
all within close walking distance of Issaquah’s in-tact railroad tracks, which
run a scenic and rarely appreciated course through town. The trolley project
offers an opportunity to enhance Issaquah’s charm by bringing the community’s
existing assets together into something that can be enjoyed as a whole.
We would very much like to have a trolley on track from Gilman Village to the
heart of downtown during Salmon Days 2000. We could also roll the trolley in
future years on July Fourth and for other special occasions throughout the year
during which large crowds come to Issaquah. One possible use would be shuttling
people from the parking and restaurants at Gilman Village to the Village
Theatre. This would be a win-win for the theatre and village merchants - and
could help alleviate theatre parking woes. For the long term, we want to
preserve the railroad right-of-way and inspire visions of useful rail-based
transit on the Eastside. When this happens, people will appreciate our vision in
working to save right-of-way which would be extremely expensive and difficult to
recreate!
Our "Salmon Days 2000" goal is aggressive and depends on successful
trolley negotiations. If we don't make it - we'll set a new date, but the
trolley will never happen without widespread support from the community - in the
form of cooperation, donations and volunteer effort.
Dear Press Readers, if this project sounds exciting to you - we'd like your
help! Visit our web site at www.issaquahhistory.org/trolley
for more information on how to be involved.
David Bangs
President, Issaquah Historical Society.
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