October 22 - 28, 2015
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Community Newspaper of Blaine and Birch Bay HHHECRWSSHHH Postal Customer
IN THIS
ISSUE
Cross-border expo boosts businesses, page 3
Halloween activities around the county, pages 8-9
PRSRT STD U. S. Postage PAID Permit NO. 87 Blaine, WA 98230
Volunteers needed for pollution study, page 15
Construction on Birch Bay shoreline to begin next fall By Ian Ferguson The countdown is on for the longawaited Birch Bay shoreline restoration project, slated to begin next fall, but Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce members are raising concerns about the construction process and the timeline for public restrooms. Overseen by Whatcom County public works, the project will restore shoreline and improve the roadside along 2.4 miles of Birch Bay Drive. Construction is scheduled for the rainy months, so as not to interfere with tourist season in Birch Bay. At a Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce meeting October 15, project manager Roland Middleton told chamber members the project will require 4,200 truckloads to bring in several hundred thousand cubic yards of sand and gravel. The most logical place to stage that mountain of material is on the former Vogt property on Birch Bay Drive, which the county purchased last year to be developed into a beachside park. Members of the Birch Bay chamber were concerned the park property, which hosted several successful events last summer, would be unable to continue hosting events next summer because of all the gravel and equipment. Middleton eased their fears. “The land may be locked up for construction during the winter season, but that doesn’t mean we won’t clean it up and make some space,” Middleton said. “If we don’t get the project done in the winter, then in the spring we want to move everything off to the side, get it secured and out of the way so during the summer you can use it, even though we might have some equipment there.” The park has already become an economic driver for Birch Bay. Summer events such as Birch Bay Beach Day, the sandcastle contest and Discover Birch Bay Days all used the property in one way or another. Birch Bay Waterslides general manager Iain Buchanan said the central location made it easy to reach potential
s Ken Imus and Kathleen Hill watch as construction begins on the new F Street plaza..
Photo by Steve Guntli
Imus begins construction on new F Street plaza By Steve Guntli Developer Ken Imus has begun construction on a new shopping and dining plaza at Peace Portal Drive and F Street, and he’s bringing a Fairhaven staple along with him. Imus earned acclaim for revitalizing the Fairhaven district of Bellingham, beginning in the 1970s. His company, Jacaranda Land Development, owns several properties along Peace Portal Drive. He has long advocated for Blaine’s potential
as a tourist destination. Workers broke ground on the new plaza at Peace Portal Drive and F Street on October 15. The project will add several important amenities to downtown Blaine. “This project will have public restrooms, some space for little shops and maybe a little seafood restaurant in the back,” Imus said. Imus owns the iconic Fairhaven Fish and Chips, a restaurant inside a vintage double-decker bus, and said he plans to
place a similar double-decker restaurant in the new development. Kathleen Hill, a designer who has worked on several projects with Imus, estimates the project will be finished by next spring. Earlier this year, Imus announced he would be remodeling the former Goff’s Department Store building on Peace Portal Drive. That building will house retail shops on the ground level and condos on the upper levels. Crews began stripping the façade off the building over the summer.
(See Berm, page 2)
Repaving causes delays at Pacific Highway border crossing By Steve Guntli Travelers using the Pacific Highway border crossing should be prepared for longer waits. On October 19, work crews began repaving the cargo exit lane at the SR 543 border crossing. U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) area port director Gregory Alvarez said the construction is standard infrastruc-
ture improvement. “CBP is committed to maintaining the highest service standards possible,” he said. “Sometimes that requires infrastructure enhancements and construction that cause delays. CBP makes every effort to mitigate these impacts to the greatest extent possible.” The repaving will extend from the cargo processing area through the cargo lane exit to SR 543. While the con-
struction is underway, commercial traffic will be rerouted to passenger exit lanes, which may affect commuter arrival and departure times. A second phase of repaving will begin after this project is completed. CBP public affairs officer Renne Archer said the office does not have an estimated completion date for the project, but will make the details public as soon as they are available.
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Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Police . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Coming Up . . . . . . . . . . 14 Tides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14