The minute city of Hoquiam thinks about the past where we’re going

So many small towns begin as one thing, one kind of place, years or centuries ago. Through time, through the pressure of its citizens living their lives, it begins to change into something else. To grow. These changes are often brought around by the basic daily decisions of the people in the town, and shape it into something bigger and better or, alternately, begin its downward slide. Every now and then, though, a small town has to look at what it wants to be and start making some big decisions.

Let’s look at the town of Hoquiam, Washington, up in the Pacific Northwest, right on the edge of Grays Harbor. The town was born and raised a lumber town; logging was its life. And now, years later, logging continues to be a part of the town’s heritage, celebrated annually in parades and logging competitions and an internationally known Loggers’ Playday. But if there’s a chance to grow, how should it be handled?

The town has the advantage of sitting on a river. The Hoquiam River, to be exact, which flows through downtown and on into Grays Harbor. There is discussion of developing this area now, putting in shopping and dining and entertainment, right there on the water. It’s a development strategy that has worked well for San Antonio and Baltimore, but its success is dependent on how it’s handled.

This isn’t the first time the waterfront has been in the limelight. Back in the 1980s the area was more popular. But now development interest is building and it’s up to residents to determine how best to use their taxpayer money, and to determine what kind of city they want their city to become.

A potentially interesting factor in the development is its relationship (call it a friendly rivalry) with Aberdeen, the larger town to the east. The two cities are separated by an avenue, so they’re closely connected. Changes in one will undoubtedly affect the other. The responsibilities, then, in making development decisions are bigger than just the city’s own limits. A developing city becomes a regional evolution.

Whatever it finally becomes, Hoquiam will have to maintain its heritage while forging ahead — becoming something new while remaining recognizable as what it once was. This is not easy, especially as towns grow. But it is of course possible, especially if the community makes these big decisions together, wisely.

Get furthermore about Entezar Development Group.