The Small Township Of Hoquiam Evaluates The Future And Keeps Up With Its Neighbors

The evolution of a town is always a delicate act, as much art as commerce. A town that has been established for one reason may find the need to explore other options as times change, which inevitably, of course, they do. But the way a town changes is a thing well worth paying attention to, because it says a lot about the changes in our culture at large.

A fine example of this evolution is seen in the Washington town of Hoquiam. Hoquiam was originally a logging town, a history it recalls with an annual event — Loggers’ Playday. And in the fall there is a logging competition and a parade to further remind the people how they got here. While maintaining these traditions is important, sometimes it’s necessary to invent something new.

In Hoquiam, the waterfront is a likely candidate for change. The stretch of river in Hoquiam’s downtown hasn’t been much used since the 1980s. But now that there’s talk of development in that area, there’s also the possibility for it to become a defining part of the local culture. Hoquiam’s got to have something beyond just logging and lumber, you know.

There’s space on the Hoquiam waterfront for hotels and shops, the kind of commerce that makes a town a city — or at least a bigger town. A good waterfront area has done much for other cities, notably San Antonio and Baltimore. It creates a kind of city center with room for dining and shopping and entertainment. And of course there’s a natural feature that serves as built-in scenery, something to sit by while sipping drinks or having a bit of dinner.

There’s another reason for Hoquiam to develop its waterfront. There’s a kind of long-running rivalry with its bigger neighbor to the east, the town of Aberdeen. These bigger towns often get more development opportunities, more tax money, than its smaller sister. Like the older sibling who gets all the new stuff while the little sister has to play with old toys. So it’s in Hoquiam’s interest to develop that downtown waterfront into a place friendly to locals and tourists alike, if for no other reason than it could give Aberdeen something to thing about.

That balance between tradition and innovation is an important one. But it’s necessary to think about making change to avoid stagnation in a community. And when small towns such as Hoquiam find this opportunity for evolution, they should take a chance or two and grow.

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categories: hotels,housing,development,real estate,property

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