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ATTACHMENT D C ~. Y,'~ j~ 5 PAGE 7A .. -'~ °'Statesman Joumal, Salem, :?re., MondaY. Au9ust 28,1995 ^ ^ ~ rrot s~at~on cou e er . . wntown maor a~n or o , ~ Let's start again ~ ^ It'S all~ from the beginning opportunity for ~th the debate about where to put O~lel' C1ty the Salem Cherriot ~Pr~,~~~, bus transit station. The way we're going now, there's~no solution. Every suggestion is shot down. _ Every location has its fans and even more detractors. Start with the basic question: Do we need a transit station? The city council, downtown business groups and Marion County commissioners can start the debate. It shouldn't take more than a couple of weeks to settle the issue. If they are happy with the ad-hoc transfer set- ' up on High Street, then tell the Salem Area ~ansit Board to quit worrying about a transit building. . But we don't believe that they are happy. If that's made clear, then at least the tran- sit board will know - again - that it must find a new home and that the community is behind its efforts. At the same time, the council, county ~ commissioners and downtown business groups can provide leadership in helping find and promote a location. We've set up unrealistic obstacles to every proposal. At one point, transit of- ficials wanted to use part of the Marion Parkade. We supported it as an ideal loca- tion and ideal solution. But it was quickly shot dow-n by those who didn't want to lose the parking spaces. TRANSPORTATION The Senator Hotel block met similar re- . sistance about the loss of low-income hous- ing and business offices. ~ If everyone agrees that we need a safe -~- place to park buses and to load and unload passengers, make that the first priority. - Then tackle the next priority: recovering ... from the effects of the first~ ' - If the Senate Hotel and its low-income ~- . housing are lost to a transit station; make ~ that an opportunity, not an obstacle. Build ~"` more low-inoome housing, and if we can't . afford to do it downtown, put it elsewhere and make it better than before: - If we lose parking spots or business sites, then create more. Put up a transit building . that includes shops and offices and ad- ditional car parl~ng. This is not just a city bus station we're talking about; it's a major downtown im- provement. Make the most of it. The transit board now has three sites to consider: the Senator Hotel block, the block where Washi.ngton Mutual Bank is located, and the block that includes Greyhound bus station. All have good qualities that would strengthen our bus system and give us the . opportunity to make other significant im- provements at the same time. If we are serious about a transit station, let's do it. Otherwise we will fuss around with it for another 15 years.