Regarding the Seaside Civic & Convention Center expansion: Years ago, this was in the works and being studied but at that time, it was to include expansion of the city parking lot also. Many different scenarios were mentioned, most being tossed aside, i.e., library, sports arena, etc. 

The parking garage was something that was definitely wanted by the downtown merchants, as there is not enough parking downtown as it is. In answer to the problem, the lot was restriped to utilize all space as much as possible.

When Trendwest (World Mark) came to town and the parking lot there was sold, they, in turn, built a garage with the first two floors for public parking. This seemed like a good trade-off. Why does the city think it can take away 50 spaces in the public parking lot, block off two-way access, block off and take away immediate area businesses’ parking? Don’t they ever think about the downtown business economic effect? 

Just because the convention center is enlarged, it does not help the regular tourist coming to town every year find a parking place. I’ve heard in summers past that tourists get so frustrated with parking that they just go on down the road to Cannon Beach, instead.

To sum up, if the convention center is enlarged, additional parking must be supplied, not taken away. That is just common sense. Don’t make it even harder for the tourist to get around town than it is already. Don’t make it harder for local businesses to make a living than it already is. We count on the tourist as well as convention center, but if one is favored with no thought of the other, then it is a “no win” situation.

Just because you build it does not mean they will come.

M. Diebolt

Seaside