Linking 3 parks would create path to success
City Council has right spirit in moving this project forward
April 11, 2005

Now that the conference center is up and running, what long-delayed dream should Salem tackle next?
The Salem City Council's answer last week was a good one: Build a pedestrian bridge from Riverfront Park to Minto-Brown Island Park. Or start the process, at least, by applying for a $500,000 state grant.
With that bridge, plus hoped-for renovation of the Willamette River railroad bridge to the north, three separate Salem parks would become one long, linked, leafy gem.
Within minutes, downtown workers or condo-dwellers could be riding bicycles through Minto-Brown Island, watching for beaver dams and hawks. Runners could warm up at Wallace Marine Park and lope for miles without encountering a traffic light. Workers could park on the outskirts of downtown and quickly bike north to south, west to east.
Entrepreneurs could rent bikes, roller skates and kayaks all summer long, pack picnic lunches or scoop gelato for tourists at Riverfront Park.
The $2.5 million bridge under consideration wouldn't rival the fancy Sundial Bridge that has put Redding, Calif., on the map. But it would help Salem stand out from its competitors when people choose where to hold a conference, buy a retirement home or enjoy a weekend get-away.
And it would add one more reason for Salem residents to love this city. Look what else is within an easy walk of the bridge site: Eco-Earth, Salem's Riverfront Carousel, A.C. Gilbert's Discovery Village, the Historic Elsinore Theatre.
Each of these volunteer efforts looked impossible at one point; too expensive, too much time required. Each has become a showcase for our community's pride.
Although plans for a pedestrian bridge to Minto-Brown Island go back to the 1980s, this is an idea whose time has come. Obesity and being overweight have become a serious problem. Adults and children alike need to get out and get moving on those miles of trails.
Many questions remain:
How can we expose more people to the wonderful variety of wildlife at Minto-Brown Island while still protecting that wildlife?
Can the Willamette Queen sternwheeler coexist with a bridge that likely will close off its access to a scenic slough?
Will additional visitors add to vandalism, littering and illegal camping at Minto-Brown Island, or will their watchful eyes make the park safer for all?
Will a community that voted down parks and library levies pay to maintain new bridges and heavier use of three parks?
Councilors and bridge backers must seek answers as they line up additional grants and partners.
The important thing is that the council acted instead of hanging back and fretting that this couldn't be done. That's the Salem spirit in action once more.