McEUEN: Still time to do launch right

The debate regarding the future of McEuen Field and Third Street boater access illustrates the need to develop a better future for boaters on the entire lake, not just the local Coeur d'Alene city area.

I have been involved with the lake's issues since 1969, first as a fisheries biologist and later as Idaho Fish and Game regional supervisor for North Idaho, plus have lived on the waterfront since 1994.

Boater access facilities to this, one of the nation's most beautiful lakes, are woefully inadequate. The best facility, at Third Street, provides a real hot spot and sometimes dangerous situation for the Tubbs/Arrow Point/Coeur d'Alene Resort "devils triangle." All other facilities are small, overused in summer and often unusable for boaters in the fall, winter and spring due to low water. Most need major renovation.

Looking at the future, the Third Street facility is in a terrible location, due to traffic and congestion in the downtown area. Finding a suitable location for which to relocate it may actually prove to be impossible. Transferring the boater usage to the Spokane River would serve only summertime users and create a bottleneck at the upper river and adjacent lake.

To create a better plan for the lake's recreation I suggest a planning body to include the city of Coeur d'Alene, Kootenai County, Corps of Engineers, Idaho Department of Lands, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, and Coeur d'Alene Tribe. Advisers from marinas and public groups should be included. The time to do this right is long overdue.

DAVID ORTMANN

Coeur d'Alene