McEUEN: Don't keep boaters at bay

The plan for McEuen is nice but where will the boaters on trailers go? I purchase moorage at the Yacht Club and this past spring I went on my way to get my boat in the water. It's a nice sunny day and I headed to Blackwell for the launch.

Not so fast - the gates are locked - now to plan B. I will just go to the Yacht Club and launch there. Not so fast; they are too busy to fit me in with all of their boat sales. Now plan C is on the radar: Third Street, and yes, we finally got it done.

This exercise is one I only do twice a year. But what will we do about the folks who trailer to our lake on a regular basis? When we make it too hard to have fun they will find other lakes to explore.

If McEuen goes forward we have to find another spot for the boaters to launch so they can enjoy the true Diamond of Coeur d'Alene - the lake.

Parking spots at Higgins 55-60; hard to count in the snow. Booths Landing - docks gone. Blackwell is a great facility but not open year round. The old docks at the Yacht Club - gone as well.

Let's just be sure that we do not drive the boaters away. They spend money too!

JIM ALEXANDER

Coeur d'Alene