No blinders on this vision

Local historians, take note. And make sure you're sitting down.

Coeur d'Alene Mayor Sandi Bloem and Dan Gookin, the councilman most likely to oppose her in the November election, agree on something.

And it's a big thing, reaching more than a quarter of a century into our future.

Bloem and Gookin agree that the community will be well served by at least exploring the prospects of creating a vision for the future, an expansion of a project known as CDA 2020. For the general public, the new exercise begins Tuesday at 6 p.m. during the City Council meeting in Coeur d'Alene's public library, when renowned planner Steven Ames will make the first presentation on the visioning process.

Then Wednesday, two more opportunities for the public to get involved include a meeting from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at Lake City Center, 1916 N. Lakewood Drive, then again from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Coeur d'Alene Eagles, 209 E. Sherman Ave.

At this stage, no actual picture will emerge of what Coeur d'Alene should look like in 2030. Much must be done before then, including raising some money to pay Mr. Ames to lead the parade.

But for anything to be accomplished - now, tomorrow or 27 years from now - people have to be able to put their differences aside and talk. Alas, some of the community's most vocal citizens have said they will not participate in any way.

Thankfully, Councilman Gookin isn't one of them.

"I really wish people would be willing to come together," he told The Press. "To be able to sit down and break bread together would be awesome."

So the show, short-lived or longer term, will go on without the desired input of some who apparently prefer the notion that they'll eventually be able to throw rotten eggs at others' creation.

For our part, we applaud City Attorney Mike Gridley for starting this process and then stepping back. Like Mayor Bloem, Gridley understands that this cannot and must not be the brainchild of bureaucrats. A look into the community's wishing well and then the very hard work that would be needed to make an overall vision become reality must be powered by the people.

Let's break bread and see what we can see.