Oyster Plant Park name is here to stay

POULSBO — Even city councilman Ed Stern thought it was a good idea.

And, after casting a minority vote with councilman Jim Henry to name the city’s newest recreational amenity “Oyster Plant Rotary Park,” the Poulsbo-North Kitsap Rotarian joined the rest of council to afix the name “Oyster Plant Park” on the .22-acre site for good.

Stern’s original motion went down 5-2, but he cheerfully supported the ensuing unanimous decision.

Including “Rotary” in the park’s name had created some opposition from the public because, although the service organization took the lead on the Fjord Drive project, numerous other volunteers from the greater Poulsbo community also worked to ensure the park’s success. Late last year, students and businesses teamed up with the Lemolo Citizens Club, master gardeners, the city and the Rotary to carefully place hundreds of plants in the ground at the waterfront park.

The efforts of so many individuals did not escape the eyes of the community, nor the ears of the city council.

“I’ve received letters and phone calls asking that we don’t have Rotary in the name of the park,” councilman Dale Rudolph explained. “There were a lot of citizens involved.”

No council member would know this better than Jackie Aitchison, who spent hours volunteering as well.

“There have been many, many people there,” said Aitchison, noting that even Rotarian Bill Austin — a man who she said spent “countless, countless hours” at the park — had a personal preference that the Rotary name be left out. Austin, found working diligently at the site Thursday, seemed pleased with the council’s decision.

“I think it needs to reflect the homogeneous group effort,” councilwoman Kathryn Quade said, explaining her

vote.

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