I received a letter from the city of Snoqualmie asking for my donation

to help build a community center on the Ridge. There has never been a time

I have supported any development on our rolling hills of standing timber,

not even for a good cause.

An ocean liner is a beautiful ship that sails across the oceans to

other places, but it would not work in our rivers. Just like that, the

housing projects may seem clean, fresh and nice inside, but they do not work

in our community. A community center on the Ridge may have a lot to

offer, but it will not work in our community, not unless we build it on the

Valley floor.

The city is working to lower flood areas, once this is accomplished

we should consider a community center, or build the center like the

Kimball Creek project, up above the flood waters, anything but building on our

hills. I don’t know about you, but I, myself, am not looking forward to looking

out my front room window and seeing what will look like Queen Ann

Hill plastered all over our hillsides.

A poor example of beauty is the street that runs behind the football

field at Mount Si and to Meadowbrook. It is nice to have smooth sidewalks. It

is nice to have a smooth road to travel. But the road is far too narrow, and

there is no room for parking on the street. Two cars passing each other

almost swap paint. But then look at the road where the Post Office is — nice,

big, wide enough for four lanes. Why? Both roads have major usage.

Heck, most folks used to park behind the football field to avoid the

crowded parking lot. Now they have to park in front of the school.

Another poor example of beauty is the desecration of the Fall City

Elementary gym. Its historic values have been stripped clean. Along with

the gym in Fall City, we have the Snoqualmie Elementary

remodeling. It is a beautiful reconstruction. How many new classrooms did we

get? Why is the band now having to get up before school starts and rehearse

at Mount Si? What did the remodeling give the children, lockers?

Smaller classes? A larger lunch room? Why do the kids have to have two grades

in one classroom?

I guess what I am trying to express is that just because we are

convinced we need it and it sounds good, that doesn’t mean it is in our best

interest to build it. If you wish to support the community center on the Ridge, be

my guest. I myself will not.

Charlotte Irene Noel

Snoqualmie