Another missed opportunity?

It has been over 27 years since Kachemak Heritage Land Trust created the Homer Town Square committee to develop a vision for the future of Homer’s Town Center. Over the intervening years many Homer residents attempted to achieve that vision. It is with great disappointment to see Doyon come to town and select a site for their proposed hotel/conference center that would be a perfect fit for the Town Center and instead choose the Lighthouse Village site that is opposed by many in the community.

Doyon said it would listen to public input during the planning process. They did in fact, listen to their shareholders and canceled a critical land-access agreement involving the Ambler mining road, citing local concerns to the “impact to fisheries and caribou.” While they did make minor concessions to secure permitting at the proposed site, they largely ignored the testimony of the adjacent residential neighborhood, environmental concerns, and public safety issues.

It is frustrating and unfortunate that the Planning Commission(s) and the city council did not take an active role in collaborating with Doyon and the large private landowner in the Town Center area to promote responsible development in the heart of Homer. Yes, private property rights are sacrosanct in our society. But, a Marine Trades facility at Lighthouse Village and a hotel/conference center in the Town Square would have achieved many of the goals of comp plans and the approval of residents.

Doug Van Patten

Homer

To the Editor,

My name is Donna Weinstock and I am from Key West, Florida. My husband, Jerry, and I traveled to Homer during the summer months for many years to fish and enjoy your wonderful community. Each year, we stayed at Land’s End Resort. We came to know and value many of the employees who worked at the resort over the years. Unfortunately, these annual journeys ended for us in 2007.

I write this letter as a compliment to the owner of Land’s End, John Faulkner. During a conversation with Heidi Loop, the Hotel Operations Manager whom we have known for many years, we spoke of the two gold medals Kristen Faulkner won at this summer’s Olympics. I had asked Heidi to convey my delight to John of his daughter’s success upon his return from Paris. To my joyful surprise, John Faulkner called me back! Thank you, John!

Donna and Jerry Weinstock

Key West, Florida

Thank you for supporting Fireweed Frescoes

Homer OPUS would like to thank the Friends of Fireweed Academy for their generous support of our violins-in-the-schools programs. We are delighted that 45 Fireweed students are participating this year. It is a joy to watch these Frescoes learn and grow with their violins.

As a nonprofit organization that believes that broad access to music education changes children’s lives and transforms communities, Homer OPUS relies on donations like these to make music education accessible to all families. By providing the youngest members of our community with a chance to create music together, and venues where diverse families sit side by side to enjoy the collaborative music-making of their children, we feel we are knitting critical community bonds, one musical note at a time.

Community members can hear the Fireweed Frescoes perform on April 10, 6-7 p.m. during our Sea of Strings community concert on the Mariner stage. There, the Frescoes will perform alongside other OPUS students, including the Paul Banks Preludes, Chapman Eagle Ensemble, Homer Youth String Orchestra Club and the Codas adult ensemble.

Thank you, Friends of Fireweed Academy, for supporting the work we do.

Christina Whiting, Program Manager

Homer OPUS