Sawmill Cove
Dear Editor: In the spring of 1999 I sat in City Administrator Gary Paxton’s office and heard his vision for the newly created Sawmill Cove Industrial Park. In a courageous move the City, the State, and Alaska Pulp Corporation had transferred ownership of the site to the City under the watchful eye of City Environmental Superintendent Mark Buggins. Sitka was off and running with a new and very complicated piece of industrial property.
Gary told me that day the park would become a powerful economic engine benefitting the people of Sitka. Gary had vision; he was a long-ball hitter.
Other people had the vision as well. Sen. Stevens and Congressman Young could see the future for Sawmill Cove as could the SEDA Board and the Sawmill Cove Park Board. Countless morning meetings were held at SEDA over day-old muffins and marginal coffee while volunteers worked on plans for the development of the Park.
People with vision attract others with vision. Les and Evy Kinnear had a vision of a world-class bear rehabilitation and display facility, Pete Esquiro and Steve Reifenstuhl could see a new fish hatchery at the park while Troy Denkinger and Rich Riggs envisioned a state-of-the-art fish processing system based at the park with branches reaching throughout Alaska. Dick Kearns and Terry Trap believed in the future of Blue Lake water.
These entrepreneurs worked with the Sitka Assemblies of the day and the members of the Industrial Park Board to turn Paxton’s vision of a thriving industrial park into reality.
Sen. Stedman understood the vision and guided state funding toward a major upgrade of the highway connecting the park to town. This project was completed under the expert management of Sitka’s homegrown state project engineer, Todd Fleming. That’s a great looking project, Todd.
And now in 2014 we find ourselves watching two private sector visionaries compete for the final build out of the park. I know I can sit back in the bleachers and wait for the long ball knowing there are experts like Garry White with SEDA and the present members of the park board who will hit the right pitch for Sitka.
The Gary Paxton Industrial Park is an amazing Alaska success story and we should all be proud of our long-ball hitters. I know I am.
Hugh Bevan, Sitka
