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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Summary - 06/08/2017PORT ANGELES FORWARD COMMITTEE June 8, 2017 at 7:30 a.m. Vern Burton Meeting Rooms Port Angeles, Washington REVISED AGENDA 1. Call to Order 2. Roll Call 3. Minutes - April 13, 2017 4. Late Items 5. Ongoing Business a. Priority Setting Committee Reports i. Infrastructure - Platinum ii. Social Challenges and clean-up - Beautiful PA iii. Business support and economic development 6. New Business a. Race Street Complete Streets Project (N. West) b. Dragon Boat Racing Circuit (M. Ohman) 7. Adjournment PA FORWARD — COMMITTEE MEMBERS PORT ANGELES CITY COUNCIL Patrick Downie, Chair / Cherie Kidd, Vice Chair / Sissi Bruch, Alternate Clallam County Lower Elwha Tribe Port of Port Angeles Clallam County PUD Jim Jones Michael Peters Steve Burke Larry Morris Alt. Alt. Shetty Curran Alt. Alt. Doug Nass Clallam Transit Economic Dev. Corporation Kevin Gallacci Jennifer Linde Alt. Alt. PA Downtown Assoc. Citizen -At -Large Mary Sue French Steve Bearman Alt. Clallam County Historic Society Charlie Smith Staff. Dan McKeen - Nathan West Chamber of Commerce Marc Abshire Alt. Citizen -At -Large Vacant PA Business Assoc. Kaj Ahlburg Alt. Ted Simpson Citizen -At -Large Mark Ohman I pass them on the river frequently — long, narrow craft. their paddles rising and digging in — but I've seldom given much thought to dragon boats, even though my 17 -year-old son has been paddling them for two seasons. That changed recently when his team asked for volunteers to transport the kids to a race in Olympia. Here was the chance to "so mXre about the activit�LA that so enwated rn,,A, son and gain new insights into the next generation of boaters. The Olympia Dragon Boat Festival takes place annually on the last Saturday in April. About two dozen teams come from all over the Pacific Northwest, each composed of 20 paddlers, plus a person who steers and a caller who sets the pace. Unlike some nautical competitions, teams may bring their own paddles-, but they use the boats of the host organization. I began my information gathering on the drive up to Olympia. But when I asked the three teens in my car why they liked to paddle dragon boats, none of them mentioned an affinity for water or boats. "It's the high school sport where you get to travel the farthest," one of them replied. • said • I love paddling like crazy and the feeling of winning a race." The • noted ii••' to "chill with my friends." I was also surprised to learn that most high schoolers on the team have no nautical background; and while all had something •• to say .•• the outdoors, being • the water was not their primary reason for participating. The big attraction, it seemed, was the social component. This aspect of dragon boating was on full display in the tearr tents after each race, where the main activities were sitting around, eating and talking I had assumed that speed would be important to the kids once they got out on the water — • I was wrong. Dragon #•+ aren't •r fast, • that didn't bother my group. Speed is relative here; all that matters is that they're beating someone else. (it • takes about a minute and •` to run a 250 meter • What was important, as it turned out, was the competition itself. Festival participants displayed • levels • team pride and ••••4 sportsmanship. There was much cheering, singing (not embarrassing when done en masse, apparently), and wearing garb in team colors (including sarongs). When team members headed down to the docks and charged •i the lanes, I witnessed whooping and •- • I won't predict whether dragon boating turns into a life-long passion for these kids, or if it leads to ventures in other types of small craft. But what I can say is that dragon boats provide a good time on the water, which is what we all want, regardless of the craft we use. Marina's Dragon oat Team Wins Paddlers Cup By Kerrie Andrist Clos I April 20, 2016 The Gig Harbor Paddlers Cup took place earlier this month, but there's renewed buzz about it again this week. A drone video of the event was released a few days ago and beautifully showcases the annual paddle competition in the harbor. Click below to watch the amazing footage taken by Seattle Drones. And what better opportunity to point out that the Northwest Maritime Academy & Gig Harbor Marina & Boatyard's dragon boat team took first place in this year's Paddlers Cup event. The April 2-3 Paddlers Cup, sponsored by the Gig Harbor Canoe & Kayak Race Team, culminated in dragon boat races on the final day of competition. Gig Harbor Marina & Boatyard Sponsors Winning Dragon Boat Team "Our team won the dragon boat race," Northwest Maritime Academy and Gig Harbor Marina & Boatyard's Ron Roark announced proudly at the Monday morning meeting the day after the races. The Academy Managing Director and marina owner and general manager sponsored a 20 -person team from Joint Base Lewis-McChord's 201st Expeditionary Military Intelligence Brigade to compete in the dragon boat races. A relationship between Roark, an Air Force veteran, and the 201st EMS was deepened at Right Arm Night held at The Club @ the Boatyard in February. The event was sponsored by the Captain Menwether Lewis -Gig Harbor Subchapter of the Association of the United States Army (AUSA). AUSA is an educational organization that supports the U.S. Army and the men and women who serve. The evening at The Club was about building relationships between military members and the community. Ron Roark, left, owner of Gig Harbor Marina & Boatyard, talks to a member of the 201st Expeditionary Military Intelligence Brigade at Right Arm Night in February. The event at The Club @ the Boatyard was about building relationships between the community and military members. Roark spoke to the gathering at Right Arm Night and encouraged community support of military members returning from duty. Sponsoring a dragon boat team was just one way to do that. The JBLM team won the semi final and the final of the 200 -meter race held inside the harbor. Their winning time of 1:22.18 beat the Gig Harbor Rotary Club's second place time of 1:26.86. Marina Breathes Fire into Idea of Dragon Boat Races at Paddlers Cup In just two years, the exotic 20 -person boats, complete with dragon's head, drummer and steering oarsman, have become a fixture of the annual Paddlers Cup. The dragon boat races, added to the Paddlers Cup just last year, are open to corporations, public service groups and clubs sponsored by small businesses and high schools. Last year Tacoma Dragon Boats brought a couple of the long, narrow boats over for exhibition races during the Paddlers Cup. A couple of local community members found themselves in a winning boat and were immediately hooked on this exciting team -building experience. Gig Harbor Mayor Jill Guernsey and resident Sharon Shaffer knew then that the Maritime City just had to have its own dragon boat. Roark at Gig Harbor Marina & Boatyard agreed and fire was breathed into the idea. He purchased an authentic dragon boat — complete with ornate dragon's head and the all-important drum that provides the "pulse" keeping paddlers in rhythm. Now the Northwest Maritime Academy at Gig Harbor Marina & Boatyard owns the boat. It is used by the Gig Harbor Dragon Boat Team and is available to other groups interested in this team -building activity. Participants of any fitness level can quickly learn and develop a passion for this sport, say those who have tried it. A Paddlers Cup medal hangs from the dragon boat used by the marina's winning team, the 201st Expeditionary Military Intellience Brigade out of Joint Base Lewis-McChord. (Photo at top of story shows a team practicing in the harbor in August 2015.) And now there's a crew at Joint Base Lewis-McChord that has caught the passion. They will be the dragon boat team to beat at next year's Gig Harbor Paddlers Cup. may -Tacoma DragonBoat Association's i season is underway!Find out mre about joining the team, practicing, participating in the Rainier Dragon Boat Festival on i . • • - Paddles • Rainier Dragon Boat Festival - Thank you for a terrific hank you to the community and corporate teams in the Tacoma area and the dragon boat clubs from around the Northwest for spending a beautiful Saturday with us on the water! We hope you, your family and community members enjoyed the Rainier Dragon Boat Festival! Thank you to Multicare Health System for sponsoring this event! The race results are available here. Pictures are available on our Facebook page and will be included on this website soon! Please tag yourself, share and post your race photos — thank you! A drone flying over a dragon boat race took this video! Thank you to Metro Parks Tacoma for sharing this video! DroneWorks, LLC is the photographer. Thank you to Shiela Marsh, Rainier DB Festival Race Registrar, for organizing this event! We appreciate all the work of our TDBA members! Many members helped coach community teams and steered and drummed during the races. Other members worked the docks, registration, start and finish lines, opening ceremony, award ceremony, and more. Thank you all! We hope to see you on the water soon and back to the Rainier Dragon Boat Festival in 2018! Paddles up! Become a Member of the Tacoma Dragon Boat Association Try dragon boating — the first three paddles with the Tacoma Dragon Boat Association are FREE! Drop by one of our practices or email us ahead of time. Membership dues are just $100 per year. It's great exercise with a unique view of the beautiful Northwest! Learn more about joining the team here. Practice Schedule (We don't go out on days below 34 degrees, lightning, or winds over 15 miles an hour; otherwise, we usually paddle on.) Mondays & Wednesdays: 6:00 — 7:00 p.m. Saturdays: 8:30 — 10:00 a.m. Sundays: 4:30 — 5:30 p.m. — The Sunday sessions are a little less strenuous and are great for those getting back into paddling shape and for paddlers new to the sport. We leave from Johnny's Dock, 1900 East D. St. If you are new, please arrive 20 minutes early so you can sign your waiver and get your gear. See you there!