Keep the Truman Waterfront green space green
EDITOR:
Just as the city of Key West is getting a dose of reality with the
“getting ugly” label from National Geographic Traveler magazine, things
get even uglier.
The consultants the city hired to provide advice on improving the
Truman Waterfront property obtained from the U.S. Navy recommended some
of that property be sold for condominium development. With the severe
lack of park and open green space, I find this proposal outrageous. I
hope the city of Key West gets its money back for this inappropriate
advice.
The city and county are being overrun by cars, crowds and cruise
ships, so how about tapping into the pockets of the Tourist Development
Council and cruise-ship industry to fund the improvements to the Truman
Waterfront? This gift is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to save and
preserve precious open waterfront property from the ravages of
development and for the enjoyment of residents and visitors alike. Every
square inch that can be saved from the developers’ bulldozers needs to
be saved.
Too often, locals pay the price for public land improvement that ends
up being used more by tourists or exploited by private interests. It’s
time for city and county residents to take a stand and let our local
officials know we are tired of being sacrificed at the altar to the gods
of tourism and development.
John Murphy
Big
Pine Key
|
