Gravel mine

Think of implications of turning the mine into a park

I have some questions for all Vashon Island residents. I live in southeastern Washington and have not lived on Vashon for eight years. I grew up on Vashon (lived there 45 years) and still have an interest in her welfare. 

I am concerned about the CalPortland (Glacier Sand & Gravel/Vashon Sand & Gravel) property that some people want to turn into “public ownership.”

Has anyone looked into what it will cost you as individuals to put in a new driveway, to replace gravel on your driveway or pour a concrete foundation when the old Vashon Sand & Gravel pit runs out of aggregate in a few years?

Will you be paying new taxes to the State of Washington and King County to purchase this 236 acres for “public ownership,” as well as paying a much higher price whenever you need sand and/or gravel?

Will you also eventually be paying more taxes to develop this 236 acres? 

The next question has to be how CalPortland will get the required gravel onto the Island.  Will there be more eel grass to contend with at another location?  Will it be truck loads of gravel taking up space on the already overflowing ferries?  And how much are you willing to pay for a truck load of sand or gravel from off-Island?

If you are interested in another park on Vashon, the old Vashon Sand & Gravel pit will be ready to use as a park when their lease is up. This will be a safe park, unlike some of the other locations which have high-bank waterfronts and dangerous access.

I do not know the answers to these questions. I just wonder if anyone cares to look into these issues before it is too late.

— Mary Reuter

The ‘Vashon Hum’

Perhaps sound is in the ‘key of the earth’

Just about everybody, I guess, has heard the “Vashon Hum,” and everybody seems to think they know what it is.

Seeing it on the front page of The Beachcomber, though, reminded me of the liner notes of an old (1978) Paul Winter album, Common Ground, in which the saxophonist wrote music inspired by animal and bird sounds: “Sometime after having gathered these creature songs, I found, to my amazement, that all three were in the key of D-flat. I’ve enjoyed speculating on whether this is a lucky coincidence or a gift from the Muse. I was told by a teacher once that in some esoteric systems D-flat is considered to be the key of the Earth.”

So now it remains to be determined: Is our Hum in the key of D-flat?  

— Bill Wood