Central Avenue

My wife and I recently built the building at 206 Central Avenue next to the Hileman law office, and opened our newest S.M. Bradford Co. store this past November.

As lovers of small community downtowns, we would like to share a few thoughts regarding the soon-to-be-enacted downtown renovation plan, which is in large part very good.

Downtown Whitefish is an extremely rare community in that it possesses both a wonderful historic element and also an exciting future. The future prospect is in part due to its very colorful history as a “real” and viable downtown.

Its viability over the years has been enabled by wide streets with free angle parking and easy access. To tamper with this by narrowing Central Avenue would be a big mistake that could not be easily reversed. If better pedestrian walkways are a concern, this can best be accomplished by eliminating the use of sidewalks as spillover merchandising space.

The investment in better sidewalks, utility infrastructure and additional parking are all vitally needed to secure the future of downtown Whitefish. In the process of doing these things, however, the plan must not tamper with what has made Central Avenue what it is today.

Central Avenue is in reality a great parking lot for all residents and guests, and this space should not be reduced in order to create larger pedestrian walkways that are already sufficient for their designed purpose.

If you love downtown Whitefish as we do, please contact your city council representative regarding the narrowing of Central Avenue before the final vote is cast.

Clayton Emmert

Bigfork