I want to be part of the solution and not be part of the problem. Making Oak Harbor and Island County a great place to live is something in which every resident should participate.

My initial impression upon coasting into Oak Harbor is one of harshness. The town is shouting at me. Buy, buy, buy is the message. Max real estate sales, new and used cars, and eat are the messages I get. In your face, listen to me and break out your wallet!

The sky is obstructed with serious electrical wires and telephone poles. Can we bury some of those lines? Or condense them? The intersection of Pioneer and Highway 20 is ridiculous.

Merchants could soften their impact with more planters, trees, and tasteful signage. We need to turn down the hype several notches. The Chamber of Commerce could encourage the Big Guys to soften their footprint with less balloons, less asphalt, no 200 foot high dirigibles, smaller neon, smaller signs, reduced wattage lights after dark and muted buy now! gimmicks.

The city/county officials could consider passing ordinances restricting the size of business signs, amount of neon, and overall visual impact of their business. The chamber could try harder to get downtown merchants to adopt a common color scheme and “look.” Pioneer Way is too eclectic. It looks like a bad garage sale in overall visual impression. Easily, the big guys in town could do the same with a little cooperation and forward thinking.

Several towns on the Olympic Peninsula have moved all their car lots out of town. Like two to three miles out of town. The dealerships get a much bigger exposure out there and the town residents don’t have to endure their clashy presence on a daily or hourly basis.

Let’s take care of what we have and make it better. The big buckers have to cooperate or we have to encourage them through ordinances. We need to speak out and get what we want, not just take what we get.

Parks and public spaces? We don’t have much. Oak Harbor is woefully lacking in common areas where people can enjoy the town. We have City Beach and that’s about it. Hal Ramaley Park is off the beaten path, Oak Park behind the old theater (which is a major eyesore) is uninspiring, and the tulip garden north of City Hall are poorly maintained and have little to offer for adults. It looks like a ghetto park. Beeksma Park at the convergence of cars and soon-to-be Walgreen’s is useless unless you like traffic and sirens. The marina is an outstanding area but many people do not know it is a public space. Parking is impossible at times and there are no opportunities for food or drink.

We need the Planning Commission to sleuth out some opportunities for serene enjoyment of our island home. They need not be multimillion dollar piers or domed castles that detract from who we are. They don’t have to cost a lot of money. Many individuals, businesses, and organizations would happily put muscle and sweat into a worthy project. They have to be well maintained 12 months of the year and they have to be well thought out.

We need cooperation from the Realtors. A short drive around the island gives the distinct impression through major visual pollution that the whole island is for sale. Lopez Island in the San Juans has a law saying no real estate signs are allowed. This is the new millennia where real estate shoppers cruise online, not with their vehicles.

Let’s do something for us that preserves what we have and enhance it. Speak out at meetings, write letters to the paper and call your representatives. The squeaky wheel gets the grease every time. Let’s become the vocal majority. Let’s work together and Save Our Ship.

Captain Bruce Wood, US Navy, Retired, lives in Oak Harbor.