Editorial: Puyallup City Hall grand opening is a historic day

Tomorrow’s grand opening for the new Puyallup City Hall completes a vision for a downtown core. When Ezra Meeker donated land for Pioneer Park more than a century ago, he had hopes of creating a community hub, a place that made Puyallup more vibrant.

The result is a civic campus other South Sound cities should be jealous of — bordering Pioneer Park is the activity center, library, Pioneer Park Pavilion and now the city hall. Combining so many resources into one spot is a dream many communities may have but Puyallup was able to make it a reality.

City leaders also found a delicate balance between honoring the dreams of Puyallup’s pioneers and creating a progressive downtown. That’s evident by the potential for a gold rating for exceeding green building standard with the city hall.

Already, Pioneer Park and the Pavilion are places where the community gathers for Meeker Days, the Farmers’ Market and concerts in the park. The library is a common destination for residents, especially their consistent programs that encourage reading at young ages. And the activity center continues the community’s commitment to its residents and offer a place where seniors can gather for a friendly game of bridge or some computer tutoring. The city hall just rounds that out, putting the city’s governing body within reach of all citizens.

Tomorrow’s celebration, even if not all city council members are in attendance, should be a joyous occasion for the community. The completion of the city hall marks the beginning of a hub not just for our use today but one that will certainly have a place decades from now.

Of course, not everyone agrees that city hall is such a good thing and there have been complaints during its construction. The new city hall came with a hefty price tag and is taller than any other building in Puyallup, which upset some residents, including Councilmember John Knutsen.

For that reason he won’t be attending the opening ceremonies. Primarily, it’s not a building he approves of and he doesn’t want to give the impression that his stance has changed by showing up. Had it been constructed based on a voter-approved bond, he wouldn’t have liked it any better but would have respected the community’s decision and joined in the festivities. Secondly, he doesn’t want to make the grand opening uncomfortable for anyone else.

When all is said and done, though, the city hall is complete. It’s time to set old grievances aside and take pride in a building that is a jewel to Puyallup.