Kenai is asking the public to weigh in on what it envisions for the future of the city's waterfront, part of a plan to bring more life to the stretch between the City Dock on Bridge Access Road and Millenium Square at the mouth of the Kenai River.
"We really are just looking for as much feedback as possible — not only from stakeholders that own property in the area, but from the entire community on what they see this area becoming and what they see the potential is," said Kenai City Manager Paul Ostrander.
The part of the city under study once buzzed with canneries and other businesses. Today, there’s just one processor by the dock. The 160-acre stretch under scrutiny includes 10 city-owned lots and 14 private lots, all zoned heavy industrial.
The city set aside $95,000 for a feasibility study for a waterfront revitalization project last fall. Kenai awarded Alaska-based McKinley Research Group the contract to do that study in January.
McKinley is holding a meeting this week to collect public input to incorporate into the study. Ostrander said it's important that the vision for the project is driven by the community rather than the city itself.
The meeting is this Thursday, Feb. 24 at 6 p.m. at the Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center on the Kenai Spur.
