Commentary; Posted: 9/18/02

More imagination needed in Forest Lake's downtown planning

Rich Jabas
Guest Columnist

Let your imagination go and think about what the downtown area of Forest Lake could be. I can see an area that invites people to spend time around the downtown area. Take the area from the lake to just west of the bike trail and from the Youth Service Bureau on the north to just south of ZA' Pizzeria.

As I take an imaginary walk around this area on a nice tree lined walking path I look at the sailboats out on the lake and as I head north I see other people launching their boats for a day of fishing or just to enjoy the lake. I look across the parking lot that is somewhat smaller than it is today but it is lined with small shops.

I see the Forest Theater and it is now a community theater and a local comedy club. All of the old buildings have been restored to the turn of the 20th Century. I go to Dona Leís and have breakfast or lunch and afterwards I stop at Carterís to get my watch repaired. I may have entered the stores on the lake side but I exit on the Lake Street but this time I donít see cars rushing to get through.

As I exit, picnic tables, benches to sit on and a nice wide walking area, greet me. I do see a few cars but they are driving slowly looking for one of the many diagonal-parking spaces on the west side of the street. Most of the traffic has been diverted to Centennial Drive as many cars coming in from the freeway are usually going south or north of the town.

As I walk north I notice that a couple of police officers are having lunch on the new picnic area near the police station. I stop in to visit for a while and share a few jokes and stories. I notice that a number of other people are doing the same thing. As I get to the bike trail I notice that there are a number of cars in this lot right next to the trail. Many of them have bike racks but I also notice a number of boat trailers also.

As I head south across Broadway, over an elevated walkway, Houle Feed Mill is a hub of activity. No it is no longer a feed mill, it looks the same on the outside but now it is a number of shops, B & B's, and quaint places to eat or just enjoy a cup of coffee.

The dirt road is now paved parking lots with room for many cars and trailers. All along the bike trail I see a number of picnic areas with shelters, restrooms and a small playground.

As I walk further south I notice that a number of stores have now enhanced their west entrances and they have small parking lots for the people using Centennial Drive.

It is now dinnertime so I stop at ZAís for a great sandwich to take along as I continue north. Traffic is moving much slower as they look at the many small shops lining the street as well as people enjoying the meals at the many cafes that line the street. The walking area is large as traffic is moving one way on the west side of the street next to the diagonal parking.

I now turn east on Broadway and instead of a traffic circle I now see flower gardens and inviting places to sit. I have enjoyed my walk around Forest Lake because I did not have to be concerned about fast moving traffic and I only had to cross a busy street twice and both of those were controlled by signals.

Summer passes and now I can make this same trip on my cross-country skis. A lot less people are outside but I do notice a lot of activity on Lake Street as part of the walkway has now been turned into an ice skating rink lined with Christmas trees planted in the snow. The lights decorating the street and shops give the place a festive atmosphere.

The many shops are selling winter items but they are still using the same buildings that were built in 1900. I can imagine the hustle and bustle of earlier times yet feel the uniqueness of keeping what is old as well as welcoming what is new.

A couple of weeks ago I took a very nice walk around Stillwater and enjoyed the beauty of that town. Many people say that Forest Lake is not Stillwater, but they forget that Stillwater is not Forest Lake. What we have here is unique in its own way and we need to open our eyes to see it.

We can make the downtown area a place that the whole Forest Lake community can come and enjoy but we have to save what is left and not make it into the same shopping areas we see next to the freeways all over the metropolitan area.

Is this the perfect solution? No but it is at least a way of starting to think in a different way and a dream of keeping some of our heritage. If someone many years ago had said ìLetís keep and restore the depotî this community would have a wonderful asset to build on.

Five years down the road will you be saying ìif we had only kept many of the old buildings downtown, what a wonderful asset we would have.î

Please donít destroy our history. Imagine!!!

Writer Rich Jabas is a Wyoming Township resident, but considers himself a citizen of the community. He is active in the Forest Lake Lions Club.

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