City to host presentations on design competition entries and historic walking tour

By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff

The public will have another chance to review submissions for the Sandpoint’s “Envisioning Place” design competition, with in-person viewing and comment opportunities Saturday, Aug. 5 and Saturday, Aug. 12 at Jeff Jones Square (323 S. Third Ave.).

Sandpoint City Administrator Jennifer Stapleton said she will be on-hand both days from 8 a.m. to noon, “so people can conveniently come by and view the submissions and provide input while attending the Farmers’ Market.”

Sandpoint Mayor Shelby Rognstad said at the Aug. 2 meeting of the City Council that he would also attend the Saturday presentations, which will feature four large-format informational boards each from the three teams participating in Phase 2 of the competition, which solicits future redevelopment concepts for the downtown waterfront area.

“There’s a lot to see and really contemplate on the boards,” Stapleton said.

The deadline for design teams to file their submissions came on Aug. 1, followed by compliance checks by the competition manager from Aug. 2-3.

Meanwhile, designs from the participating teams will be available for viewing and comment at sandpointidaho.gov.

A full open house schedule is expected to be finalized Friday, Aug. 4, including in-person events at City Council chambers and at the East Bonner County Library District Sandpoint Branch.

According to the competition schedule, the designs will go before a panel of judges Tuesday, Aug. 15, with the time and location to be determined.

“Having had a cursory overlook of the submissions, they’re quite exciting,” Rognstad said. “There’s a lot of great, great concepts and ideas to respond to.”

Also on Saturday, Aug. 5, the city is hosting the next in its series of Downtown Sandpoint Historic Walking Tours, sponsored by the Sandpoint Arts and Historic Preservation Commission.

The tour begins at 10 a.m., and has been updated in partnership with the Lake Pend Oreille Repertory Theatre and Bonner County Historical Society and Museum.

The tour is open to the public and free of charge, lasts about an hour and begins in front of the Panida Theater (300 N. First Ave.).

Bouquets:

•It was another stellar opening week at the Festival at Sandpoint, with the second and final week still ahead. Every time I attend a Festival show, I’m blown away at the number of talented, hard-working volunteers who give their time each season to make sure this concert series goes off without a hitch. Whether they volunteer to help with the gates and lines, clean up after the show, or educate concertgoers about where to toss their trash and recyclables, these volunteers are the lifeblood of the Festival and we appreciate their hard work.

• Speaking of the Festival at Sandpoint, it always does my heart good to see talented people receive the recognition they deserve. When photographer Racheal Baker first started snapping photos of the Festival for the Reader, we recognized her talent immediately. She has a knack for capturing the fun of the Festival through her lens, and we’re so proud to see that she’s become the Festival’s main photographer in recent years. Chances are, when you see a photo in the Reader from the Festival, it came through her. Check out more of Racheal’s work at rachealbakerphotography.pixieset.com.

Barbs:

GUEST SUBMISSION:

• “This starts with a Barb towards the people at the Festival who stand up in the low-seating area and dance, thereby blocking the view of everyone behind them — despite a designated dance area very nearby. But this is really a Bouquet to the Festival Crowd Control fellow who politely got the clueless people to sit down. Good job!

— By Anonymous