Oak Harbor citizens have undertaken a particularly pleasing project in an effort to create a unique children’s play area at Fort Nugent Park.

The pace-setter in designing such playgrounds, Leathers & Associates of New York state, sent a representative to town last month to start working on the design. The architect, John Dean, went to area schools, asking elementary school children for their help. He sketched out their ideas and promised that many of them would be incorporated into the new playground.

Leathers’ approach to playground building gives the entire community a sense of ownership and pride in the project. The school children will be anxious to see if they can find their ideas, such as a “hamster habitat” or Velcro wall, in the project when it it finished, and will forever feel like it is partly theirs. A similar though smaller playground on South Whidbey has long been one of that area’s main attractions for the younger set.

Involvement goes far beyond children. Community volunteers, working under the supervision of Leathers’ experts, are expected to erect the 10,000 square feet of playground equipment at Fort Nugent Park. It’s a monumental effort, calling for many laborers, skilled tradespeople and others willing to do everything from babysitting to preparing meals and digging holes in the ground. If planning goes well, hundreds will turn out for the playground project next summer.

Oak Harbor Parks Director Hank Nydam has taken the lead in hiring Leathers, organizing volunteers and making sure that the necesssary funds are raised to see the $125,000 project to completion. He’ll need all the help he can get, so give him a call at 279-4756.

Finally, a real public benefit

Most Oak Harbor expansion projects are justified by arguing that they benefit the public. Many people have wondered about such reasoning, but the city’s most recent proposal is much more understandable.

The city is proposing spending $225,000 for a short road paralleling Highway 20, behind Whidbey Island Bank to Beeksma Drive. This would provide more space to build businesses and draw at least some traffic away from the busy highway. But the clear public benefit isn’t realized until we are told the impetus behind this road building project: A burger and brew joint called Bob’s Burgers wants to move in, but can’t afford the road project without city help.

Finally, a direct benefit the public can understand! The benefit of more businesses and another road are debatable. Generally, it just means more cars on the road to compete with. But a new place to purchase a juicy burger and mug of beer? Sounds great, let’s go for it.

Small breweries are popping up all over the Northwest, usually in conjunction with food sales. Such a place called Flyers debuted its home-brews last week in Oak Harbor. Bob’s will give Whidbey Islanders another choice in locally brewed beers.

Even teetotalers should have sympathy for small breweries, who are seeking a niche in a beer-making industry dominated by giants that can afford to advertise during the Super Bowl. The country needs more choices in everything, and entrepreneurs are carving out a place in the beer industry by offering their own quality, imaginative brews.

Oak Harbor’s proposed road project to the restaurant makes sense, either from the old “better for business” point of view, or just because it will help bring another good restaurant and brewery to town.

City leaders might consider making breweries part of all future proposals. Allow breweries in Accident Potential Zones and watch the controversy disappear. Next time someone wants to annex rural land into the city, make them promise to build a brewery. When you lure that next big-box store to town, tell them we want a brewery inside, not a Subway. People will always support a distinct public benefit such as a brewery.

We can even develop a new city motto from this theme: “Oak Harbor, the city with a good head on its shoulders.” We can all drink to that.