Another redevelopment plan for the former GP waterfront area has been presented. The major difference: no marina! While the other plans all put a 350-450 slip marina in the old wastewater treatment lagoon, the new plan, presented by the Bellingham Bay Foundation, calls for filling in the lagoon and creating a 30 acre park. The foundation feels that a marina would only service a small percentage of the population and calls for more dry land storage for boats as an alternative so that more people can enjoy the land. Some quick numbers for you: 

Estimated cost of removing tainted sediment from the lagoon: $23.5 million.
Estimated cost of building a marina: $16-18 million.
(These figures are according to Mitchel Friedman, Bellingham Bay Foundation member). However, according to Port Officials, there are several things which the Bellingham Bay Foundation may have overlooked. 

1. The US Army Corps of Engineers has declared that once the treatment lagoon is no longer being used for industrial purposes, it should be returned to aquatic land.  2. Their plan calls for 3 parallel channels cutting through the old site, but port officials say that excavating the channels would be difficult, expensive and involve a lot of permits which could be difficult to get. While the Port of Bellingham has said that it will consider all suggestions, it is worth remembering that the port does own the land and one of their primary reasons for purchasing the land was to increase the amount of marina slips available in the port.  At the most recent advisory committee meeting, the new plan was largely discounted.

  At the most recent advisory committee meeting, the new plan was largely discounted.