Calling It a Victory, Opponents Glad Fight Over Plaza Is Over

Calling it a victory for a majority of the people of Yakima, Bruce Smith, spokesman for the Association to Preserve Downtown Parking, says he's glad the fight over the Downtown Plaza is finished after a long campaign. Voters rejected the plaza in an advisory vote on the city ballot Tuesday, 70 to 30 percent. Smith says the group never questioned the motives of anyone involved in the project.

He tells KIT News: "We firmly believe most of the people on both sides are well intentioned people who believe in Yakima and believe they're doing what's best for Yakima."
Smith says the advisory vote gave a voice to a majority of people in Yakima who didn't want to see a plaza built.

The plaza was proposed to be an economic tool to bring business to downtown Yakima. Smith says they'll continue to work to try and make the downtown area a better place for Yakima. A lot of private money was raised to fund the project.

Yakima city officials say $1.2. million was spent on the project that the city will never get back. But the city will refund $2 million from people who donated funds and those who pledged another $7 million will keep the money.