Officials Traveling to Missoula to See Plaza

Yakima city officials travel to Missoula, Mont., this week to see how that city is seeing success with its downtown and a plaza.

Yakima City Economic Development Manager Sean Hawkins says a delegation from here visited Lake Oswego and Portland, Ore.. In Portland, Hawkins says they found two plazas that have not succeeded.

People think the spaces are unsafe. Lots of hiding spaces. No easy walking access through them so a lot of design issues. Things we can take away from that.

Hawkins says it is the intent of the city team to look at both successful and unsuccessful downtowns and to bring that information back to Yakima.

City officials are proposing a major redesign of downtown with the inclusion of an active plaza area.