The effort to protect Kah Tai Lagoon from development in the 1970s came with considerable costs, both financial and personal.One of many fund-raising efforts was the creation of woodblock images of Kah Tai Lagoon by Port Townsend artists. Pictured is the contribution by Rod Freeman, entitled 'Skating, Winter 1962'.
In the October 27, 2010 Port Townsend Leader, two locals answer the question:
'You know you're an oldtimer if...' by listing the memories that only someone who was here 30 or more years ago would recognize.
One oldtimer includes 'Ice skating on the lagoon pond' in his list.
The second oldtimer includes 'Mayors Joe Steve and Barney McClure' in his list.
For those of us who aren't oldtimers, it was on Mayor Joe Steve's watch that the lagoon 'flats' were nearly destroyed with a proposed planned unit development strip mall. And on Mayor Barney McClure's watch, two grants were submitted to the National Park Service (1981) and the Washington Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation (1983). These grants allowed the purchase of private lands to consolidate the park perimeter and the development of the small lagoon, trails, restroom, shelters and play areas now present in the Park. The use of NPS funds to develop the Park stipulates that the entire Park be protected in perpetuity.
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