It really is stunning what Facebook can do. This was the most recent status update on a fan page called Spokane Aquarium:
“Getting closer to the 2,000th fan for the Spokane Aquarium in less than three weeks. Who will be the lucky 2000th?”
The aquarium concept is an informal proposal to the former YMCA building that has received little press. As the deadline approaches for spending Conservation Futures funds to tear down ($5.4 million of taxpayer money, thank you very much) and create an open space or re-develop the property, our elected officials are relatively silent on the idea as well.
Image courtesy of MetroSpokane.
A rally for the aquarium at Riverfront Park on March 27th hopes to create something substantive. It starts at 9:35am in front of C.I. Shenangians, then “fish heads” are planning to march to the old Y to let people know “We Want An Aquarium, And We Want It Now!”
By the time I finished writing this post, Spokane Aquarium had gained five new fans, inching closer to that lucky number. But the number of guests attending the rally: only 16. What does this arms length, self-promotion actually accomplish? That remains to be seen. Meanwhile the aquarium mania is mostly just fun and games without any detailed proposal to build financial support for the project.
A Spokane Aquarium is a big, beautiful idea and an admirable expression to the loss of faith of an anti-democratic process that got the old Y building ensnared in a financial nightmare. Yet the time spent on the page only makes the solution more elusive when a real community event is met with despondence. All it takes is a swift click of the mouse, after all.
- You can become a fan of the Spokane Aquarium and/or attend the rally here.
- There’s also an Inland Northwest Aquarium Society, but their site has not been updated in a year.
Tags: Identity Crisis · Political Surprise · Spokane Pride7 Comments
7 responses so far ↓
I WILL be there IN MY WHEELCHAIR, and I CANT WAIT!
CO’MON SPOKANE FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT TO HAVE THE AQUARIUMS VOICE HEARD !!!
While I do love aquariums, their upkeep and staffing costs are massive. Can Spokane provide the steady income needed to make this worth it?
I mean, look at what the MAC and Mobius are going through right now…
I’m a Phish head! Oh wait… not that Phish? I’m out then.
My vote is for an open-air amphitheater.
When I first saw a letter to the editor on this last week — I thought it was satire. I had to read it twice.
On the surface, this seems crazy to me. I have no idea how much it costs to build up and maintain an aquarium — but as Bryan B implies: the funding for such a venture will be competing with other local cultural institutions that are having a hard time staying afloat (har har) right now.
On the other hand, if the discussion pushes out the “what do we do with the YMCA property” debate beyond the March deadline so we don’t spend Conservation Futures on the Y property, then I’m all for a healthy debate and discussion.
it would be amazing to have an aquarium, we don’t need any more concert venues. we have nothing here for animal lovers. yes it would be expensive to get set up but once it opens (I’m assuming) it’ll have plenty of funds just from admission fees. I don’t feel like it would be competing with other local cultural institutions, I don’t know anyone who would think “hmm… I don’t think we’ll see a play, I mean we did go to the aquarium so…that’s about all the culture I need…” it’s not even the same thing in my opinion. It’s sort of like not going to see a musical because you just watched a horror film so now you’re all musical-ed out…they’re not the same thing.. I think it would just be one more fun thing to go do in Spokane.
so cliffs notes: Aquarium = yes please!!
I would love to see an aquarium downtown. Whether that will actually happen, well, doubtful at this point. But the idea is wonderful, and great things do start with a wonderful idea. I will be there for the march.
I’m also struck by the possibility that if this project was ever approved, and actually completed…the hundreds of thousands of gallons of water used would probably come out of the aquifer?