Seniors press city on bus garage issue

Members of the Grand Coulee Dam Senior Center are still hopeful that they will someday be able to build a garage to house their two buses, even though the city of Grand Coulee is dragging its feet on the issue.

Larry Curtis, appeared before the city council at its last meeting, his fourth time on the issue, asking the city what is happening on the seniors’ request to build a bus garage on property that borders on Federal Avenue.

The property is not zoned for a separate garage unless there is also a residential building in the package.

Each time Curtis has asked the city what has to be done to change this, and each time nothing has happened.

The fourth time might be the charm since this time Mayor Chris Christopherson stated that the issue will be turned over to the council’s zoning committee. Councilwoman Tammara Byers asked Christopherson to place her on the committee.

Curtis said that the seniors are moving forward on the pre-planning for the building, even drawing up plans so they can move forward rapidly if they get the green light.

“We don’t want to spend another winter with our buses outside” Curtis said.

The buses are used to haul seniors to different places, a minimum of 10 before one of the buses is wheeled out.

“We would like someday to get a five-passenger van for smaller groups,” Curtis stated.

The bus garage is being designed as a 24-foot by 30-foot building. The seniors own two lots at the Federal Avenue location. The garage would take only part of the space of one lot, Curtis explained.

The city has yet to set a date for its council zoning committee to meet.