The owners of the Purple Sage building on Winthrop’s Riverside Avenue want to repair the uneven walkway between their property and Confluence Park.
Winthrop sidewalk improvement issue eludes easy solution
The brief stretch of walkway between the boardwalks in front of the Purple Sage building and Confluence Park in downtown Winthrop is patchwork of potentially treacherous surfaces that include asphalt, gravel and broken concrete, as well as a drainage grate.
Kyrie Jardin, who with his wife, Kathleen, owns the Purple Sage building, wants to improve the driveway portion of that gap and connect the boardwalk sections with something safer and more attractive. How hard could that be? Just ask him.
Jardin told the Winthrop Town Council last week that he’s been frustrated in his attempts to repair the concrete and asphalt surface that provides entry to the private driveway alongside the Purple Sage building.
One problem is that the entire stretch between the boardwalks is uneven and any upgrades would need to be coordinated to create a uniform surface. Another challenge is that any repairs or extensions to the boardwalks must conform with requirements of the town’s Westernization code. Also, upgrades must include compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Jardin said he is now working with the town’s public works director, Jeff Sarvis, to come up with a workable solution. He said he would prefer that the boardwalk be extended across the entire front of the park.
Mayor Sally Ranzau and Town Planner Rocklynn Culp pointed out that several similar situations exist where the boardwalks are interrupted by driveways, creating a potentially uncertain walking experience. Addressing those problems is included in the town’s Winthrop in Motion plan for improving all aspects of mobility in downtown Winthrop.
Improving the driveway is the Jardins’ responsibility, Culp said. “The interface [with the boardwalks] is the problem,” she said.
Town Clerk Michelle Gaines said the town is working on a solution for its part of the improvements.
