Active Projects

Projects With a Purpose

Retirement did not mean the end of projects. After nearly five decades working in engineering, technology, manufacturing, and project management, I found myself applying many of the same skills to a very different kind of work.

Today, many of my projects begin with the history, environment, and future of the Toledo, Washington, area—the community where my family's roots reach back to 1900. Some are relatively small and immediately achievable. Others are long-term ideas that will require partnerships, funding, and many people working together.

What they share is a simple objective: take a worthwhile idea and find a practical way to move it forward.

Steamboat Toledo & the 150th Anniversary

One of the projects that has captured much of my attention is the story of the Toledo, a sternwheel steamboat built in 1878 to serve communities along the Cowlitz River.

What began as historical research has grown into a much larger effort to preserve and share the story of the vessel and the river communities it connected. In preparation for the 150th anniversary of the Toledo's maiden voyage in 2028, I built a large working radio-controlled model of the steamboat. Nearly seven feet long, the model includes an operating sternwheel, steering system, smoke, sound, and other details intended to help bring the historic vessel to life for today's audiences.

The anniversary effort has also led to the development of a concept for a Steamboat Theater & Museum—a land-based community attraction designed to recreate the appearance and experience of the historic Toledo. Rather than simply being a building with a steamboat theme, the concept is intended to give visitors the feeling of stepping aboard a sternwheeler.

The cargo deck would contain an intimate performance venue similar in scale and character to a community “Summer in the Park” setting. It would accommodate small concerts, local musicians, theatrical productions, historical presentations, lectures, and other community programs rather than large concert events. Above it, the passenger deck would house a steamboat museum interpreting the Toledo, Cowlitz River transportation, the communities and landings served by the riverboats, and the people whose lives were connected by them.

The concept remains under development, with the long-term goal of combining history, entertainment, education, and tourism in a distinctive community attraction.

South Lewis County Park & Wallace Pond

Environmental stewardship has become another important part of my community work. At South Lewis County Park, efforts are underway to improve the landscape surrounding Wallace Pond while protecting the character of a park that has served generations of local families.

The work includes addressing dead and declining trees, improving riparian vegetation, restoring and redesigning the park garden, replacing deteriorated fencing, and developing educational identification for native and heritage plants.

Just as important is developing a longer-term understanding of the pond itself. The objective is not simply to make the park look better, but to use sound environmental information to guide future decisions about water quality, vegetation, shade, habitat, and stewardship.

STEM & Water-Quality Education

Some of the most valuable community projects are those that give young people an opportunity to learn by doing. Working with local educators and community partners, I have helped develop opportunities for students to participate in water-quality testing and other hands-on environmental learning activities.

These projects connect science, technology, engineering, and mathematics with places students already know. A pond, stream, or river becomes more than part of the landscape—it becomes a laboratory where students can collect information, ask questions, observe changes, and understand how science can be used to solve real problems.

The longer-term objective is to connect education with stewardship, giving students meaningful experiences while also producing useful information about the natural resources in their own community.

Toledo Welcome Arch — Project Development Assistance

Not every project I work on is one that I initiated. Sometimes the most useful contribution I can make is helping someone else take an idea and develop a practical path toward implementation.

The proposed Toledo Welcome Arch is one such project. The project was initiated by Toledo High School Class of 1963 members Gordon Schillinger and Sally Cole as a lasting contribution to the community. Their vision is for a distinctive gateway structure at the entrance to Toledo that welcomes visitors while reflecting the history and identity of the community.

I have been assisting with project development, including preliminary planning, budget development, identification of engineering and regulatory requirements, and sequencing the work needed to move the project from an initial concept toward a buildable project.

Because the proposed location is associated with State Route 505, development of the project also requires consideration of Washington State Department of Transportation requirements, structural and public-safety issues, permitting, design, and ultimately fundraising. Establishing those requirements early helps the project sponsors understand both the opportunities and the practical steps required before construction can become possible.

Community Heritage & Revitalization

Preserving history is most meaningful when it also helps a community think about its future. Much of my current work brings those two ideas together.

Through Greater Toledo Heritage and Horizons, a 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit organization, I have been involved in projects exploring ways to preserve local history, strengthen Toledo's historic city core, create educational opportunities, improve community spaces, and develop new reasons for people to visit and experience the area.

The projects vary greatly in size. Some can be accomplished with a handful of volunteers and a modest grant. Others may take years of planning and require partnerships among nonprofit organizations, businesses, public agencies, professionals, and community members. The challenge is knowing which ideas can be acted upon today while continuing to develop the larger opportunities for tomorrow.

Continuing the Work

These projects are still evolving. Some are already producing visible results, while others remain concepts being researched, tested, and refined.

That process is familiar to me. Throughout my professional career, projects began with a need or an idea and progressed through planning, design, problem solving, collaboration, and implementation. The subject matter has changed, but the process has not.