EVERETT — Neither the dismal economy nor a lack of funding nor even advancing age seem to deter Alex Alexander.
The Lowell resident wants to create an estuary education and research center, in a replica steamboat, next to a bend in the Snohomish River in the Lowell neighborhood.
He al
so envisions a dock that would provide much-needed boat access and a riverboat that would take tourists up and down the river.
The center would be a hub for world-class research on harnessing the power of fresh water — an issue he believes will be paramount in the future.
The venture would be part educational, part tourism and part research.
It sounds improbable, but Alexander brings unique credentials and a quiet but potent passion to the project.
“I know as much about the estuary as anybody alive today,” he said. “I have a desire to do something about it — if I can stay alive.”
The 78-year-old has a doctorate in plant physiology. He’s a published researcher who continues to work on projects such as a decade-long agricultural study taking place on his own land that examines how farmers can work the land while still benefiting the environment.
He was a vocal critic of Everett’s multimillion-dollar Riverfront project. He delivered multiple, well-documented reports to the city that criticized officials for not better considering the implications of river flooding in plans.
He’s also a farmer with deep ties to the Snohomish River. His great-grandfather first came to the Lowell area in 1861, later founding what would become his family’s homestead, Getchell Ranch.
For the past decade, he’s researched the interpretative center idea. He knows he has a steep hill to climb. Yet he keeps climbing.
Hurdle No. 1 is the environmental regulations that make any project on a shoreline expensive and difficult.
A key part of his proposal includes widening the river by around 100 feet, undoing years of man-made additions that he said have made that area of the river a bottleneck.
That’s going to be tough, since any alteration to the river brings intense scrutiny from government agencies interested in protecting salmon habitat.
“His intentions are great, but not only would it be extremely costly, the environmental permitting could take a long time,” said Alan Giffen, Everett’s Planning & Community Development director.
City officials have already told Alexander he’ll need at least 30 percent of the project designed before he can move forward with permitting. The rough estimate of what all that work would cost: $410,000.
“I was about ready to quit when I heard that,” Alexander said. “I’m not a quitter, but I don’t have $410,000.”
Instead, he wants to do much of the work himself. Still, paying for the project is another hurdle.
He doesn’t expect the city to pay. He proposes to raise the money from private institutions or from agencies that might benefit, such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture or research institutions.
Any kind of access to the river is going to be a benefit to people in Everett, said Lanie McMullin, Everett’s economic development director. But the city doesn’t plan to pay for it, she said.
“I think he has some pretty good ideas,” McMullin said. “It’s just paying for them that’s the problem.”
Alexander expects it may be up to another decade before the project actually comes to fruition. Now he’s focused on gathering as much support as possible and educating people about the possibilities.
And he’s not quitting.
Reporter Debra Smith: 425-339-3197 or dsmith@heraldnet.com.
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