Garapan Image

Good evening. An area of concern for me is the image the drainage channel parallel to the street on the South side of Garapan is having on tourist. For the past few months, as I have watched tourist on the sidewalk, it is interesting to see how many walk over to the ditch and take photos. I know they are taking photos of the fish because I ask them. (Yes, I know, I should hand out Managaha literature). I have also noticed individuals with dipnets catching fish and dropping them into a cooking pot. We all know how the muck looks and smells. I see no excuses for waiting on the settling basins and pump issues to be resolved, possibly years, before taking action on the ditch. Does anyone know if that section has been designed? If so, my suggestion is as follows, redesign the channel utilizing concrete decking to conceal the muck and odors that will always be there and to provide for addtional diagonal parking spaces (possibly 30 to 45 spaces) which we all know is needed for Garapan shoppers and employees. The need for the removeable decking is to facilitate periodic cleanout of the muck that will continue to accumulate. Every 11th parking space will be landscaped as well as the DFS side of the parking spaces. DFS personnel should be consulted as to there future developement of the property, however, the "property to be developed someday" should not be an excuse for us to do nothing now. This is not rocket scientist work, just generic civil engineering. Well, maybe a little of "thinking out of the box" is required regarding the removeable decking. Your comments please, as you all know, I do have an open mind to other thoughts. Have a good evening. Cap Carl