Have you visited our historic downtown area recently?

The city’s road and utility work on 3rd Street is nearly complete, and I’m thrilled to say it looks great. Over the past several months, workers replaced an aging water main and built new rain gardens to treat storm-water runoff. Residents and visitors will enjoy improved traffic safety and walkability with new curb extensions and medians, marked crosswalks and intersection traffic circles with attractive landscaping.

Finally, a fresh new asphalt overlay completes the picture. This project, funded in part by a Department of Ecology grant, is a “welcome mat” inviting shoppers to visit our historic downtown and a variety of small businesses there – just in time for longer (and hopefully sunnier) spring days.

Thank you to the affected businesses, their customers and nearby residents for your patience while this work was underway. We hope you’ll agree the effort was worth it. Similar streetscape improvements will get underway soon on 1st Street, offering a more charming entry to the city’s public waterfront. Make sure you plan to attend the grand opening for the Ebey Waterfront Trail at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 22, (Earth Day). I’d love to see you there.

This first phase of a planned trail network into the restored Qwuloolt Estuary from Ebey Waterfront Park will give recreational walkers an up-close look at the waterfront that fueled our city’s economy a century ago and easy access today to a natural habitat experience close to home. Nearby, the city continues to expand and evolve cultural offerings at the Marysville Opera House, a beautifully renovated historic treasure built in 1911 by the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. The city now manages the Opera House, offering a variety of public events each month including live music, art classes, outdoor speakers, historic movies and more. The Opera House is also a unique wedding and event destination. If you have a special event in your future, we invite you to stop by for a special open house from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 5.

You can tour the facility and meet with local vendors including florists, photographers, caterers, event planners and more.

Please call 360-363-8400 to reserve your spot for this free event. As Marysville continues to grow, I’m glad that we are honoring our city’s historic roots with renewed attention to one of its oldest neighborhoods. I invite you to stop by, explore and enjoy.

Jon Nehring is the mayor of Marysville. His column runs monthly.