A long boardwalk and a pretty little park

La Conner Mayor Ramon Hayes plans a celebration at the new boardwalk next Wednesday.

Everyone is invited to the new park next to the Pier 7 building on First Street for a dedication of the first phase of the boardwalk and the groundbreaking on the next phase. The event is set for 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 28.

Funding for the boardwalk has come from the state in two chunks — $750,000 for the portion completed last year, and a new grant of $1.6 million to finish it.

When complete, people will be able to stroll along the waterfront from the Lime Dock building north of Morris Street all the way past Calico Cupboard on the south end of downtown.

The northern portion of the town’s boardwalk has actually been in place for years. It was built in 1994 by Don Olson, who died in August.

Mayor Hayes plans to honor Olson’s contributions to the town during the dedication, which is also expected to feature talks by state and local officials.

Olson, whose daughter Kim Mickelson will be on hand Wednesday, divided his time between Seattle and Sitka, Alaska.

He began investing in La Conner in the early 1980s, when he traded land on Obstruction Island in the San Juan chain for the Limedock building on N. First Street. The old red building was rundown when he acquired it, but Olson refurbished it and turned it into the attractive retail mall it is today.

A few years later, he purchased the La Conner Landing and Marina building, home to art galleries on the north side of Gilkey Square at First and Morris streets. In 1994 he developed the condos with downstairs retail space along the waterfront connecting his first two buildings.

That’s when Olson built the town’s first stretch of boardwalk, which runs from what is now J’s Gallery at the north end of Gilkey Square to Hellam’s Vineyard in the Limedock building.

The fountain featuring an eagle and salmon on the waterfront side of the Limedock building was also paid for by Olson. Still today, the fountain with water running into the channel is one of the most photographed features in town.

Olson continued purchasing and restoring property in La Conner, including the old fire station on Morris Street, where Mary Davis Vintage Lighting is today, and the Station House building, which houses this newspaper and a popular restaurant.