The heavy-handed action by the National Park Service of giving notice to the Fort Vancouver National Trust to vacate Pearson Air Museum demonstrated disrespect for years of community service by staff, hundreds of volunteers, private donors, foundations and community leaders. Thousands of hours and millions of community dollars have been donated to this facility, making it the property of all of us.
Pearson Air Museum is a hard-fought-for example of public-private collaboration delivering education programs for kids, preserving significant history and providing jobs, as well as a point of pride within a diverse cross-section of our community, including many veterans.
The Columbian called this situation correctly in its Feb. 6 editorial, “Don’t tread on Pearson.” If the NPS is unable to internalize the impact of their decision and reverse it, I wish our legislators great success in correcting the structure that made it possible for them to take this action.
Paul Speer
Vancouver
