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Gig Harbor staff and residents push to name Ancich Park boathouse for longtime coach Allen Anderson
Summary
Parks staff recommended naming the boat storage building at Ancich Waterfront Park for Allen Anderson; community members and coaches urged 'boathouse' wording and adding 'Coach' to the name, and council directed staff to finalize language for a regular meeting.
Parks staff presented a draft resolution at the Gig Harbor City Council study session on Jan. 15 asking the council to consider naming the boat storage building at Ancich Waterfront Park to honor Allen Anderson, the founder of the Gig Harbor Canoe and Kayak Racing Team.
"After a long public process, the city opened the boat storage building at Ancich Waterfront Park in 2022," Parks Manager Jennifer Harrow told council, noting the facility was not previously named. Staff cited a Parks Commission unanimous recommendation and a letter from Missy Hill documenting Anderson’s long service and the team’s competitive success. "Staff recommends approval of the draft resolution," Harrow said.
Several community members who helped found and coach the team urged the council to approve the naming. Missy Hill (identified in staff materials) described Anderson’s two decades of volunteer leadership that mentored youth and produced athletes who competed nationally and internationally. Coach Allison Murzynski said naming the structure would preserve his legacy for future generations. "Naming this facility after Allen Anderson is a simple act of appreciation that would highlight the team's relationship and shared values with the city," Hill said.
Scott Puckett, who said he was Anderson’s original paddler 25 years ago and now coaches with the program, told council he supports the naming and emphasized the long effort to secure a boathouse for the program.
Several council members voiced support but offered edits to the draft name and signage. One councilmember asked whether the sign should read 'boathouse' rather than 'boat storage building'; another suggested adding "Coach" to the name. Harrow said staff would work with Missy Hill and the Parks Commission to draft a final variation for the council to consider at a future regular meeting.
No formal vote was taken during the study session; council members indicated consensus to move the draft resolution forward and asked staff to return with final language and the signed marker plan for the building.
