Pratt made a mark for public transit

Published 8:00 am Tuesday, August 29, 2000

“Most of us recall Don Pratt, the fire commissioner, or Don Pratt, the neighbor.That is, Don Pratt, the islander.Professionally, of course, the Bainbridge High School graduate and north-end resident spent his days on the peninsula, as planning director for the city of Bremerton. And we’re pleased to report that this week, his public service will be honored in that city.Pratt, who died in 1998 at age 52, after a two-year battle with cancer, is credited as among the creative forces behind development of the new Bremerton Transportation Center, a peerless hub for ferry, bus, bicycle, vanpool and pedestrian transit. This Friday, local, state and federal dignitaries will dedicate the center to Pratt, who helped get the project off the ground with his just do it approach from 1992-96.They were the years that were crucial in shaping the plan and getting it started, Dick Hayes, director of Kitsap Transit, told us this week.During the ceremony, which begins at 2 p.m., Hayes will unveil a Native American mask commissioned in memory of Pratt, who had previously served as manager of the Suquamish Tribe. Created by Indianola artist David Franklin, the Soaring Eagle will be on permanent display in the main lobby of the building as part of its extensive public artwork. The ceremony will include refreshments and tours of the facility, the completion of which Pratt never got to see.Hayes and others credit Pratt as instrumental in bringing together a partnership of public and private agencies dedicated to Bremerton waterfront redevelopment – much of that work is still under way – and to revamping of the transit center, once just another run-down ferry terminal in a moribund downtown business district.Now twice its original size, the terminal boasts more vehicle holding capacity; a split-level, airport-like bus zone immediately adjacent to the loading ramps; improved access for disabled riders; and an HOV garage for vanpools.I make jokes on Bainbridge, that this is part of our strategy to induce ‘Bremerton envy’ on the island, Hayes told us.Friends, colleagues and others involved in local civic life will long remember Pratt’s thoughtful service on the Bainbridge Island Fire Board, or his earlier days as (in the words of local historian Jerry Elfendahl) the best school bus driver island kids ever had. Don Pratt was a good guy.If you can’t make it to Friday’s dedication, next time you’re in Bremerton you might swing by the waterfront and take a look at the new transportation center; see Pratt’s legacy in that community in what is certainly the new flagship among Washington State Ferries terminals. Admire the facility, and pay homage to a neighbor and friend who’s no longer with us. “