By Jody Manor and Christine Bernstein, Alexandria

To the editor:

The recent settlement agreement between the Old Dominion Boat Club and City Hall is cause for celebration.

We applaud both sides for bringing this long, litigious battle to an end in a manner we find fair, but — more importantly — sets the stage for the world-class waterfront that our community will treasure. On some day in the near future, a visitor at the foot of King Street will never again have to ask, “Where’s the water?” Meanwhile, a new, state-of-the-art boat club facility will stand where the eyesore of a Beachcomber building once stood. This truly seems a win-win solution for all parties and puts an end to years of acrimony and legal bills.

Of course, the devil is in the details and we encourage both parties to bring this agreement to fruition. We understand that no one is thoroughly happy with the compromise, but feel strongly that the result will be of overwhelming benefit to all concerned.

The seeds of success have been sown.

This is truly a transformational moment for our city. Our waterfront will finally be a fully accessible, welcoming gateway to our historic city. It truly will be the jewel in the crown.
We look forward to all the positive changes ahead. Our sincere thanks go to the negotiators and their diligence in achieving this important agreement for our future.