Ron Thomas’s community contributions

The Olympian’s “Thumbs Up” (Friday, Dec. 14) for local architect Ron Thomas is well deserved. However, in addition to his many recent downtown commercial projects, he also deserves praise for his quiet, behind-the-scenes community contributions. Among these are his firm’s donated design services for development of the planned shore-side exhibit of Olympia’s historic tugboat Parthia.

The 113-year-old tug had worked in the Capital City for 40 years, from 1934 to 1971, but accidentally sunk in Hood Canal in August 2017. She had also participated in 26 Olympia Harbor Days festivals, and had won her race class six times. When her private owner offered to donate the tug to the nonprofit South Sound Maritime Heritage Association (SSMHA), originators of Harbor Days, our nonprofit group acquired, salvaged, and began her extensive restoration.

After 16 months of volunteer and professional work, and initial funding by individuals and businesses, today Parthia is 95 percent restored. The SSMHA’s plan is to display and interpret the tug shore-side as a local maritime heritage visitor and educational attraction, complementing the city’s other historic tug, Sand Man. Our group is currently working with the Port of Olympia to find a permanent exhibit site for Parthia on the Port peninsula.

As past president of the SSMHA, I’ve been honored to work with Ron and his staff on this project. And while he is helping transform downtown Olympia in significant commercial ways, he is also contributing through his less visible but equally important historic, cultural, and other charitable efforts.