Civil Municipal - May 2024

as “go hiking” “ride a bike” or “brush your teeth,” and so on. The hospital sponsors lanyards that display these badges, and hundreds of them are passed out. Covington businesses see a substantial increase in foot traffic through Ready, Set, Play, so they put on specials all summer to enhance the experience for visitors. It’s this wonderful community collaboration that truly makes Covington a unique city. This is felt by people in surrounding areas and explains why people are flocking there. The city continues to show that they are able and happy to keep up with this influx. As Salina Lyons, Community Development Director, puts it, “Growth can seem very overwhelming for people.” Despite this, it’s clear that Covington has embraced newcomers with wide open arms. “We love the Cov so much, so why wouldn’t we want folks to come in and also enjoy it?” Lyons says. “Why wouldn’t we want to share the love with other people?” Jeff Wagner, Mayor of Covington, couldn’t agree more. Wagner proudly tells us, “When we have anything that goes on in Covington, we have a council that 87 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 05, ISSUE 05 COVINGTON, WA