The streets of Old Town Silverdale will look a little different now.

Not because the scenery or the shops have changed, but because Old Town will just feel a little different without Harry Knapp. The longtime Port of Silverdale commissioner died Monday at the age of 77.

It’s just not going to be the same without seeing that green pickup traveling down Byron toward the waterfront or parked at the boat launch. Like the shops that line the streets, Harry was truly a staple of Old Town Silverdale. And he always kept a watchful eye on the port and its surrounding area.

He was more than an elected official, however, he was a man who truly cared about his local community and endeavored to make the Silverdale waterfront a better place for everyone.

Harry was an instrumental force in not only the initial development of the park and boat launch, but their redevelopment. When he was first elected to the Port of Silverdale, it was but an old ramp and pier and some off-shore pilings.

During the redevelopment of the boat launch area, Harry was quick to pull out the blueprints of the project and explain its future transformation. He was never short of information; not only about the present port happenings, but also its rich history.

Harry’s community support extended beyond the reaches of the port district. He helped in the ongoing restoration of the historic Jackson Hall — better known as the log cabin Boy Scout hall in Old Town. In 2006, the honor of grand marshal in the Whaling Days Silverdale Dandy Lions Parade was bestowed upon Harry. More than 30 years before that, he was a driving force in launching the first Whaling Days festivities.

Even when the honor focused on Harry, he quickly shined the spotlight on others. Even if it was only a short conversation, Harry’s love for the port shined through.

“I’d just like the port to keep going. We started there with nothing but a small budget,” he said during his 2006 interview with the CK Reporter upon being named the parade’s grand marshal.

You were a driving force in this community Mr. Knapp and you will be missed. Perhaps one day Kitsap County will honor your tireless efforts with a renaming of the Port’s boat launch or maybe even the Silverdale Waterfront Park.

Knapp Waterfront Park seems a little more fitting and a suitable moniker in honor of a man who continually worked for the betterment of Silverdale.