Friends of the Falls and Spokane River Forum to Merge Organizations, Vision for the Spokane River
(Spokane, WA) Two Spokane River focused non-profits, Friends of the Falls (FOF) and the Spokane River Forum (SRF), are merging their non-profit organizations. The merger, announced today by FOF board member Steve Faust and SRF board president Jeanna Hofmeister, will see the Spokane River Forum carrying on the work of Friends of the Falls. “From the time we began work on the Conceptual Plan for the Great Spokane River Gorge in 2002, the overarching goal of the Friends of the Falls has been to bring people together around the value of the Spokane River and the hundreds of acres of public park land along its banks, not merely as a great public amenity to be preserved and treasured, but as a key differentiator in our region’s strategy for economic development. That goal has largely been achieved, and the Spokane River Forum has become a key partner in carrying forward that message and in advocating for greater public access to the full reach of the river. By combining our resources, we will accelerate that effort,” said Faust.
“The work of Friends of the Falls was transformative. They profoundly changed the community dialog and triggered millions of dollars in investment by reconnecting our community’s thinking and souls to the river and what it can and should offer us and future generations,” said Jeanna Hofmeister, President of the Spokane River Forum. “The Forum is fully committed to continuing and expanding their bold vision.”
Friends of the Falls started in 1997 as a coalition spanning the political spectrum to oppose replacement of the historic Monroe Street Bridge along with development of the Lincoln Street Bridge. That success was followed by development of the Conceptual Plan and, in 2005, the seminal Great Spokane River Gorge Strategic Master Plan. The plan’s vision proclaimed the goal to “… enhance and preserve the splendor of the Gorge and river as a central feature of the Spokane region for generations to come.”
The plan, which is focused on the Great Gorge area west of downtown, identified over 25 million dollars of potential public and private projects to protect and restore the area, as well as to connect residents and visitors to recreational experiences, and honor the river’s rich cultural and environmental history. Said Andy Dunau, the Forum’s Executive Director, “What’s astounding is how much of that vision has already come to pass or is actively being developed right now.”
Construction of the Sandifur Bridge, redevelopment of Huntington Park, development of Kendall Yards, and installation of green infrastructure in the area have all come to fruition. The Spokane City Utilities Department has now committed to completing the loop trail through Peaceful Valley with connectivity to downtown. In addition, the City Parks Department has completed a master plan for Glover Field, including identification of a new river access. “It all fits,” said Faust, “with what the Great Gorge Plan envisioned and what the Olmsted Brothers first advocated for in their 1913 Parks Plan.”
“Nothing,” said the Olmsteds “is so firmly impressed on the mind of the visitor to Spokane, as regards its appearance, as the great gorge into which the river falls near the center of the city … any city should prize and preserve its great landscape features, inasmuch as they give it individuality.”
Looking to the future, the Forum will use funds previously raised by Friends of the Falls to improve river access, restoration and recreational opportunities in the Gorge. “These funds”, said Faust, “were originally raised for development of the Whitewater Park. Ultimately, we were unable to secure the environmental permits required to build it. The Spokane River Forum is involved in several projects in the Gorge area where these funds can still provide a benefit to boaters and to the broader community.”
Said Dunau, “Initially we’ll focus Friends resources on Glover Field. Plans have already been developed, collaboratively by the city and multiple stakeholders, to improve river access for paddlers, anglers and rafters, offer neighborhood improvements by addressing parking and other concerns, and support a trailhead linking downtown and the loop trail.” As part of the merger, the Forum will offer donors to the Whitewater Park Fund the opportunity to request reimbursement of their donation.
On June 3rd, both Friends of the Falls and the Spokane River Forum will celebrate the merger while raising funds for future river projects at the Water to Wine Auction at Arbor Crest Wine Cellars. Said Hofmeister, “The dream Friends of the Falls started is alive, and the work goes on via the Forum. At the Water to Wine event we’ll raise our glasses to the Spokane River and this monumental merger with music, wine, hors d’oeuvres, education, and more.” For tickets and more information, go to www.spokaneriver.net/watertowine.
The Spokane River Forum started in 2008 with the mission to create materials, events and activities that promote regional dialogues for sustaining a healthy river system while meeting the needs of a growing population. The Spokane River Water Trail is one of the Forum’s most successful initiatives. By building partnerships, new and restored access points have made the river far more accessible, while also providing critical environmental restoration. In addition, the Spokane River Water Trail web site has made finding resources, and learning more about river safety, just a click away on the Internet.
News Release Contacts:
Jeanna Hofmeister, Spokane River Forum, (208) 683-2340, msjeannahofmeister@gmail.com
Steve Faust, Friends of the Falls, (509) 981-6296, steve@faustlawfirm.com.