Community Foundation rocks for the river

The Inland Northwest Community Foundation has generously provided a grant to support restoration of the Aubrey White water trail access, which is located on city property next to their Spokane Riverside Park Water Reclamation Facility.

Said Andy Dunau, Executive Director of the Forum, “As popularity of Spokane River paddler, tubing and angling grows below downtown, restoring this site has been a really high priority of both the conservation and recreation communities. The city also noticed a lot of increased use and was concerned about how to take care of the area properly. By combining a partnership with the city, a Community Foundation grant and stakeholder support, it’s a win-win all around.” Read More

Currently, the access is a steep, rutted out lane that creates both safety issues and environmental degradation. The restoration will restore the lane and make improvements to avoid erosion and redirect stormwater appropriately. In addition, volunteers will install native plants and help keep the area clean via a partnership the Forum will soon announce with Spokane Riverkeeper. A kiosk and interpretive signage will also be installed.

As usual, the Forum was able to facilitate these activities through our growing network of organization and individual contributions. Many thanks to the Spokane Conservation District for helping with the preliminary design; and Spokane Riverkeeper, Trout Unlimited, Northwest Whitewater Association, Spokane Canoe and Kayak Club, and Silver Bow for stepping up with support.

“Long story short, it’s a good day for the river,” said Dunau.