Future of proposed Whitewater Park may be determined in June
June 15, 2011
The State Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) decided to let expire a $530,000 grant to the City of Spokane to support development of Spokane’s Whitewater Park. Without this funding, about half the funds raised to build the park would be lost. The reason for this decision is lack of progress in developing the park.
Friends of the Falls is joining the City of Spokane to appeal this decision at an RCO board meeting on June 23rd at a 1:45 meeting in Olympia. As the contract for disbursing grant funds expires June 30th, a quick decision by the board is likely.
The reasons for delay stem largely from permit issues being longer, more difficult and more costly than planned. Nine different permits and plans need to be approved by seven different agencies to proceed.
One of these, a shoreline conditional use permit, is needed from the City of Spokane. In 2009, the City planning department made a determination of environmental significance for this permit. This triggered an unanticipated need for an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
An EIS “describes the positive and negative environmental effects of proposed agency action – and cites alternative actions.” If environmental impacts of significance are identified, mitigation measures and/or alternatives must be used.
A native red band trout spawning study conducted by Avista as part of their dam license implementation shows one of the most productive spawning beds to be in the area where the Park would be built. An EIS would consider the possible impact of the Park on red band trout and, if necessary, mitigation measures required to offset the impact. Project proponents would then need to raise funds to implement this and other mitigation measures that might come out of an EIS.
Proponents believe that the benefits of the Park make continued development a worthy venture, pointing to economic and neighborhood development, youth activities, river safety and facility improvements as examples.
Click on the attachment below to see the Whitewater Park alert sent out by Friends of the Falls, including e-mail and letter writing options to express your opinion to decision-makers.