Survey results provide direction for park planners

Local officials and citizens met with community planners from the National Park Service to discuss the results of the Waterfront Park Project survey at a Cathlamet Park Planning meeting on Tuesday.

The survey questions were used to ascertain how people would like to use the site of the former sewer lagoons near the Elochoman Slough Marina before planners brought in landscape architects to design. 184 people responded to the survey.

Most of the survey responders were between the ages of 36-55. Few had children. Many of the respondents said they used Vista Park, the Julia Butler Hansen National Refuge for Columbian White-Tailed Deer, and the Elochoman Slough Marina.

Organizers Stephanie Stroud and Brianna Truden from the National Park Service said they had spoken to administrators at the Wahkiakum School District and were brainstorming ways to get Wahkiakum youth involved.

“There is a program called Every Kid in a Park that targets fourth graders,” Truden said. “If they come to meetings and are involved in the park planning process, they get free access to federal lands throughout the US.”

Town of Cathlamet Public Works Superintendent Duncan Cruickshank suggested reaching out to homeschooled kids and Sue Cameron, the Director of Health and Human Services urged the organizers to contact the Wahkiakum County Network.

Access to parks and being able to park nearby appeared to be important. A children’s play area, walking or hiking, picnics and barbecues, relaxing, enjoying nature, and attending outdoor events were popular choices for the respondents.

ADA accessibility, access to water, community space for events, benches for resting, paved trails, and a boardwalk were considered very important.

Others liked the idea of an outdoor classroom for education, and habitat restoration.

There was little interest in an electric charging station, workout stations, a skate/bike park, boat in only camping, or artistic displays of renewable energy wind generators.

“I think our overall feeling was that people wanted a natural trails and wildlife viewing and place to put your feet in,” Stroud said.

Some respondents wanted a beach area that would be safe for swimming.

“There is no way that will ever be safe swimming,” Port Manager Jackie Lea said of the parcel along the waterfront. “You can’t even dream that one.”

“The desire is there, so that’s something to consider,” Stroud said. “But maybe it’s not at this park.”

The discussion turned to providing access to the water for non-motorized boats.

One participant asked Andrew Emlen whether he and his partners at Columbia River Kayaking would consider opening up a station in Cathlamet.

“We discussed it and the answer is no,” Emlen said. “It’s a really small profit margin doing rentals for a high liability.”

Emlen explained the potential problem of providing access to water by way of the Cathlamet Channel. He imagined kayakers deciding to cross to Puget Island only to find themselves facing two foot rolling waves on the return trip. Even kayakers who wanted to traverse the Elochoman Slough would have to return to the location on the Cathlamet Channel to take out. They would run into similar issues.

“Having that access for non-motorized boaters is a good idea,” Emlen said. “I just wouldn’t want to run rentals out of there. I don’t think it would be wise for the city to take on that kind of liability.”

Mayor Dale Jacobson and Cruickshank asked the organizers to consider the costs of maintenance as they moved into the design phase of the project.

“We don’t want to take on a burden,” Jacobson said.

The group decided to hold a workshop on November 19. Landscape architects, park designers will work with community members to come up with ideas for the park. The designs will be displayed later that day. The community will be invited to look at the designs and vote for the ones they like.

The next meeting for the Cathlamet Park Planning is scheduled for September 15 at noon.