Current News
Here's the latest...
New trail signs
There are beautiful new trails signs to see! Check them out...
Trails have a name!
The 40 acre of trails has a name! Maxwelton Trails Park was the name the SWP&R board chose after asking for public suggestions. We looked them over and ranked our favorites and the board made the final decision. It is exciting to see this becoming part of the park and rec trail system! Next step - creating a trail stewardship program to help clean them up! Stay tuned!
SWPR Bond Passed!
The SWPRD's Bond on the November ballot passed! This was to expedite a Waterman Property purchase and secure these trails into the park trail system. The State grant has been secured, so only half the funds are needed from local property owners. AND! If the Federal grant does come through, taxpayers may not have to pay much at all for these trails. And given the small size of the price tag, even if the second grant is not secured it will cost most property owners less than $10 a year for 5 years to enjoy these trails indefinitely. Time to rejoice and celebrate trees and trails!
Go for a walk!
Go for a walk!
One grant approved and funded!!
The local state parks grant has been funded! The grant from the Land & Water Conservation Fund, or the other half needed, was not. However, it is quite possible it could be in 2020! So mostly good news!
Options include a local Bond issue to be placed on the ballot and a capital campaign. With a total price tag of about $600K, we need about half that to secure the 40 acres.
Options include a local Bond issue to be placed on the ballot and a capital campaign. With a total price tag of about $600K, we need about half that to secure the 40 acres.
Tuesday Walkers
Some friendly and new faces out on the trails today. What a nice cool spot on a hot summer day!
Final Presentation
Doug Coutts, Director of SW Parks & Rec. is puting the finishing touches on his final presentation for the State grant. Thanks Doug and all the Park staff for your efforts! And thanks for taking Congressmen Rick Larsen to visit the trails!
Goal Met!
Thanks to several anonymous donors as well as the Back Country Horsemen of Island County and a generous matching gift from Hand in Hand Partners, we have met our goal of $5K to cover the appraisal fee for the property.
Thank you so very much!
Thank you so very much!
May 1, 2018 The Grant applications are in! Thanks Doug and others at the South Whidbey Park and Rec. District! Keeping our fingers crossed! We should hear in early summer if we are on the short list!
Thanks to Cory, Rosie, Erin, Sydney and Shelly for walking in the sunshine down at Maxwelton Beach on July 4th!
Update
Meeting 1/15/18 Update
Representatives from the SW Park and Rec. District, Save the Trails, Island Shakespeare and property owner met to discuss this effort. The Park and Rec. district have included this land acquisition in their comprehensive plan and will be submitting a grant proposal to both the state and the federal government by May 1st. If approved, funding should be available for this purchase by the fall of 2018. This timeline seems to be acceptable for the property owner and we are hopeful that this will be the best we could have asked for. Also, at this time, it is looking favorable for being able to keep the land as is, with no thinning/logging to be done. A rough price estimate for the total 40 acres is just under $600K. If approval is not granted from either or both government agencies then a voter approved bond is still another option to explore.
Thanks to all who donated time, money, emailed, or kept this effort in your thoughts! There are lots of reasons to be hopeful that this will be a win for all involved and trees and trails to be enjoyed for generations to come!
Representatives from the SW Park and Rec. District, Save the Trails, Island Shakespeare and property owner met to discuss this effort. The Park and Rec. district have included this land acquisition in their comprehensive plan and will be submitting a grant proposal to both the state and the federal government by May 1st. If approved, funding should be available for this purchase by the fall of 2018. This timeline seems to be acceptable for the property owner and we are hopeful that this will be the best we could have asked for. Also, at this time, it is looking favorable for being able to keep the land as is, with no thinning/logging to be done. A rough price estimate for the total 40 acres is just under $600K. If approval is not granted from either or both government agencies then a voter approved bond is still another option to explore.
Thanks to all who donated time, money, emailed, or kept this effort in your thoughts! There are lots of reasons to be hopeful that this will be a win for all involved and trees and trails to be enjoyed for generations to come!
Ongoing
Several things you can do ongoing:
- send us and the trees good thoughts
- mention this effort to others
- post on social media
- visit our Facebook page
- write a letter to the editor
- donate
- when you walk the trails, bring your clippers and clip while you walk
- contact us with ideas, suggestions, stories...
Let us not forget the huge health benefits of being out in nature, like our local Freeland doc, Dr. Armstrong reminds us of in his article...
http://rebootcenter.com/forest-bathing/
http://rebootcenter.com/forest-bathing/