Small Town News

Steamboat Rock planning expansion

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A future plan for Steamboat Rock State Park will include as many as 61 more camping spaces, some of which could start being developed very soon.

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission held its second workshop at Grand Coulee's City Hall last Tuesday, as the commission is putting together its plan for the park.

Ideas and recommendations from the first planning session are helping to shape some of the changes to the park.

Andrew Fielding, parks planner, said 26 more camping spaces are being planned near the cove where the Rotary Club is planning its handicapped fishing pier. He said this phase of the park improvement will be going out to bid very soon.

"It could start as early as this fall," Fielding said.

A second phase of development would call for 30-35 more campsites between the two major camping areas in the park.

All the new sites would accommodate either tenting or RVs, with proper pads and a limited amount of grassy area.

Other tentative projects would be to improve the trail system in the park and the planting of native plants. Also, moorage space for some 50 more boats is part of the plan.

Tom Poplawski, manager of the park, said a tree replacement policy is already underway. Some of the poplars are being replaced with a different type of tree.

In all, when the planned projects are complete the park will have about 275 camping spots that will accommodate all types of visitors.

"On any given weekend we will have about 1,200 people in the park," Poplawski said.

The park currently has four full-time employees.

The parks commission said the final development plan will come from public comments and suggestions.

Steamboat Rock State Park is one of the most heavily used parks in the state. "In the top five," Poplawski said.



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© 2011 The Star Grand Coulee, Washington. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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