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closePreserve Our Parks to hold thank-you celebration
Advocates to host event for community support
Susan Schell
of the Gateway
With the towering evergreens and breathtaking scenery of Kopachuck State Park as a backdrop, the Preserve Our Parks organization will host a community-wide thank-you party from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday.
The Family Day party will celebrate citizens’ support in saving Kopachuck and Joemma Beach state parks from being closed due to state budget cuts — at least for the next two years.
“We’re part of a state network of friends of parks groups who are fighting to keep the parks open,” said Linda Gough, chairwoman of POP. “This is just a general celebration to show our appreciation for everything that everyone did. This is for everyone throughout the state who signed petitions and wrote to their legislators and came to our rainy day rally.”
Gough said a petition circulated to save the parks collected more than 700 signatures and represented 34 cities statewide.
“There were signatures from people from as far away as Issaquah and Everett,” she said. “There was a really broad representation. This just shows how important these parks are for everyone, not just locals.”
The result of the support was the removal of the two Gig Harbor and Peninsula-area parks from the state’s closure list for this budget session.
“We saw the support from the local community on a rainy day in March,” said Tom Pew, area manager for the Washington State Parks. “We’re thankful we’re still open, and we’d like to see them continue to use the park through the winter.
“The beach is beautiful with the Olympics in the background.”
Pew said there will be a public open house on Sept. 21 at Kopachuck Middle School to hear the community’s opinions on how they would like to see the park used.
Gough said the parks are not “out of the woods yet.” The Legislature will be keeping a close eye on the amount collected by the license-renewal donation program, which was put in place to fund the parks.
The plan implements a $5 donation toward maintaining the state parks on residents’ annual vehicle renewal, unless they opt out by checking the appropriate box.
Since the actual funding for the program has yet to be determined, it may not offset the predicted cuts for the next budget session.
Visitors at the POP thank-you party can offer their continued support by signing a huge, hand-crafted Thank You Tree, expressing their thanks to Gov. Christine Gregoire and the state Legislature.
Other activities will include guided trail hikes, live music by “Flannel Asparagus,” face painting and food concessions.
State Sen. Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor, and State Rep. Larry Seaquist, D-Gig Harbor, both are expected to attend the event.
Both Kilmer and Seaquist attended the rally to save the parks last spring.
Public thank you
The Preserve Our Parks organization will hold a thank-you party for the public from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at Kopachuck State Park, at the corner of Kopachuck and 56th streets, across from Kopachuck Middle School in Gig Harbor.
Have your say
The state parks want public opinion on the future of Kopachuck State Park at a public open house. The forum will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Sept. 21 at Kopachuck Middle School, 10414 56th St. NW in Gig Harbor.