by John Koster

Snohomish County Council

One of the real “jewels” of north Snohomish County, Wenberg State Park, could become a casualty of our current state budget woes.  With foresight from our county leaders, Snohomish County should waste no time in moving forward to adopt this priceless asset into the county’s park system.

Providing public access to the 46-acre Wenberg State Park offers the only boat launch available to the public on the lake. In addition, there are campsites, kitchen shelters, 50 picnic tables, concessions and hiking trails.  People can go boating, camping, swimming, hiking, bird watching, or simply enjoy the outdoors with family and friends.

What a shame it would be to allow this park to close, especially in these difficult economic times. Our local parks provide affordable access to wholesome and healthy activities for young and old alike. By adopting Wenberg, Snohomish County will preserve this valuable resource for our community.

Wenberg is a draw for tourism and brings in scores of people from places outside of Snohomish County. The tourism generated by the park contributes significantly to our economy, supporting local jobs and businesses. A quick Google search will find Lake Goodwin and Wenberg State Park on numerous websites.  Many of these websites include links to Snohomish County hotels, motels, restaurants, and sporting goods stores.

Snohomish County’s leadership and Parks Department are properly poised to expand the programs available at Wenberg.  By utilizing a model that has been successful in other parks around the county, we can improve access to a variety of programs at Wenberg including possible summertime youth camps, kayaking, canoeing and fishing. With some investment in the coming years, Wenberg’s facilities could include recreational opportunities that would create an even larger draw for tourism.

Some may argue that it is not the county’s responsibility to adopt Wenberg into our parks system. I say we cannot afford to lose such a valuable community asset. Without the county stepping up, Wenberg may be closed, with very limited public use.

As the state legislature wraps up this session, the county should step up to the plate and commit to adopting Wenberg.  It’s the right thing to do.

To comment, email: PAO@parks.wa.gov. Web Site: www.parks.wa.gov.

Send Written Comments to:

Rex Derr

WA State Parks

and Recreation Commssion

PO Box 42650

Tumwater, WA 98504-2650.