by
Rachel Hansen | Sep 23, 2021
Parks fans, please finish this sentence: “At Riverfront Park, wouldn’t it be great if …?”
Bring your ideas on how to improve Riverfront Park to an open house at Pybus Public Market, 8-10 a.m. and 12-3 p.m., Sept. 28, on the outdoor deck. Native Spanish speakers will be on hand. You’ll also have an opportunity to submit comments and ideas online at the project website beginning Sept. 28.
This will be the second open house hosted by Chelan PUD and City of Wenatchee as they develop a long-term master plan for the popular park. The planning process will wrap up by the end of the year. The first phase of implementation is slated for 2022-2023.
“It’s a unique park because it’s 31 acres that follow the river and is a defining feature of the community,” said Justin Erickson, Managing Director of District Services. “We have the opportunity to create more active play and entertainment areas as well as quiet and reflective spaces.”
Visitors will be able to weigh in on concept drawings by a landscape architecture and design firm, Greenworks.
In a report to PUD Commissioners Monday, Greenworks staff shared preliminary feedback they gathered during the first open house in July. About 150 people attended the open house, and about 200 people submitted comments online. Those ideas included water features, improved river access, play areas, gathering space, opportunities for food trucks and other businesses, and trail enhancements to accommodate different kinds of trail users (bikes, walkers, etc.).
Wenatchee Riverfront Park is generally defined as the area along the Columbia River from 9th Street south to Thurston Street. A majority of the land in the park is owned by the City of Wenatchee and has been leased to the PUD since 1983 to support park development as part of the PUD’s responsibilities under its federal license for Rock Island Dam.
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