Community offers support for Lake Sammamish State Park booster group
December 18, 2012
State officials laid the groundwork Dec. 10 for a community organization to support Lake Sammamish State Park as residents met to consider lifelines for the cash-strapped park.
Issaquah and the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission listened to ideas for the facility from about 50 attendees at a Tibbetts Creek Manor open house, and received information from about 25 attendees interested in participating in a community organization to support the park.
The event, hosted by the city and state parks agency, launched a discussion about future ventures at Lake Sammamish State Park and what residents hope to see on the park’s 512 acres.
Editorial
December 11, 2012
Our state park needs passionate ‘friends’
Lake Sammamish State Park needs a group of passionate people to come together as Friends of Our State Park. Both leaders and roll-up-your-sleeves volunteers are wanted.
The state park has had a plan in place for five years. That plan would add an esplanade between the picnic and beach areas for walkers to access a new bathhouse, a boathouse for kayaks and rowing shells, a lakefront café, improved group sites, environmental educational components throughout, an RV and tent park, a lodge to host youth or adult groups for overnights or meetings, and much cleaner beach and grassy areas.
A citizen group met for three years to come up with the plan, and design work was completed for the esplanade and bathhouse. It was to have been done by 2013, in time for the 100th anniversary of Washington State Parks.
Community offers ideas, support for Lake Sammamish State Park
December 11, 2012
NEW — 5 p.m. Dec. 11, 2012
State officials laid the groundwork Monday for a community organization to support Lake Sammamish State Park as residents met to consider lifelines for the cash-strapped park.
Issaquah and the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission officials collected information from attendees for a possible community organization to support the park, and listened to ideas about the facility at a Tibbetts Creek Manor open house.
The event, hosted by the city and state parks agency, launched a discussion about future ventures at Lake Sammamish State Park and what residents hope to see on the park’s 512 acres.
In 2007, state parks commissioners approved a bold plan to remake and restore the park, but the economic downturn and state budget crises curtailed dollars to implement the plan.
Offer ideas for future of Lake Sammamish State Park
December 4, 2012
Lake Sammamish State Park, a 512-acre urban oasis surrounded by Issaquah and a destination long overdue for a makeover, is in the spotlight again as city and state officials seek residents’ ideas for the park’s future.
Issaquah and the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission leaders scheduled a Dec. 10 open house about the state park. The event is meant to restart the conversation about options for the park, including a stalled plan approved in 2007 and meant to guide upgrades to aging facilities and the expansion of recreation opportunities.
Options to revive the plan could include a partnership between the state parks agency, city and a nonprofit organization to help the park. The state parks agency is also open to commercial ventures on parkland as a potential way to generate funds for the facility.
State adds flexible start date to Discover Pass
November 23, 2012
NEW — 6 a.m. Nov. 23, 2012
State agencies encourage holiday shoppers to consider a Discover Pass as a gift for family and friends interested in the outdoors.
Officials added a feature recently to allow purchasers to choose the pass’ start date. The option is available to customers who purchasing the pass at www.discoverpass.wa.gov, or in person from authorized retailers through the Washington Interactive Licensing Database, or WILD, system.
The pass is available in Issaquah at Big 5 Sporting Goods, Fred Meyer and Sports Authority.
The buyer can activate the pass immediately or on any day within one year of purchase.
State legislators passed the option into law in 2012 to allow greater flexibility to outdoor recreation enthusiasts, including people interested in giving the pass as a gift.
Meteorologists forecast blustery, soggy Thanksgiving
November 19, 2012
NEW — 6 a.m. Nov. 19, 2012
Expect a soggy Thanksgiving and a side of rain in the days before the holiday, as series of systems batters Western Washington.
The weather comes as rain-soaked Pacific systems barrel across the region in quick succession. National Weather Service meteorologists in Seattle said the strongest fronts should affect Western Washington through Monday night.
Residents should expect 2 to 5 inches of additional rain to fall in the mountains below the snow level. The influx of moisture increases the landslide risk on slopes.
Then, wet and windy weather should continue through the week, with lulls possible on Tuesday and Thursday, Thanksgiving. Snow is forecast to fall in the mountains, and motorists should prepare for snow in the mountain passes, including Snoqualmie Pass.
Parks waive fees for all on Veterans Day weekend
November 6, 2012
Residents can explore the outdoors for free as state and national parks waive entrance fees for Veterans Day weekend, Nov. 10-12.
Lake Sammamish, Squak Mountain and other state parks do not require a Discover Pass during the holiday weekend. The waiver also applies to lands run by the state Department of Fish and Wildlife and the state Department of Natural Resources, including Tiger Mountain State Forest.
The fee waiver encompasses all 398 national parks — including Washington’s Mount Rainier, North Cascades and Olympic national parks.
Gubernatorial hopefuls support hatcheries, parks
October 23, 2012
Democrat Jay Inslee and Republican Rob McKenna clashed in a recent series of debates, but the candidates vying to serve as Washington’s next governor share similar positions on local issues, such as support for the state parks system.
Jay Inslee
Rob McKenna
The race at the state level is focused on the candidates’ policies on education and transportation — hot topics on the docket as Inslee and McKenna met in recent weeks.
The Issaquah Press asked the candidates about funding for state parks, salmon restoration and growth management — key concerns in Issaquah and the surrounding area.
Liberty High School girls win KingCo 3A cross country title
October 23, 2012
Megan Chucka, Allie Wood and Sarah Bliesner (from left), Liberty High School runners, recover their breath after finishing second, fourth and eighth to help the Patriots win the school’s first-ever team girls KingCo 3A Cross Country Championship Oct. 19 at Lake Sammamish State Park.By Greg Farrar
When a key contributor from last year’s Liberty High School girls cross country team went down with an injury before the season, head coach Mike Smith was understandably crushed.
Spacelabs Healthcare to leave Issaquah for Snoqualmie
October 2, 2012
Issaquah-based medical device manufacturer Spacelabs Healthcare plans to relocate to Snoqualmie, the company’s CEO announced Sept. 17.
Spacelabs’ parent company, OSI Systems Inc., paid $14 million for a 176,000-square-foot building in the Snoqualmie Ridge Business Park. Spacelabs should complete the move east by next spring.
In Issaquah, Spacelabs leases space in a corporate office park wedged between East Lake Sammamish Parkway and Lake Sammamish State Park.
Issaquah Economic Development Director Keith Niven said Spacelabs ranks among the largest employers in the city.
