Park district wary of future

Leaders of the little government district that has kept North Dam Park from collapsing into disrepair for several years is feeling uncertain about the future.

After approving a budget Monday night in which they show spending at about $33,000 next year, commissioners at the Coulee Area Park and Recreation District, all volunteers, discussed the uncertainty of the district’s continued funding.

Originally formed with the intent of building a swimming pool in 2003, the district has never collected a tax to help fund its efforts, having been turned down by voters twice.

But it’s been in place when other community needs turned up, the last one arising as Grand Coulee decided to stop maintaining the park in 2011 once its lease of the land from the Bureau of Reclamation was up.

CAPRD stepped in as a “community partner” with USBR, which was able to fund maintenance and several improvements with a matching grant.

That required match, however, has been tricky for a district with no income of its own. For several years, the district has relied on grants from cities that have funneled lodging tax funds to help maintain the “North Dam Park and Event Center,” where Colorama and other community and tourism events are held. Several businesses have also donated money to help.

Those city grants get slimmer every year, and the five-year USBR grant runs out in 2019, President Bob Valen told the other commissioners.

Valen said he thinks the district should refocus on its original mission, and new commissioners are needed to fill empty seats.

Commissioner Brett Black will leave at the end of the year, and Clarice Kuehne’s term is also up at the end of the year.

This story has been corrected to reflect the right year for the formation of the park and recreation district.