Manson Parks receives project update, hears special request

MANSON – Parks and recreation commissioners discussed and approved the Park’s 2018 Comprehensive Plan during their regular board meeting, Thursday, April 12 in the park’s office in Bumgarner Building.
After a 30-day public comment period, and only a few revisions needed including listing Manson Fire as a partner with the Parks Department and the mistitling of Aquatics Supervisor Viki Downey, the commissioners approved the comp plan with revisions made.
Addressing the Manson Bay Revitalization Project, Director Robin Pittman updated the board on a meeting held with Chelan County PUD, as well as Kara Raftery whom is the consultant with Pacific Engineering the parks has contracted for the project. “Basically, we’re kind of at a road block right now,” she explained, “our biggest source of grant funding is with the Recreational Conservation Office (RCO), and they are essentially non-compatible with the PUD’s mitigation lands,” she said. Because the project area is already in a public program, the RCO grant cannot be used, and an alternate source of funding for the project is needed. The meeting with the PUD was the beginning of that funding process, which the parks board will meeting with again at a later date once there’s more financial information available on what the parks department needs.
During public comment, Downey was present with a special request for Parks’ commissioners. A member of the Manson community who was extremely dedicated to visiting Manson Bay Park daily. “He would help me back when the park wasn’t how it is now,” she explained, “when it wasn’t filled with friendly people … he’s always been in that park, every single day, up until the last two days when his health wouldn’t allow him too.” The gentleman, she identified as Dick Hopkins, passed away Monday, April 9. “His daughter called, and instead of doing flowers they are going to do donations to the swim program,” she explained, “and they wondered if they could purchase a bench and put it in the park (in memory of Hopkins).” The bench would be whichever bench the Parks Board decides on and would most likely replace the bench that he had sat on for so many years. The bench would also include a plaque in memoriam of Hopkins. “The reason I say that bench,” she explained, “is because he always sat on that bench. We had a wedding … and he sat on the bench, right in the middle of the wedding,” she laughed at the memory, “because that was his bench.”
The Parks Board agreed to the bench and plaque but will work on sorting out the details of what would be required in regard to style and placement.
Manson Parks Board meets every second Thursday of the month, beginning at 4:10 p.m. at Manson Parks and Recreation office. The next scheduled meeting will take place, Thursday, May 10.
For more information on the parks’ projects or comprehensive plan, visit their website at mansonparks.com.