Volunteers Honored For Restoring Fish Lake Park

The Spokane County Park Advisory Committee has honored volunteers who transformed Fish Lake County Park from an overgrown eyesore into a pristine park.

The ceremony last Thursday took place inside the park’s newly refurbished community building and then moved onto the freshly cut grass adjacent to the lake’s sandy beach.

The turnaround began in July 1996 when the short-staffed parks department asked for volunteers to help clean up Fish Lake Park.

“We’ve got 25 parks and 11 people,” Wyn Birkenthal, Spokane County parks manager, said at the ceremony. “If you look at the parks department budget, there’s no money,” he added.

A year ago, Fish Lake County Park’s beaches were beset by cars instead of bathers. Trail markers were missing, replaced by beer cans and bottles pointing the way to late-night drinking parties.

“The park doesn’t look anything like it did a year ago,” said Francine Boxer, Spokane County parks director.

“They (the volunteers) turned an overgrown park that hardly anybody used into a jewel for Spokane County. Without the volunteers this wouldn’t have ever happened,” Boxer said.

Because of the volunteers’ work, Spokane County commissioners took notice and allocated $200,000 for capital improvements to the park, Boxer said.

In the next few months, volunteers, community members and park officials will have the opportunity to determine what those improvements will be.

At the recognition ceremony the parks department distributed a list of potential projects that included expansion of the swimming and dock area, addition of permanent restrooms, and more children’s play equipment.

During a busy summer day, more than 300 people will sometimes use the park’s swimming and boating facilities, officials said. More than 50 families answered the call for volunteers.

At the ceremony, volunteers applauded when a burnished wood plaque honoring their efforts was unveiled, but the real whoops and hollers erupted when officials announced they had purchased a new industrial lawn mower, replacing two push mowers.

“We know how hard it’s been for you to mow the grass around here,” said Ed Sharman, chairman of the Spokane County Park Advisory Committee.

Volunteers make sure the grass is cut.

Kellie Johnson and her son, Striker, 14, said they spent about three days a week at the park, mowing, painting or weeding.

“We separated the swimming area from where you launch your boat,” Johnson said. “We asked people not to park on the beach.”

Volunteers cleaned up the park’s cinder-block beach house.

“It was trashed,” said volunteer Kellie Johnson. “There was graffiti on the walls and cobwebs everywhere.”

The refurbished beach house is now used as a community meeting center for the Marshall Creek Community Coalition as well as other groups.

Joe and Jane Feil sat inside the newly painted building and enjoyed a slice of celebratory cake.

“We were one of the first volunteers,” Jane Feil said. “We own property across the lake.

“We enjoy watching the kids. We’re so proud of everyone. They’ve worked really hard.”

, DataTimes