Rest stop to start new life as park

A rest area along Interstate 90 is letting people rest once again. But this time, the site could be more of a destination than a pit stop for weary travelers.

Spokane County is holding a reopening ceremony this morning for Gateway Park, which includes a rest stop just north of Exit 299 on Interstate 90. The rest area was closed about five years ago, but county leaders have agreed to lease it from the state for a buck.

County leaders say the 17 acres of state land around the rest stop combined with 32 adjacent acres purchased by the county in 2004 provides public access to the Spokane River and the Centennial Trail.

Parking, restrooms and picnic tables are ready for use, said parks director Doug Chase. The Spokane Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau will start providing tourist information at the rest area by the end of the month.

“This is the gateway to Washington,” said Randy Barcus, chairman of the county’s Parks Advisory Committee. “We felt it was very important to provide a facility … for tourists coming in from the east.”

The park will cost the county about $85,000 a year to operate, Chase said. It also will spend about $55,000 this year to create a new entrance.