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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
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Washington State Parks plans meetings on potential Riverside State Park addition

Participants gather on the banks of the Little Spokane River following a release of Chinook salmon into the river by the Inland Northwest Land Conservancy and the Spokane Tribe on Friday, Aug. 11, 2023, at The Glen Tana Conservation Area in Spokane, Wash. (Tyler Tjomsland/The Spokesman-Review)
From staff reports

From staff reports

Washington officials are beginning the planning process for acquiring a 1,000-acre parcel north of Spokane to add to Riverside State Park.

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission announced in a news release Wednesday that it has planned a pair of public meetings on the potential acquisition of part of the Glen Tana property, a former farm along the Little Spokane River that was purchased by the Inland Northwest Land Conservancy in August. It borders Riverside State Park.

The land conservancy bought the land to protect it from development. It intends to divvy it up between the Spokane Tribe of Indians and Washington State Parks, and will hold onto the property while the two organizations secure the money to acquire parts of it.

Washington State Parks is continuing to pursue the chance to take over part of the property to conserve habitat, expand recreational access and support salmon reintroduction efforts, according to the release.

Before it can take ownership of the parcel, Washington State Parks needs to create a management plan, which involves a multistage process involving public input and analyzing management approaches. The release said the process will determine a boundary for the park.

An official designation for the parcel is expected by late fall of 2024.

An in-person public meeting to gather public feedback is planned for 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 26 at the North Spokane Library. A virtual meeting will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sept. 28.