It’s been nearly two years since Jim Webster had his idea to sell off the old Easter ski chairs from Kimberley Alpine Resort to raise funds for a new park in fundraiser, but now the project has taken a big step forward and has been given a name.
“We’re calling it Gateway park because it’s kind of the first place as you come in to Kimberley, it will kind of be the entrance to Kimberley,” Webster said. “It’s finally coming together, it’s almost two years since we started selling the ski chairs as a fundraiser.”
READ MORE: Jim Webster sells vintage Kimberley Alpine Resort ski chairs for park fundraiser
Webster explained that Tyee Homes, who owns the parcel of land in Marysville, put in an application to the City of Kimberley on Friday, Jun. 10 to subdivide the park area off of the bigger piece of property and have it set aside as a park.
“That’s what’s so exciting about this project is I’ve been kind of been doing some fundraising for the infrastructure, but Tyee has stepped up and got excited about this project and they’re making the donation of the land towards it,” Webster explained. “So we’ll have a joint effort of community fundraising for a gazebo and a rest/picnic area and their contribution of the land towards this thing. I’m really excited to have them on board they’ve been really positive on this.”
The parcel of land is about four to five acres and Webster said this project will preserve all the trees along Cow Creek as a natural area. The piece of land is located between the Rails To Trails and Cow Creek near Marysville.
Once final approval is attained from the City, Webster says the next step is to come up with the actual design plans, and he said that the idea is to keep it a simple park, without major development, featuring a gazebo and a paved area with a picnic bench and some seats. Basically a little rest stop area, Webster explains, that people who are riding into town can use to stop and have lunch.
“One of the ideas that was tossed out that I kind of like to have at that park would be a plaque that recognizes some of the people in Kimberley’s history that have contributed to park development and trails and things like that, and there’s been a lot of those over the years,” Webster said.
paul.rodgers@kimberleybulletin
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