Community wants to keep Bogachiel State Park open

By Chris Cook - Forks Forum editor

On Wednesday night about three dozen local residents attended a meeting called by State Parks officials regarding the possible closing of the park located six miles south of Forks.

At the meeting Reed and City of Forks Attorney/Planner Rod Fleck expressed disappointment that State Parks officials didn’t provide financial numbers for costs at the park.

They also urged the park representatives to announce that the park is to be closed so the local community can move ahead on finding a way to keep it open.

State Parks did provide figures that showed an annual cost of over $300,000 to run and staff the park plus about a half dozen other properties on the West End including the Cowan Ranch near the Hoko River.

Reed and Fleck said they wanted the cost for the Bogachiel Park broken out and detailed.

The report from State Parks needs to describe the condition of the park’s infrastructure such as sewer and water lines, and electric lines, and whether repairs are needed, they said.

Reed said the economic impact of the park must also be considered, with $8 of trickle-down spending coming from every dollar spent at the park.

State Parks is awaiting the release by the Legislature in April of an update biennium state budget before officially announcing the closing of the park.

Gov. Christine Gregoire listed the state park as one of about a dozen that face closure due to the $8 billion two-year state budget deficit. At the meeting park officials said the growing deficit estimate could mean that about two dozen parks are closing.

State Park Ranger Chon Clayton, who has staffed the Bogachiel Park for 15 years, is leading an effort to keep the park open as a state park. A petition circulating on the West End aimed at keeping the park open has gathered over 700 signatures with a goal of 1,000, Patt Doyle said at the Wednesday meeting.

Members of the Quileute Tribal Council attended the Wednesday night meeting, and an afternoon meeting that focused on informing local government officials of the State Parks plan.

Reed said Friday that a consortium might run the park. Potential partners include Clallam County, the City of Forks, the Quileute Tribe, the Hoh Tribe and local community organizations who might take a portion of the duty, such as maintaining native plants and providing youth employment.

Such a plan would be brought before the Forks City Council if the City of Forks does become involved, Reed said.
Options might include running the park on a seasonal basis, she said.

“We could make it work, I believe,” Reed said.

“Lot’s of folks in the community use the park,” she said.

“We’re not a destination community as a rule,” Reed said. Campers, Twilght fans and local residents looking for a nearby campground for a getaway all use the park, which is the only public facility with showers close to Forks.
“This community can do this,” she said.

She expects the state to close, or pass along control, of the Bogachiel Park by September. “It shouldn’t be a problem over the summer,” Reed added.

She said Clallam County Commissioner Mike Doherty is working closely with the City of Forks in coming up with a solution for keeping the park open to local residents and visiting campers.

At the Wednesday night meeting local residents said the Bogachiel Park was begun in the 1930s and operated by the Forks Chamber of Commerce and the Bogachiel Garden Club. In the early 1960s State Parks took over operations, they said.
In the handout passed around to the audience at the Wednesday meeting State Parks noted that if the park is closed and gates are locked, foot access would still be allowed. That would be no problem as long as no laws are broken by users, the handout said.