We recently put together a small work party to start improving the Santa Fe Trail Park at 7916 Santa Fe Trail, Maple Falls WA. We’re excited to finally get to work on making this space inviting and usable for our community!
We have filled in the low, swampy areas with new soil and planted grass seed. A 6 foot, solid wood fence has been installed on one side of the park and we’ll be putting up a 4 foot, permeable fence on the other side in August. Also in August we’ll begin clearing the fallen trees from the back of the property and turning them into benches, tables, and a small bridge over the stream, as well as activity structures for kids.
It won’t be long before you’ll want to spend time here with your toes in the stream while the happy laughter of children surrounds you.
This year Columbia Valley Park and Recreation District is on the General Election ballot under Proposition 2024-23 which calls for a 6-year levy that would cost the average homeowner about the same as 6 cups of coffee per year. This levy would fund the purchase of park properties within the Columbia Valley UGA, one of which would be a walk of 10 minutes or less from your front door. Help improve the quality of life for yourself, your family and the entire community by VOTING YES ON PROP 2024-23!
Be careful out there!
We share our environment with a number of predators including bears, cougar and coyotes and must always be alert to the possibility of their presence.
With the onset of winter bears will be denning up but in our area where winters are mild, bears don’t hybernate all winter and may search for food, particularly close to human habitation. It is advisable to always carry bear spray and to make plenty of noise when you’re outdoors, even in your own yard. You never know when you’ll come around the corner of your house and come nose to nose with a large furry critter. Pay attention and check it out if your dog is barking; they can smell bears and cougars from a long distance and will warn you. Keep a close eye on children when they’re playing outside and teach them how to respond if they spot a predator. Keep your pets when you let them out to help prevent harm to both the pet and the bear, and possibly you.
Being prepared is the best prevention!
Here’s a good article on how to practice bear safety.
And one about other predatory animals.
Recent bear sitings in our neighborhoods and on Kendall Highway are testament to how we are impacting bear territories around us, and it means we can never be sure one isn’t napping under that next bush. And with all the reports of cougars living right in people’s yards, we need to be especially watchful and educate our children appropriately.
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We hope you will spend some time exploring our website and learning more about the Columbia Valley Park and Recreation District (CVPRD) in Whatcom County, Washington.
Columbia Valley Parks Future
With the purchase of our first park property earlier this year, we began fulfilling our goal of developing several parks throughout Columbia Valley. Our intent is to provide a park within walking distance of every home in our district (see map below).
There have been many studies that demonstrate how easy access to parks helps people stay mentally and physically healthy, increases awareness of the environment and its care, and helps develop a deeper connection with the natural world, just to name a few benefits.
Part of Columbia Valley Parks and Recreation District’s objectives are to improve health and wellbeing within our community, but also to provide places where people can gather for activities, events, or to just sit on a bench visiting with a neighbor.
If you would like to learn more about the benefits of having local parks, click on the following link: Parks page.
Join Us! We’d love to have your input in the planning and development of our park system!
Please join us at one of our monthly public meetings. To learn more, visit our Public Meetings page.
To get in touch with us, visit our Contact page, call us at 360.656.6771 or email us at cvparksandrec@gmail.com.
We welcome your ideas and comments!
Below is a map showing the boundaries of the Columbia Valley Parks and Recreation District.
Columbia Valley Park & Recreation District 