Royal City passed over for parks grant from state
CHERYL SCHWEIZER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 years, 8 months AGO
Senior Reporter Cheryl Schweizer is a journalist with more than 30 years of experience serving small communities in the Pacific Northwest. She began her post-high-school education at Treasure Valley Community College and enerned her journalism degree at Oregon State University. After working for multiple publications, she has settled down at the Columbia Basin Herald and has been a staple of the newsroom for more than a decade. Schweizer’s dedication to her communities and profession has earned her the nickname “The Baroness of Bylines.” She covers a variety of beats including health, business and various municipalities. | July 28, 2021 1:00 AM
ROYAL CITY — Royal City city officials are working on a backup plan after the city failed to receive a grant to expand Royal City Lions Park.
City officials had applied for a $500,000 grant from the state Recreation and Conservation Office, but mayor Kent Anderson said during the July 20 Royal City City Council meeting the city didn’t make the cut.
City finance director Shilo Christensen said Friday the city was on the list of alternates, so there’s a small chance Royal City could get partial or full funding, but the city is ranked pretty low on the alternate list.
The land designated for development is adjacent to the park, and was purchased in 2018 with intention to expand it.
Christensen said that’s still the intention.
“It’s not if it’s going to be a park, it’s when,” he said.
The park borders Camelia Street Northwest, and the expansion, when it happens, will extend it to Acacia Street West. Anderson said in an earlier interview the first step will be planting grass and trees, then adding soccer fields and other amenities.
Royal City has adequate park space, according to its comprehensive plan, Christensen said, but city officials want to expand. The city has set aside $250,000 for further development of Lions Park.
ARTICLES BY CHERYL SCHWEIZER
Road closures, roundabout, mean construction season underway
EPHRATA — The grass is starting to turn green, the trees are starting to leaf out, construction crews are starting to build roundabouts – hey, it’s spring. At least one roundabout project is in its final phase, held over from fall 2025. The intersection of State Route 282 and Nat Washington Way will be closed the week of April 6 to allow crews to install permanent lights. “This really is the final (closure),” wrote Grant County Administrator Tom Gaines in a media release. “The roundabout will close at 6 a.m. Monday, and we plan to reopen by Friday, possibly sooner if the work finishes early.”
Ybarra announces run for Washington Senate
QUINCY — State Representative Alex Ybarra, R-Quincy, has announced his candidacy for the Washington Senate. If he’s elected, he would replace Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake, who announced her retirement in March.
Othello Community Museum to open April 25
OTHELLO — With a couple of new exhibits, a new heating-cooling system, rearranged displays and a thorough cleaning, the Othello Community Museum will open for the summer April 25. The goal, said Molly Popchock, museum board secretary, is to operate for a full season.