WA state funding supports Whatcom County recreation, parks projects
Multiple outdoor recreation projects in Whatcom County are receiving funding through a Washington state grant that is providing more than $67 million to over 105 projects in Washington.
Six of those projects are located in Whatcom County and are receiving a combined total of $1,496,619, according to a news release from the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office.
The highest award — at $884,434 — is the county’s reimbursement for buying 39.5 acres of land 4 miles south of Acme in 2023 known as Carrasco. The land is being converted into trailheads that will link to other county parks, including Nesset Farm and the South Fork Park, according to the release.
The Nooksack Valley School District will receive a $386,055 grant to convert a grass field into artificial turf at Nooksack Valley High School. The field can be used by multiple sports including football, soccer, lacrosse and field hockey. It can also be used for community events. The new field will improve the athletic experiences of Everson, Nooksack and Sumas, all of which are in the Nooksack Valley School District, the release stated.
The State Parks’ Winter Recreation Program is using $75,000 to maintain six Sno-Parks and groom 146 miles of snowmobile trails in and around Mount Baker for two winters, according to the release.
The final three grants will go to the Mount Baker Ranger District.
One grant worth $63,400 will fund the construction of a half-mile of trail near the Horseshoe Cove Campground. This trail will connect a planned expansion of the campground to nearby campgrounds and infrastructure, according to the Recreation and Conservation Office.
The second Ranger District grant is worth $47,830, and will be used to temporarily fund seasonal wilderness rangers and buy tools, trail signs and gear for glacier travel and training, according to the Recreation and Conservation Office. Some funding will also be provided for waste management, according to the release.
The final grant is worth $39,900, which will go toward the refurbishing of the Shadow of Sentinels Trailhead on the southern end of Baker Lake. This means repaving the asphalt, repairing boardwalk sections, replacing rusting and fading interpretive panels and refurbishing gravel pathways, according to the release.
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