Work can begin on Phase I of project
The signing of several property easements has cleared the way to begin work on long-awaited Phase I of the RiverWalk recreational trail in Winthrop.
Town Planner Rocklynn Culp, and RiverWalk supporters Brooke Bourn and Rita Kenny, confirmed last week that easements along the downtown side of the Chewuch River have been signed, including agreements by three private property owners.
Bourn and Kenny are members of an informal citizens group that has been working since last year on building support for the project, which has been under consideration for more than 20 years but has encountered various obstacles. They have been meeting with property owners to discuss dealing with their concerns about how the project might affect businesses.
RiverWalk is intended to eventually extend a pedestrian walkway from the Sa Teekh Wa bridge downstream to the Spring Creek Bridge, including an underpass beneath the north end of the Chewuch River Bridge at the four-way stop. Much of the trail would be on the back side of commercial buildings that front on Riverside Avenue.
Phase I of the project, which includes the underpass, required numerous local, state and federal regulatory permits, and is funded by a state Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) grant plus federal transportation monies. Phase II would be from the kiosk behind the Farmer’s Exchange Building to Spring Creek Bridge. Phase III would extend upstream on the Chewuch River from the back of the Emporium to Sa Teekh Wah bridge.
Culp said the Phase I underpass can be completed with funds the town has available. “We have a path forward,” she said. “If we can show people it works, it will make a difference.”
Agreeing to easements were Patsy and Keith Rowland, owners of the Star Properties parcel adjacent to the Chewuch River bridge (as well at the Winthrop Store on Riverside Avenue); Doug and Sheri Mohre, who formerly operate Sheri’s Sweet Shoppe and still own the property; and Rick and Wendy Witt, who own a parcel on the upstream side of the Chewuch River Bridge.
The easement agreements are technically with Methow Trails, which has partnered with the town to help develop RiverWalk and has years of experience with negotiating easements for its trail system. The easement agreements will remain with Methow Trails while the town completes its planning and development for RiverWalk, and then be transferred to the town.
Culp, Bourn and Kenny said discussions will continue with property owners downstream from the Chewuch River Bridge, toward the Spring Creek Bridge, for development of Phase II.
Patient conversations
In recent years, the main roadblock to completing the trail has been dealing with concerns raised by the owners of Riverside Avenue property whose parcels would be crossed by the path. Those concerns range from whether the backs of their buildings would have to meet the town’s Westernization requirements, to loss of parking to ongoing maintenance to questioning the need for such a path. The town has not been able to negotiate all the easements it needs to complete the project.
In early 2022, an informal group of volunteers was formed to jumpstart progress on the RiverWalk by engaging property owners who would be affected by the project. At a Town Council meeting, Bourn and Kenny told the council that they were confident their personal efforts to engage with affected property owners on the RiverWalk route could help the town successfully complete it. Bourn and Kenny said they had been talking with individual property owners and received generally positive feedback, but not full commitments.
Last week, after nearly a year of efforts, Bourn said the process of working with property owners has relied on collaboration and communication. “This part of the journey was uplifting, inspiring and hopeful,” she said. “Our love for our town was front and center.”
Culp applauded the low-key but persistent efforts by Bourn and Kenny to hear property owners out and respond to their concerns.
Kenny said that the process requires patience. “Discussing all the details is what took all the conversation,” she said. “We’re not arm-twisting. We want to hear their concerns.” The RiverWalk will enhance visitors’ experiences in Winthrop, she said, and offer an opportunity for more education about the town’s history.
In August 2022, the Winthrop Town Council adopted a “resolution of intent” to “locate, design, fund and construct” the RiverWalk trail.
