Washington State Parks

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News Release 12-054

Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
1111 Israel Road S.W., P.O. Box 42650, Olympia, WA 98504-2650, (360) 902-8500
Don Hoch, Director

Commission announces co-management agreement with Grant County PUD at The Cove recreation site

OLYMPIA – May 24, 2012 – The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission and the Grant County Public Utility District (PUD) announce a co-management agreement that will allow the opening of a beautiful recreation site near Wanapum Recreational Area, known as The Cove, on Huntzinger Road near Vantage.

The Cove is expected to open May 25. It will be open for public access from 8 a.m. to dusk Thursday through Monday and on holidays. Visitors to the site will be required to display the Discover Pass on their vehicles. Interpretive tours of the co-managed property are available by reservation. For information about the tours, contact Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park at (509) 856-2700.

Under the new co-management agreement, the site will be available for day-use recreation, including picnics and watercraft launching of hand-carried craft. The Cove is known as a serene outdoor retreat on recreation acreage with shaded lawns and calm waters. A bald eagle nesting site is one of the property features, which lies along a protected bay on the Columbia River and Lake Wanapum.

“We are excited to be partnering with the PUD to make this recreation area available to the public,” said Don Hoch, State Parks director. “The new location is just a few miles downriver from Wanapum Recreational Area, and our rangers have the knowledge and skills to oversee the area so we can supplement current operations in the area. Collaborations like this are an excellent way for organizations to work together to provide greater public service during tight budget times.”

In late 2011, the Commission endorsed the concept of a co-operative management agreement in the greater Grant County area, which includes the state-owned Wanapum Recreational Area at Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park and the potential development of a new PUD recreation area at the Vantage Airstrip site. The co-management agreement could extend to include additional agencies and tribes, making the most efficient use of operations resources to provide public access while also protecting resources.

Stay connected to your state parks by following Washington State Parks at www.facebook.com/WashingtonStateParks, www.twitter.com/WaStatePks_NEWS and www.youtube.com/WashingtonStateParks. The Commission manages a diverse system of more than 100 state parks and recreation programs, including long-distance trails, boating safety and winter recreation. The 99-year-old park system will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2013.

Support state parks by purchasing your Discover Pass today, and enjoy a whole year of outdoor fun on Washington’s beautiful state-managed recreation lands. For more information, visit www.discoverpass.wa.gov.

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