One (of many) initiatives Friends of the Falls has been working on over the past few months concerns care and access issues along the entire stretch of the Spokane River - a proposed river-oriented “greenway district” functioning much like downtown and public facilities districts do statewide.

Efforts to fund research on such a proposal are ongoing, and Executive Director Steve Faust has been busy making presentations to numerous groups and organizations on the concept, including what State law allows and how it might be applied to the Spokane. It’s an exciting concept, and feel free to with Steve if you’d like to know more.

But first, check out Steve’s article on the idea, presented in this month’s Out There Monthly. Follow the link below to the OTM website below; we’ll add a hard-copy link to the content at the end of the month.

As Steve argues in the article, the experience of our river doesn’t end or begin at City lines. It’s a regional asset, and deserves a regional approach to access, maintenance and facilities planning. “By not addressing these challenges as a region,” Steve writes, “We’re missing a fabulous opportunity. It’s time to consider a new approach.”

“Modest Proposal” article (Weblink, Out There Monthly)

Bloomsday’s not far off - at least given the long winter, we’d like to imagine it so - but jogging along the river can be tough, what with all the ice and compact snow still covering most of the Centennial Trail.

That’s why it was such a pleasure to encounter someone removing the ice layer from a particularly steep portion of the trail the other day.

Meet Scott, a guy with a hip disability preventing him from even being able to stand (he gets around on a three-wheeled bicycle) who, in the interest of other trail users, was patiently chipping out a path between Summit Boulevard and the Sandifur Bridge. Ruby, his doberman companion, is just visible in the picture, too.

It was a great thing to see, and we hope, to share. Scott wasn’t out for thanks, but we offered ours, and hope if you see or know of others that work for the common good of Spokane, you’ll do the same.

Or even better, join in.

Dark clouds threatened, but a record number - more than 800 volunteers - turned out for this year’s Spokane River Clean-Up.

Happily, the rain stayed away - enabling folks to stay (mostly) dry while cleaning the Spokane River shoreline ranging from the Spokane River Gorge, the Iron Bridge area from Northern Lights Brewery to Avista’s headquarters on Mission, and a stretch between the Bowl & Pitcher and the downriver disc golf course. As in years past, folks from Northwest Whitewater Association (NWA) - and this year, joined by FLOW Adventures - helped clean near-shore and riverbed areas.

Did this year’s turnout and quantities of trash surpass last year’s effort? You bet! Figures released by the City show that 12,020 pounds - that’s more than six tons - of garbage was collected. On top of that, 4,101 pounds of trash is now on its way to Earthworks Recycling. So what’s the total take? Eight tons of garbage cleared from our river shorelines!

The “most interesting trash” competition was judged by local artist and garbologist Gabriel Brown, covering four categories - useful/valuable, beautiful/pretty, sad/creepy, and humorous/entertaining. The grand prize, a float for four people by NWA, went to a rusted Studebaker door hauled in by Brett, Kristen and Jasper Danielson.

Thanks to all 36 of our team leaders, on-site medics and incident commanders, steering committee, and numerous event partners. Thanks too, to our fantastic cleanup sponsors, including Wheelabrator Spokane, Waste Management, Washington Trust Bank, and Avista Utilities.

Check out the snapshots of this year’s event below - thanks and credits to Steve Dawson of the Spokane Camera Club. Plus, we’ve added links to some great media follow-up and on-line coverage of the event.

Already thinking waaaay ahead? It’s not too soon to mark your calendar for next year’s seventh annual Spokane River Clean-Up - (tentatively) set for Saturday, October 3rd, 2009!

“Shallow Cogitations” post (weblink)
Down to Earth post (weblink)
Out There Monthly post (weblink)
2008 Clean-Up Snapshots (Flash™ gallery)

As the design and permitting phase of Spokane’s proposed whitewater park continues to progress, one step involves hosting “open-house” style meetings to give folks an opportunity to see the work first-hand - and to give FOF and its design consultants feedback.

Just such an event is coming up soon: Spokane Parks, acting as lead in this case, is hosting a public meeting on the whitewater park on Thursday, August 14 at the West Central Community Center from 6:00 to 7:30 pm. Per State requirements, the Department recently sent notice by mail to those who live near the project area, and has posted notice in “People’s Park” near the Sandifur Bridge.

Again, the purpose of the meeting is to receive comments and input from the community on the preliminary design of the feature, and will serve as the initial public meeting for the project’s conditional use permit application under State shoreline regulations.

Please help us out by attending this important meeting, and by letting anyone who wishes to express their support for and/or concerns about the project know about it, too!