Friends of the Falls is a registered non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the historic waterfalls and river gorge in downtown Spokane, Washington. One of our main objectives is the completion of an idea originally proposed for Spokane by the Olmsted Brothers in 1908. A "Gorge Park," as the famous landscape architects called it, would benefit Spokane and its regional inhabitants by framing one of the most unique and impressive landscapes found anywhere, especially within an urban context. Nearly 100 years later, such a park - with the historic lower falls as its centerpiece - stands to connect Downtown's Riverfront Park to important and scenic greenbelt areas downstream. Spokane’s falls and gorge present tremendous opportunities to improve the area’s civic identity, its quality of life, and economic future.

"Friends of the Falls is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of Spokane's historic waterfalls and gorge area through education, improved access, and local, state, or national historic designation. Friends of the Falls is a grass-roots, citizen-driven organization, and is not affiliated with any commercial interest."

Since 1997, Friends of the Falls has led community-wide, collaborative efforts to promote the River, Falls and Gorge area as the heart and centerpiece of our city and region. From our successful defense of the Department of Ecology's permit denial for a major bridge over the Lower Falls, to the completion of the 2002 Conceptual Plan for the Gorge - enlisting more than 750 individuals representing two dozen civic, neighborhood and governmental groups - to the State-funded 2004 Strategic Master Plan that sets forth the ideas and means to achieve Spokane's civic goals, Friends of the Falls has led it all. Today, Friends of the Falls is leading work to realize one of the many priority projects envisioned in the Gorge plan: a whitewater kayak park near the new Sandifur Memorial Bridge.

While you're here, take a moment to browse - the information found here provides a great historic and contemporary overview of Spokane's Lower Falls & Gorge. Register to receive periodic e-mailed newsletters, and where available, comment on items posted on this site.

Join Friends of the Falls, and help us preserve Spokane's defining feature!

Member	Officer/Position	Term Ends
Steve Faust	Executive Director	February, 2010
Barb Chamberlain	Chair	February, 2010
Travis Nichols	Vice-Chair	February, 2010
Rick Hastings	Secretary	February, 2010
Terry Novak	Treasurer	February, 2008
Dr. John Moyer	Past Chair	February, 2008
Lori Aluna	Board	February, 2009
John Patrouch	Board	February, 2010
Tom Pratt	Board	February, 2010
Tom Reese	Board	February, 2009
Tim Sanger	Board	February, 2009
Albert Tripp	Board	February, 2009
Jeff Warner	Board	February, 2010
Catherine Brazil	Board	February, 2010