Greetings!
Might we FINALLY emerge from winter's grip? April springs eternal optimism, and hopefully LESS SNOW! Welcome to an area of rebirth in the Wenatchee Valley. A time when we step out of our homes, blurry-eyed, shading our faces from the sun. It's also a time when our area fields become busy with baseball and softball and soccer and when more and more people venture out to explore. Enjoy this month's guide into all things sports in the Wenatchee Valley. |
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Douglas County Gives Go-Ahead on Trail Extension  (East Wenatchee, WA)...By unanimous vote, the Douglas County Commission approved the Rocky Reach Trail Extension March 25th.
In its approval of the State Parks Department request, the Commission found an earlier decision by a hearing examiner regarding the rezone for the 5.1 mile trail extension along the Columbia River through Baker Flats was correct. In addition, the Commission stipulated that the buffer around the trail should be reduced from 100- to 60-feet to lessen the impact on orchards lining the proposed trail.
Backers of the trail extension, including the Complete the Loop Coalition, are pleased with the outcome. Opponents to the trail, including Jack Feil and the Baker Flats Right to Farm Association, say they will take Douglas County to court over the issue.
________Trail Erosion Causes Temporary Closure__________
(Wenatchee, WA)...A portion of the Apple Capital Loop Trail is closed during Spring Break for erosion conrol work, according to the City of Wenatchee.
The portion of the trail near Linden Tree Park (at the foot of 9th Street) will be closed between 7am and 5:30pm for the work, Monday, March 31st through Friday, April 4th. |
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Sportsplex Concept Takes a Huge Step
(East Wenatchee, WA)...Mayor Steve Lacy recently announced a tentative, look-see agreement between the City of East Wenatchee and Waste Management to build a Sportsplex along Grant Road.
In the proposal, Waste Management would give the city $500,000 a year for 25-years to build and maintain an indoor, multi-purpose building and a 25-acre park with five multi-use fields with artificial surface (4 baseball, 1 soccer and 1 practice field).
In a blog on the city's website, Lacy said Waste Management agreed to provide in the monies as a good faith measure for the city signing off on the company's planned expansion of their landfill.
The preliminary estimate for the cost of the project is about $10 million, according to Lacy's blog. After stating the cost, Lacy continued to write that the city "should be able to obtain a bond for this amount secured by the revenue stream provided by Waste Management."
Many details need to be worked out on the plan before it is brought before the East Wenatchee City Council. |
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Have You Geocached Lately?
(Wenatchee, WA)...Have you seen folks scouring the land with GPS units looking for something? Most likely, they are Geocachers. It's a relatively new craze sweeping the land. Geocaching is basically hunting for hidden treasure with latitude and longitude coordinates on a GPS, or Global Positioning Satellite device.
In the Wenatchee and East Wenatchee areas alone, there are over 120 geocache sites.
Usually, a geocache consists of a small, waterproof container that holds a logbook and inexpensive trinkets. Unofficial guidelines to Geocaching say that if you take something from the box, you must put something back in its place.
We have a Geocache site 'somewhere' in the Wenatchee Valley, sponsored by the Wenatchee Valley Visitors Bureau. It's called the "Ice Age Erratics" geocache site. If you find it, be sure to write in the log book who you are, where you're from and what you took and placed in the box.
For more information and to find the geocache sites in the Wenatchee Valley, including ours, go to the Geocaching Website. |
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1st Quarter Sports Impact Numbers (Wenatchee, WA)...Despite weather wreaking havoc on outdoor events to conclude the month of March, the first quarter was a strong one for sports events in the Wenatchee Valley.
Between the first of January and the end of March, 15,091 people were involved in either playing-in, coaching, volunteering for or watching 19 sports events in the Wenatchee Valley. Of course, the majority of those people (5,750) were here February 29-March 2 for Special Olympics Winter Games.
According to the Sports Council's figures, sports tourists in the valley totaled 10,514 people in the first quarter. It is estimated that those people added approximately $1.04-million to the Wenatchee Valley economy through the purchase of food, entertainment and accommodations while here.
For a list of the many events coming our way, log on to the Sports Council's website and click on "Events." |
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Q&A - 5 Questions on Ridge to River & Jr. Ridge And now, a new feature added to the Newsletter this month... Q&A. Each month, five questions will be asked of a special guest or guests about their sports event, facility or league. This month, the topics are Alcoa Ridge to River and the Wenatchee World Jr. Ridge to River. The interview subjects are Brian Ropp, Executive director of the Retired Senior Volunteer Program for North Central Washington (the organizing body of both events) and Event Coordinator Chance Harris.
 
1) Q: Brian, how goes registration for R2R?
A: "Registration for the adult race is on course for 2007 participants. We are right in the ballpark for the same attendance as last year. I've been a little concerned about gas prices keeping people home. The Alcoa R2R typically has a lot of out of towners."
2) Q: Brian, what about registration for the Jr. Race, with it being on-line for the first time?
A: "The Wenatchee World Junior Race is actually up from last year, we are expecting a great turnout. Registrations are up about 30% as of March 30."
3) Q: Brian, what do you tell parents who may be worried about their kids doing the Jr. Race?
A: "We have volunteers placed all over the Junior course. Well over 300 volunteers assist us on race day. There are volunteers in the Lagoon who know what they are doing when it comes to canoeing. Volunteers along the run and Bike course that watch the children at every step. It's the safest environment we can make for our kids."
4) Q: Chance, this being your first time in charge of the race, how's it going?
A: "There are a few things I will do different next year, but for the most part everything is going well."
5) Q: Chance, can you describe this year's finish line at Walla Walla Point Park?
A: "Same place, with more activities, more bands playing, more venders showing gear, and a lot more people! And, it will start sooner, with the ECO Boomers."
For more on the race, go to the Ridge to River website. The adult race is set for April 12th and the Jr. race April 19th. |
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Wenatchee Valley Joins National Association 
The Wenatchee Valley Sports Council is once again members of the National Association of Sports Commissions. Based out of Cincinnati, Ohio, the NASC is a networking organization for sports councils and commissions, convention and visitors bureaus as well as event organizers and owners. Membership in NASC avails the Sports Council access to the potential for bidding on regional and national events to be held in the Wenatchee Valley. Director of Marketing, Eric Granstrom, will be attending the NASC conference in Omaha, Nebraska April 21-25. While there, he'll be attending workshops and seminars on building a better sports council as well as meeting with event owners about the possibility of bringing them to the Wenatchee Valley. | |
If you have any questions or comments about the Wenatchee Valley Sports Council or this newsletter, please give me a call at 509-663-3723 or toll free at 1-800-572-7753. You can also email me at eric@wenatcheevalley.org. |
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Sincerely,
Eric Granstrom
Wenatchee Valley Sports Council
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Tom Knapp in Wenatchee
(photo provided by Benelli USA)
Hall of fame shooting legend Tom Knapp is coming to Wenatchee! You do not have to be a gun enthusiast or hunter to appreciate this world record holder's ability to shoot a shotgun.
Knapp will appear at the Wenatchee Gun Club Saturday, April 5th from 1-3pm, sponsored by Hooked On Toys. The event is free to the public with souvenirs from Mr. Knapp available for purchase and autograph.
Tom Knapp is a shooter for Benelli USAÒ and is the host of TV's Benelli's American BirdhunterÔ and Benelli's American SafariÔ. He holds the record for shooting ten clay pigeons in one throw in 2.2 seconds. That's right, 10 clays with ten individual shots in 2.2 seconds! You have to see it to believe it!
The Wenatchee Gun Club is located on the North end of the Baker Flats Industrial Park at 3112 B Highway 97. |
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Board of Directors
Pres. - Caryl Morrell
VP - Sally Brawley
Sec. - Bruce Bennett
Erik Bakke
BJ Kuntz
Dan Kelly
Mark Madland
Ken Osburne
Scott Paton
Trina Sanders
Bob Rust
Dan White
Director of Marketing - Eric Granstrom |
4-6 - Century 21 Spring Break Blast Baseball Tournament
6 - Final day of skiing at Mission Ridge. Fat Happy will play at midway.
18-20 - AVWSA Women's Softball Kickoff Tournament
19 - MS Walk at Confluence State Park
24-28 - Northwest Crank, daily bike rides from 50-150-miles beginning in East Wenatchee.
26 - WVSO's Opening Night of Racing.
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Trail Maps Available
(graphics by Cascade Graphics)
Wenatchee Valley Trips & Trails A Field Guid to the Wenatchee Area is available free of charge at our offices. Write:
Trips & Trails Guide
25 N. Wenatchee Ave.
Suite C-111
Wenatchee, WA 98801
Or email your request to:
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Wanna Join Us?
The Wenatchee Valley Sports Council Board of Directors meet the second Tuesday of every month at the Wenatchee Roaster and Ale House at Noon.
All meetings are open to the public. For an agenda or to make a presentation, contact Sports Council Director of Marketing Eric Granstrom at 509-663-3723 or via email at sports@wenatcheevalley.org
Written requests for meeting minutes can be made to:
Wenatchee Valley Sports Council
25 N. Wenatchee Ave.
Suite C-111
Wenatchee, WA 98801 | |
