A new master plan for Mt. Spokane State Park will likely mean an iconic building would be torn down.
The Washington state Parks Department is nearing the end of a public process that will lead to a decision about how the park will be managed for the next 20 years. That includes the Mt. Spokane ski and snowboard resort, the park’s trail system, conservation areas within its borders and public amenities, such as parking.
The plan will also determine the future of the 1940s-era Bear Creek Lodge. The state purchased the building and 110 acres from the previous operator two years ago.
Three options are under consideration. Paul Knowles, the parks agency’s program manager, says two call for the removal of the lodge.
“It’s extremely expensive right now to maintain and operate because of that large footprint. There are utilities including the water system and sewer system that are not up to the standard that we would need to operate as a public facility,” he said.
One option would remove the lodge with no replacement. One would raze it and replace it with a modern visitor center. Knowles says that’s the preferred option.
A third alternative calls for the lodge to be renovated with the state using part of the building as a visitor center, and the rest for something else, perhaps leased to a private or public entity. That’s the most expensive option with a cost estimate ranging from $4-6 million. The cost to demolish the lodge and replace it with a modern visitor center is estimated at $3-4 million.
Knowles says two public meetings and an online survey showed about equal support in saving the building and tearing it down.
A final public meeting to accept public input was held this week. You can still give feedback on the Washington State Parks website. A final decision is expected in coming months.
