WHATCOM COUNTY, Wash. — Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) officials announced the $4,889,260 in grants for Whatcom County projects. Awards went toward building or upgrading the following youth athletic facilities in Whatcom County.
- Metalworks Skate Park in Ferndale ($480,000 grant, $81,850 match)
- The City of Ferndale will use this grant to build a 10,000-square-foot skate park equipped with 2 covered areas with 2 tables each, a quarter-pipe, a jump created by 2 ramps, a “pump bump” and a “bowl” at Pioneer Park
- East Whatcom Regional Resource Center in Peaceful Valley ($350,000 grant, $200,470 match)
- Whatcom County Parks & Recreation Department will use this grant to develop a multiuse sports court for basketball, pickleball, volleyball, and other activities in the East Whatcom Regional Resource Center, located at 8251 Kendall Road
- Chuckanut Bay Rugby Facility in Ferndale ($140,475 grant, $46,825 match)
- Chuckanut Bay Athletic Association will use the grant to improve the entrance, create a parking lot and reseed a field at its 17-acre site located at 7090 Dahlberg Road in Ferndale. The association is in the process of building a 3-field complex, complete with grandstands, locker rooms and amenities for local youth teams.
Other recently announced RCO grant awards in Whatcom County include the following.
- Buying Land for Bakerview Neighborhood Park ($264,127 grant, $602,604 match)
- City of Bellingham will use this grant to buy 27.5 acres about 2 miles north of the city center for a neighborhood park.
- Building a Small Watercraft Launch and Dock in Fairhaven ($500,000 grant, $1.4 million match)
- The Port of Bellingham will use this grant to build a launch and dock next to the Community Boating Center in Fairhaven specifically for human-powered boats
- Improving Water Access along the North Fork Nooksack River ($36,122 grant, $61,550 match)
- The Washington Department of Natural Resources will use this grant to buy and develop land in Deming along the North Fork Nooksack River into a day-use, river access site including a parking lot, trail and pathway to the river