June Silver Anniversary Celebrated
Each new year brings a look back at the past year’s trials and blessings we’ve received from others. But too often we overlook the blessings we have—and can—bring to others as Skips as well!
Evergreen Coho SKP Park enjoyed a gala Silver Anniversary celebration in June, 2015, with a renewed appreciation for what every member has brought to the community we know as Escapees and Evergreen Coho SKP Park over its first 25 years. And with a renewed desire to continue that legacy.
Evergreen Coho SKP Park enjoyed a gala Silver Anniversary celebration in June, 2015, with a renewed appreciation for what every member has brought to the community we know as Escapees and Evergreen Coho SKP Park over its first 25 years. And with a renewed desire to continue that legacy.
How We Created Evergreen Coho SKP Park
The process to create this co-op SKP park began years before the groundbreaking for our clubhouse. In early 1985, the newly formed Evergreen Chapter of the Escapees explored creating a co-op park in the Pacific Northwest. They choose the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state for numerous reasons. The eastern half of the peninsula is temperate in climate as we benefit from a “rain shadow” effect, meaning the Olympic Mountains that make up the backbone of the peninsula protects the land on the east side from rain clouds. Temperatures are mild, with rain averaging only 19 inches a year. It is an outdoor delight—great for hunting, hiking, boating, fishing, biking, even skiing. And yet it is close enough by road or ferry to numerous “city” activities as well.
As it looked in the beginning.
|
Arial view as it looks today.
|
But the road to a co-op park was strewn with obstacles in finding an appropriate piece of property, wrangling through sales contracts, and obtaining legal sanctions. Three years later, 43 acres in Chimacum, Washington were secured and ready to go—or so we thought! Then came permits, public hearings, and impact statements. Thanks to diligent and persistent volunteers we survived that early process.
Finally, in the fall of 1988, eleven rigs of brave souls, all in their 60’s to 80’s, were ready to dry camp and winter over on the property while they began clearing the thickly wooded land. These became called the Lonesome Eleven who carved out our park for decades to come for members and visitors alike. In March more workers arrived to help put in water lines and lay out the wiring that arrived by the truckload. A band of women scoured the property for “Chimacum potatoes” which was what they called the rocks that littered the ground after the trees and underbrush were cleared or burned off. (We expect to see one of these when we dig up our Time Capsule during our Anniversary Celebration in 2015.) By mid August, 1989 a panorama picture shows the park is taking shape.
Finally, in the fall of 1988, eleven rigs of brave souls, all in their 60’s to 80’s, were ready to dry camp and winter over on the property while they began clearing the thickly wooded land. These became called the Lonesome Eleven who carved out our park for decades to come for members and visitors alike. In March more workers arrived to help put in water lines and lay out the wiring that arrived by the truckload. A band of women scoured the property for “Chimacum potatoes” which was what they called the rocks that littered the ground after the trees and underbrush were cleared or burned off. (We expect to see one of these when we dig up our Time Capsule during our Anniversary Celebration in 2015.) By mid August, 1989 a panorama picture shows the park is taking shape.
|
|
We had plans drawn up for our 8,000 square foot clubhouse, with seating for up to 400, as well as plans for other buildings. In the meantime, planning meetings were held outside under the trees of what would become our center park. Finally, on October 9th, 1989, the clubhouse groundbreaking ceremony event was attended by members, local politicians, law enforcement and the media. The very next day, backhoe digging for the footings of the new clubhouse began. On New Year’s Day, 1990, members celebrated that all the walls were up with roof supports rising high in the air.
The next milestone came on June 7, 1990 when the county gave approval for the members to occupy their own lots and a couple of weeks later, on June 22, temporary use of the clubhouse was also okayed by the county. Tired but happy members celebrated with a luau that day.
Twenty-five years later we have a beautiful clubhouse that seats 400 ready that kicked off our Silver Anniversary Year Celebration.
Call 360-385-6538 for reservations to experience for yourself the special RV park that we call "home"!
The next milestone came on June 7, 1990 when the county gave approval for the members to occupy their own lots and a couple of weeks later, on June 22, temporary use of the clubhouse was also okayed by the county. Tired but happy members celebrated with a luau that day.
Twenty-five years later we have a beautiful clubhouse that seats 400 ready that kicked off our Silver Anniversary Year Celebration.
Call 360-385-6538 for reservations to experience for yourself the special RV park that we call "home"!