Downtown Chelan Streat-eries: Community Effort

Streat-eries are lined up in downtown Chelan, thanks to an all hands on deck approach between the Historic Downtown Chelan Association, the city of Chelan, Lake Chelan Rotary and a handful of local businesses.

In June, the city passed a modified special event permit to allow city owned property to be used for retailers and restaurants to expand onto the sidewalk, signage and extended use of parking stalls to increase capacity for businesses.

"In order to use those two (parking stalls) in front of the business, they needed to have a raised platform," said Erin McCardle, HDCA executive director. "Just so they stayed safe in between all the other parking stalls."

The cost tacked onto the platforms was above what the businesses, that had been shuttered for months, had the ability to afford. In August, funding between the city, Lake Chelan Chamber of Commerce, Lake Chelan Rotary and HDCA went toward a pilot streat-erie program to test the waters.

"We had some volunteers from the rotary build the bases and we got those up within a week of getting funding," said McCardle. "They've been up for three weeks and they're fantastic. We've had nothing but positive comments about having these downtown and can we have more."

The Lakeview Drive-In, Lake Chelan Building Supply and Succession Wines and Siren Song Wines also contributed to the streat-eries project.