Malaga Park Expansion Plans Taking Shape

Chelan County's plans to expand and upgrade Malaga Community Park continue to take shape.

The County, in partnership with the Chelan County Public Utility District (PUD) and the Malaga Community Council, is looking to increase the footprint of its current park space to 20 acres, including a half-mile of riverfront.

Chelan County Commissioner, Kevin Overbay, says three phases of the project's pre-construction plans have already been completed.

"The commissioners just approved a contract with Pacific Engineering to provide a thirty-percent design phase for the site. What that will include is a site plan - a hard plan for thirty-percent design phase for both a boat launch and non-motorized boat launch area, as well as a swim area, a waterfront trail, and restroom facilities."

The first two phases of the project included comprehensive community outreach with stakeholder engagement, as well as the hiring of a design team to identify site-specific characteristics.

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Overbay says the County still needs to acquire some of the land needed to complete the project.

"Currently, the County owns at least one-third of the property that's needed for this. We are in the process of purchasing the other two-thirds of the property that's needed and we've already entered into some purchase-and-sale agreements for that. The PUD is also utilizing their early investment credits towards the Rock Island Relicensing Project as a part of their partnership with us on this."

Much of what remains to be purchased is right-of-way property located between the Burlington Northern Santé Fe rail line and the Malaga-Alcoa Highway.

Overbay says the County hopes to break ground on the project sometime in 2026.

The park was identified for expansion as part of the County's Shoreline Master Program.

The current park was purchased in 2004 by the Malaga-Colockum Community Council and is maintained using limited resources and equipment.