Future Peshastin Community Park Likely Won’t Be Destination Spot

Plans for a community park in Peshastin are becoming more clear since there's been an analysis of information collected in a workshop. 

A gathering late last month at Peshastin Memorial Hall featured six display boards around which attendees were asked to give their thoughts and ideas. 

Chelan County Commissioner Shon Smith says it was striking to find out what people in Peshastin don't want. 

"That community does not want ball fields, does not want basketball, does not want pickleball," said Smith. "They do not want increased traffic down there. They want to keep it quaint. They want to keep it small. They want to keep it natural." 

Consulting firm SCJ Alliance of Wenatchee will make a final presentation on plans for the community park at an upcoming meeting with the Peshastin Community Council. 

Those plans will be shared with Chelan County, which will have financial involvement in the creation of the Peshastin park, as the community is an unincorporated area within the county.  

The Chelan County Department of Natural Resources will issue a report on those findings.  

According to Smith, the plans will likely include improved walking trails that would be ADA accessible, a dog park, and increased development of cross-country ski trails, which are already maintained by the Leavenworth Outdoor Center.  

The community park will be located on a 65-acre site near Peshastin, which was formerly occupied by a lumber mill. The land is being offered for public use by owner Bill Goebels. 

The Natural Resources Department and the Peshastin Community Council rolled back plans for a more elaborate community park even before the recent workshop after public concerns were raised that it would lead to overcrowding in the area. 

There's been concern about traffic, and overflow from close by Leavenworth, which is a major tourist destination. 

The Washington Department of Natural Resources secured a $35,000 grant from the state's Recreation & Conservation Office to help fund a feasibility study for a park. 

Smith says the Peshastin Community Council was probably holding out hope for a bigger-scale park. 

"I think there were some deflated members of the council up there that really wanted to see a big wow go on," Smith said. "But the community that showed up for the survey said, 'Ya we'd like to keep it small, we'd like to keep it quaint.'" 

Chelan County will take the next steps on the park once a finalized plan is presented.