East Wenatchee, Washington
Project Description
The City of East Wenatchee Washington is located along the Columbia River in Central Washington. In the early 1900s, non-indigenous settlers planted apple, cherry, apricot, pear and other orchards, which thrived in the cool, dry climate, and with irrigation from the river. The City had not created a new park in nearly sixty years and its growing population would benefit from more open space and spaces for outdoor recreation and play.
The Trust for Public Land (TPL) is a national national nonprofit whose mission is to conserve land for parks, gardens and other natural places. TPL used GIS mapping and interviews with residents and partners to identify a non-operational cherry orchard as the ideal location for a park. The orchard was active from the 1930s until 2008, and all structures and the trees had previously been removed. The site bordered the Columbia Valley Community Health primary care facility and a third of the City’s residents lived within a 10 minute walk, making it easily accessible. At 2.2 acres, the cherry orchard was large enough to create a lovely space for East Wenatchee. The Trust for Public Land determined that the park would serve more than 3,000 residents including 750 children.
The Trust for Public Land purchased the site in 2018 and began their due diligence. TPL conducted environmental site assessments as part of their All Appropriate Inquiries, or AAI. During the environmental site assessment, it was found that the site had higher than allowed levels of arsenic and other chemicals in the soil left behind from decades of pesticide use. TPL’s environmental consultant, Maul Foster & Alongi, recommended the Center for Creative Land Recycling (CCLR) to provide technical assistance in pursuing an EPA Brownfields grant to remediate the site.
CCLR assisted TPL in preparing a $500,000 EPA cleanup grant in 2018. The grant was awarded in June 2019 and remediation began soon after. Once remediated, the park development was able to move forward. In March 2022, TPL officially transferred the completed park to the Eastmont Metropolitan Park District, conveying it permanently into the public domain as open space for the enjoyment and benefit of East Wenatchee residents.
“Trust for Public Land is proud to partner with the East Wenatchee community to deliver Cherryhill park. It is important fast growing communities like East Wenatchee take steps now to preserve land and create parks for future generations. Contamination due to historic pesticide use is a widespread issue in Central Washington.” Said Andrew McConnico, Northwest Project Manager for the Trust for Public Land, “We are thankful to the EPA for providing funding through the brownfields program. We hope more municipalities and agencies see the EPA brownfields program as not just an opportunity for remediation, but an opportunity to create parks and open space.”
Project Details
Total Area: 2.2 acres
Previous uses: Cherry Orchard
Current uses: Park
Benefits: Serving 3,000 residents including 750 children with clean open space for exercise and recreation
Financing: The Land and Water Conservation Fund, the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program, Columbia Valley Community Health, Icicle Fund, North Central Washington Community Foundation, the Environmental Protection Agency, and dozens of private supporters.
Services provided: Grant assistance
Project Impact
Photo Gallery
Partner Organizations
The Trust for Public Land (TPL) creates parks and protects public land. TPL was the lead organization on the Cherryhill Park project.
EPA provided several grants to assist in the assessment and cleanup of Emeryville brownfields.
Maul Foster & Alongi provides environmental consulting, environmental engineering, planning and community development, GIS analysis, and health & safety.
By completing an AAI before taking ownership of property, you are eligible for liability protections under CERCLA as a Bona Fide Prospective Purchaser (BFPP). This is a requirement for safe harbor under CERCLA, allowing landowners to access federal grants to assist with assessment and cleanup efforts, and not being held liable for what happened on the site before you took possession. State liability rules may vary
Brownfields exist in rural areas as well as urban. Rural sites that can be brownfields include: out-of-service village tank farms, burned structures, old buildings that may include lead and asbestos, equipment storage and repair facilities, pesticide storage sites, farms, and uncontrolled dumping sites.
Below are a few of the key brownfields contacts for Washington. If you are unsure who to reach out to or are looking for a more local contact, CCLR may be able to assist you. Please don’t hesitate to contact us!
