Chelan County signs property purchase agreement for new riverfront park

The Chelan County Board of County Commissioners has signed a purchase and sale agreement to acquire 27.51 acres of property in Malaga that may be used for a future riverfront park.

When executed, the property will be purchased for just over $2 million from KB Alloys Inc. Commissioners signed a purchase and sale agreement at a recent regular board meeting.

“The agreement is a major step forward in bringing a Malaga Community waterfront park to fruition,” said Commissioner Kevin Overbay, who represents the Malaga area. “With the park’s design now at 30 percent completion and most of the property purchased, we are on track to begin construction in a couple of years.”

The county has already purchased approximately 16 acres near the KB Alloys property location. This recent acquisition will be paid for with existing revenues from the sales-and-use tax for public facilities in rural counties, also called the Rural Counties Tax.

With the signing of the agreement, the county will now move forward with an environmental review and a cultural resources assessment of the parcels.

“A previous study showed that most people in Malaga live up to 15 miles from a community park,” Overbay said. “When complete, the park will provide water access for motorized and non-motorized boating and swimming, a playground, walking trail and plenty of green space for residents to enjoy.”

The park is a project of Chelan County, Chelan County PUD and the Malaga-Colockum Community Council.