Port seeks congressional aid in securing Lake Chelan waterfront property

The Chelan-Douglas Port Authority has received written support from the Chelan County Commissioners for congressional financial assistance for the Port's proposal to purchase Lake Chelan waterfront property within the City of Chelan.

Chelan County Economic Services Director Ron Cridlebaugh brought the Port interest in federal community project funding before the county commissioners on Monday, saying it was a request "to secure public access to the lake to be able to continue to have public access to Stehekin."

"The Port is in the very early stages of a land acquisition opportunity," wrote Port CEO Jim Kuntz.

The commissioners in support of the Port concept wrote letters to Senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray saying any federal financial aid would allow the Regional Port to acquire waterfront property along with a dock within the City of Chelan to preserve a critical transportation access corridor for the community of Stehekin.

"There's not really a Lake Chelan Port, not in the sense of a entity but just a facility for a public port up there, so I'm really excited about this," said commissioner Brad Hawkins. "A short term emergency solution while we have those emergency needs up there (in Stehekin)."

"The property and dock are currently in private ownership and will soon be placed on the market to be sold," the commissioners wrote in their letters. "This could jeopardize access to Stehekin."

"If the Regional Port was able to acquire this property, it would preserve the existing dock used by the Lady of the Lake. It also opens the opportunity for a public barge loading/offloading facility and a public dock for seaplane operations," the commissioners said. "There is also interest in building a North Cascades National Park Visitors Center on the property at some point in the future."