Lyons Ferry Park’s Future In Question

STARBUCK - Less than a month after Ski Bluewood was rescued for local winter recreation, a much-beloved summer spot in the area appears to be in jeopardy.

During the past several weeks, the operator and lease holders of Lyons Ferry Park on the Snake River have all given notice to terminate their respective agreements, saying they can no longer afford to subsidize the moneylosing facility.

The Lyons Ferry Marina is financially sound and is not affected by the change.

"My heart is broken," said Jennie Dickinson, director of the Port of Columbia, which holds the lease for the 175-acre park from the U.S. Corps of Engineers together with the Port of Kahlotus. "I grew up going to that park. But no one around me wants to continue trying. There isn't a business case for it."

The future of Lyons Ferry Park began to unravel when P.M. Farmjam LLC., the private-sector company that also manages the port-owned Lyons Ferry Marina and the Last Resort facility on the Tucannon, gave Dickinson formal notice to terminate their lease agreement.

Dickinson, who had hoped to find a way to make an investment in the Lyons Ferry Park's campground facilities so it could generate more revenues, was surprised by the company's decision but understood the financial burden it was under despite the two ports' subsidies.

Lyons Ferry Park cost about $58,000 to operate this year but only brought in $15,000. Even with the ports' subsidies, P.M. Farmjam lost about $17,000, she said.

"There are so many people who want to see the park open, but we'd be out of business," said Jim MacArthur, co-owner of P.M. Farmjam and manager of the Lyons Ferry Marina. "It was a hard decision to make. We busted our butts the last two years, but we just couldn't make it happen."

It's unclear what will happen next.

The Port of Columbia's lease agreement with the Corps requires a one-year notice, and the port is committed to operating the park for another year unless they can get a waiver from the federal agency.

"The money is already in our budget," Dickinson said.

If the port does obtain a waiver, the lease can terminate sooner, and it will be up to the Corps to decide the facility's future. Corps officials could not be reached for comment in time for the publication of this story.

More than 1,000 cars paid the $5 day-use fee, and the operator sold 570 camping nights this summer. The boat launch was used 371 times. It was the first time in recent years that statistics were kept, so it's unclear if the numbers represent an increase or decrease, though Dickinson said a cold May probably dampened attendance this year.

Although the park is physically located in Franklin County, Dickinson said the majority of users are probably from Columbia County.

MacArthur said he employed a staff of three to keep the park in shape for five months, costing his company about $5,000 a month.

"It requires a huge amount of labor," he said about a facility which Dickinson described as essentially "a giant lawn."

The park, which has a swimming beach, boat launch, picnic areas and camp sites, has no power, water or sewer hookups for RVs, making it unattractive for better-paying travelers to stay there. So unless a major investment is made in its recreational infrastructure, it's not a viable business for anyone to run, MacArthur said.

"The park in its present state is a black hole that will do nothing but suck money," he said. "No private company has ever been able to operate the park successfully."

For three decades prior to a major budget crunch earlier this decade, the state owned and operated the park. It released its interest in the facility along with three other eastern Washington parks: Central Ferry, Crow Butte and Chief Timothy.

In contrast to Lyons Ferry Park, Lyons Ferry Marina has been a success story, Dickinson said. But it has facilities that generate more revenues: 84 slips, 18 full RV hookups, tent sites, a restaurant and shop, and a marine fueling station, she said.

Port of Columbia officials knew it would be hard to turn the Lyons Ferry Park around, but Dickinson held out hope that they'd find ways to make the infrastructure improvements leading to ultimate viability.

At a recent meeting of the port commission, commissioners told her they had no interest in prolonging the life of the lease without the continued involvement of a private-sector operator.

"We all knew it was going to be a real struggle to keep the park open," when the MacArthurs signed up to run the facility, she said.

"They told me, 'No more, it's time to let it go,'" she said.