May 2020 Outdoor Rec Hotlist and Planning + Grant Opportunities

By Jon Snyder, Senior Policy Advisor to Gov. Jay Inslee

CORONAVIRUS resources:

• Overall reopening plan (outdoor rec included in grid graphic):
• New risk dashboard with 5 dials
• Detailed outdoor recreation guidelines for Phase 1 reopening
• Information on COVID19 from DOH available in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Punjabi, Russina, Somali, Spanish, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese

All the latest updates: https://coronavirus.wa.gov/

May HOTLIST

1. State Outdoor Recreation Opening

   1. State recreation lands to reopen May 5 – local day-use only

   2. Anglers hit the water as fishing opens

   3. Olympic National Park to begin phased-in reopening next week

   4. Local officials: Reopening should be taken slowly

   5. Some recreation will be allowed to reopen May 5th

   6. Crawford State Park and Gardner Cave remain closed among 31 others

   7. When will we reach next phase of reopening? Great question.

   8. WA moves to reopen: Not so much here

2. As Washington state slowly reopens, dark clouds hover over budget

3. Social distancing and the outdoors:

   1. The danger of ending social distancing too early

   2. Social distancing survival guide

   3. Why Tri-Cities is doing worse on social distancing. Warm weather doesn’t help

   4. Ideas Roll in for Combating "Dangerous Crowding" on Seattle's Trails and Sidewalks

   5. Sunny holiday weekend causes concerns (link not available)

4. Concerns about too much travel to rural areas:

   1. Olympic National Park closes beaches, coastal areas

   2. Fear and apprehension in Pacific County

   3. Dingler tells possible visitors, ‘Now is not the time’

   4. Fleeing Seattle affluent urbanites head to vacation homes worrying some year-rounders

5. Bicycling Booms During Lockdown—But There's A Warning From History
    

WA outdoor business news:

• Eddyline Kayaks contributes to Skagit Face Shield Donation Project
• Outdoor brands fighting the coronavirus
• With Survival At Stake, Small Business Owners Frustrated By Aid Delays
• Mukilteo company creates portable handwashing station
• Pandemic puts pause on new REI store
• Wells Fargo is again urging small business customers to consider other banks for SBA relief loans
• How Will You Embrace The Great Coronavirus Retail Reset?
• Parks in Tacoma struggle to fully reopen due to ‘millions’ in lost revenue amid COVID-19
• Steven’s Pass will credit customers for unused ski passes

Governor news:

• Inslee introduces grants to aid small businesses hit by economic decline
• Inslee rejects lawmakers call the reopen fishing

Hunting and Fishing news:

• Washington anglers protest coronavirus fishing closure (link not available)
• ‘God-given right to fish!’ Tri-City risks more than public health
• Trump to open more wildlife refuges to hunting and fishing
• On the front lines with fish and wildlife police.

Trails:

• Closing trails during pandemic, without opening streets, is misguided and inequitable
• Mayor announces first 20 miles of street closures will be permanent; also, expanding this weekend to include north end of Beach Drive.  West Seattle Blog

Additional news:

• Whitewater Paddling in a pandemic: keep it local
• Idaho State parks see waves of WA visitors
•  Public meetings on the dams end successfully after digital pivot
• Bellingham purchases 29 acres for northern park, trails as part of Greenway program
• April free state park days postponed
• COVID-19 Cuts Car Crashes — But What About Crash Rates?
• Clark County has 7,000 sidewalk deficiencies to address to comply with ADA.
• Preliminary vote shows Thurston County Commissioners oppose Rocky Prairie rezone (near Millersylvania SP)
• Navy submits plans to monitor jet noise in Washington state
• The War on Cars Has a New Ally: Dr. Phil
• Hey governor, will COVID-19 cancel Water Follies? Can you help us plan?
• City of Federal Way cancels summertime events due to COVID-19
• Legislators should fix snowmobile glitch
• Spokane area state parks without being overwhelmed
• The world is on lockdown. So where are all the carbon emissions coming from?
• Vandalism at climbing rocks in Spokane County quickly scrubbed
• Bird watching soars amid Covid-19 as Americans head outdoors
• A new appreciation for public spaces
• Skagit festival can draw 400K tourists. This year? Nearly 0.

Planning:

None this month.

Grants:

• RCO extends grant deadlines to June 1st
• RCO coronavirus updates: grant match reduction

LATEST COVID-19 UPDATES & RESOURCES: https://coronavirus.wa.gov/  

Jon Snyder
Outdoor recreation and Economic Development
Senior Policy Advisor to Gov. Jay Inslee
Office: 360-902-0488   Mobile: 360-584-3804
jon.snyder@gov.wa.gov