Malaga park plans take shape with swimming, boat access, family recreation

MALAGA — A long-sought waterfront park in Malaga is moving toward final design, with plans for swimming, boat launches, playgrounds and trails along the Columbia River.

Chelan County Natural Resources Director Mike Kaputa outlined the project during Commissioner Kevin Overbay’s Oct. 7 fall community meeting, showing residents renderings of a shoreline transformed into a public gathering place.

The presentation describes a park encompassing more than 26 acres, intended to serve a growing community with limited access to parks. The site under consideration lies along the river below KB Alloys, on property the county now owns.

Kaputa said the county has been comparing two potential locations and expects to advance the final site selection and design work this fall.

“I'm expecting that this fall we're going to go all in on the final location and the design, going from where we are now to final design on the waterfront park,” Kaputa said.

He estimated that completing final design would take about a year. He did not announce an opening date.

The plans bring several types of recreation together while separating activities that could conflict. A motorized boat ramp would provide river access for boaters, with a separate hand-launch area and a swimming area.

At the center of the park, a family gathering area would connect playgrounds and beach access. Renderings show picnic shelters, shaded play spaces, parking and paths linking the recreation areas.

“We tried to co-locate some of the uses so we don't have conflicts [between them],” Kaputa said.

The layout would allow members of a family or group to gather in a central area, then reach different parts of the park depending on whether they wanted to swim, launch a boat or use the playground.

Riverfront trails and an interconnected path system would extend through the site, including its wooded areas. Restrooms are also planned.

The presentation emphasizes balancing shoreline protection with recreation access. It calls for native and drought-tolerant plants selected for low water consumption and resilience to heat and wildfire.

The park would also provide opportunities to preserve local history and cultural stories, according to the presentation, which identifies the project as supported by existing county plans, including the Malaga Vision Plan.

For Overbay, the project represents an effort stretching back decades.

“I joined the Malaga-Colockum Community Council in 1999 and I've been working on a riverfront park since 1999,” Overbay said.

Kaputa also credited earlier community efforts, including work by Overbay’s mother and by longtime advocate Herb Gardner, who pursued river access through Chelan County PUD’s Rock Island Dam relicensing process.

The county has taken the lead on land acquisition and design, working with the PUD and the Malaga-Colockum Community Council. Kaputa described the PUD as one of the project’s largest partners.

Funding and management remain part of the work ahead. Kaputa said the county has allocated some economic development funding and is discussing contributions with other partners.

The renderings were prepared as part of a construction grant presentation. Kaputa said that grant appeared promising, but did not announce a confirmed award or amount at the meeting.

Officials are also examining how the park would be operated and maintained.

“So while it looks like we've made a lot of progress on this, there's a lot more work to do,” Kaputa said.

Access improvements could begin before the park itself is built. Kaputa said a Federal Railroad Administration grant will fund crossing arms and lights at West Malaga Road, with work potentially visible next year. Visitors would cross the tracks and follow an access road toward the waterfront site.

Kaputa said he plans to return to the community council’s Nov. 5 meeting with a more detailed presentation.

For a community that has spent decades seeking a place to reach the Columbia, the plans offer a clearer picture of what that river access could become.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media