Big thanks to Ben Briggs - commissioner, president, and the longest-serving member of the White Salmon Valley Pool Metropolitan Park District.

Ben is taking a step back to focus on his family for a bit and so has retired from the District.

Ben is committed to continuing to help the pool effort in a volunteer capacity moving forward so you’ll still be seeing him pop up to help with the effort!

A message from Ben below:

Hello,

I wanted to provide an update on the White Salmon Valley Pool Metro Park District pool replacement project and my status as a commissioner.

My work on the pool project began with Friends of the White Salmon Pool’s efforts to pass Proposition 1 in the 2018 election. Since its creation, the WSVPMPD Commission established the parks district, secured a site for the pool, completed a pool design, and continues to develop a path toward funding the construction of the pool. The MPD Commissioners have consistently found ways to keep this project moving forward in the face of major challenges. I’m extremely proud of their persistence and ingenuity.

New State of Washington building codes went into effect in March 2024. The changes have the potential to add an estimated $1 million dollars to the current $7 million price tag for construction of the pool. The MPD was able to quickly adopt a phased construction plan and submit for permitting to Klickitat County before the building code changes went into effect. The park district will need to hit specific fundraising goals and stay on track with the permitting process to avoid the additional $1 million in construction costs from the new codes. The current plan includes site preparation in 2025 and pool construction completed in 2026. 

The MPD Commissioners will be submitting multiple RCO grant applications in the coming months and will be going back to the Washington State Legislature for funding in the 2025 budget. There is potential for a large infusion of funding into the project and it could not come at a more critical time.

My family has also faced major challenges over the last year. After careful consideration, it became apparent that I must step down from my position on the WSVPMPD Commission. My resignation was effective 4/26/24. It pains me to step away at such an important juncture. I truly enjoyed working on this project and can not find words to express my appreciation for the time and energy my fellow Commissioners have invested. 

The residents of White Salmon Valley have never been closer to swimming in our new pool. Please continue to support the MPD commissioners in whatever way you can. You can start by helping recruit quality applicants for WSVPMPD Commissioner Position #1. The application will be posted on the website, www.whitesalmonvalleypool.org, and be due by July, 8th. Any questions about the position or the pool project can be sent to hello@whitesalmonvalleypool.org.

Thank you for your support of the project over the last six years.

Sincerely,

Benjamin Briggs