Around the area, June 30, 2009

FELIDA — A vacant Felida lot once named as the site of a 33-house subdivision will instead become a community park, Clark County announced Monday.

The 10-acre property at 11515 N.W. 16th Ave. had been acquired in December by Umpqua Bank. The county bought it at auction for $990,000 using money from the park impact fees paid by home builders.

In early 2008, the land had been appraised at a value of just over $1 million.

The county now plans to use the land as a community park and trail head for a 7-mile expansion of Cougar Creek Trail south to Hazel Dell Avenue.

The Cougar Creek Trail runs between Northwest 119th Street and the Salmon Creek Greenway Trail.

Anyone who has more land to sell the county can contact Vancouver-Clark Parks and Recreation planner Jeroen Kok at 360-619-1116.

MAPLE TREE — An undeveloped park near the Club Green Meadows golf course will be the subject of a neighborhood meeting next week.

Improvements to Covington Neighborhood Park in the Maple Tree neighborhood are tentatively scheduled for 2010.

The meeting is 7 p.m. July 7 at the Covington Commons Apartments community building, 9703 N.E. Covington Road.

The 4-acre park is at 6916 N.E. 94th Ave., on the south side of 71st Street.

The county is looking for advice from neighbors on how the park should be developed.

Comments will also be taken on the project's Web site, www.clarkparks.org/projects/covington.htm, from July 8-15.

For more information, call 360-619-1121 or write elizabeth.jordan@cityofvancouver.us.

MOUNT ST. HELENS — The U.S. Forest Service is looking for volunteers willing to help repair trails in the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument.

The Forest Service is working with the Mount St. Helens Institute, Washington Trails Association, Northwest Service Academy, Backcountry Horsemen, Northwest Trails Alliance and Mountain Bike Mutts.

Volunteers are needed for two events in July:

• July 18-19: Repair hiking and mountain biking trails in the Butte Camp area on the south side of the volcano. Details and registration available at www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/volunteering/documents/ButteCamp.pdf.
• July 25 through Aug. 2: Repair trails in the Mount Margaret backcountry north of Mount St. Helens.