Iconic Thurston County park gets major funding for trails, bridges and safety
A Tumwater foundation received a grant aimed at conserving and stewarding land, this time aimed at restoring Brewery Park at Tumwater Falls.
According to a Feb. 5 news release from the Olympia Tumwater Foundation, $300,000 has been granted from the Angela J. Bowen Conservancy Foundation to restore trails and bridges in the park.
The park is privately owned and stewarded by OTF, according to the release, and the foundation relies on community and philanthropic support to remain open and accessible to the public.
“The grant will fund priority projects focused on protecting natural resources, enhancing visitor safety and accessibility, and preserving the ecological integrity of the falls,” according to the release.
The grant money will help the foundation repair trails and bridges, as well as conduct safety improvements and control invasive species.
OTF Executive Director Todd Cutts said in the release that many people are surprised to learn that the park is privately owned.
“Its continued availability to the public depends on stewardship and community investment,” he said in the release. “The grant from the Bowen Conservancy Foundation affirms a shared belief in conserving special places that connect people to nature and history.”
The OTF was founded in 1950 and has direct connections to the Schmidt family, who founded the Olympia Brewing Company. The original brewhouse sits at the bottom of Tumwater Falls, while the 1934 campus that closed in 2003 is uphill across from the park.
The Angela J. Bowen Conservancy Foundation is a private foundation that was started by Angela J. Bowen, a prominent medical figure who valued land conservation and habitat protection. According to the release, Bowen served on the OTF executive committee from 2008 to 2014, and the foundation donated generously to the improvement projects at the Tumwater park.
According to previous reporting from The Olympian, the foundation recently committed $1 million toward the purchase of 300 acres of property for sale on the city’s south side. The land will be used for habitat mitigation and will benefit future development projects.
Bowen Foundation member Jeff Crawford said in the release that Brewery Park at Tumwater Falls deserves thoughtful, long-term care.
“Dr. Bowen believed deeply in conserving the natural environment and connecting people to the land,” he said. “We are honored to partner with the Olympia Tumwater Foundation to help ensure this special place remains protected and welcoming for future generations.”
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