PORT ANGELES — Today is the last day to donate to the campaign to keep Hurricane Ridge Road open daily from November through March.
The effort is very close to its $75,000 goal.
City Council member Cherie Kidd, one of the champions of the fundraiser, said $73,580 had been donated as of the last count, taken Friday.
Kidd said on Saturday that she remains confident the goal will be reached.
“I’ve always said we are going to do this,” she said.
“I’ve never wavered.”
Kidd said she and City Manager Kent Myers will meet with representatives of the Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce and Olympic National Park on Monday morning to get the final number.
“Monday morning at 9 a.m. we’re just going to put all our pennies on the table,” she said.
The last tally will announced at the chamber’s meeting at noon Monday.
The community needs to raise $75,000 by the end of the day in order for the U.S. Department of the Interior to allocate the remaining $250,000 needed to keep the road open daily, weather permitting, from late fall through the beginning of spring, on a trial basis.
The road is currently open only from Friday through Sunday, weather permitting, and some holidays, during the winter.
It is open daily during the summer.
The City Council lobbied Interior for the funding in March, believing increased access to Hurricane Ridge would bring more tourists to the area.
While there’s always opportunities for snow shoeing, cross country skiing and snow ball fight at the top of the ridge that time of year, the rope tows and poma lift at Hurricane Ridge would remain closed during the week even if the road is open seven days a week.
The Hurricane Ridge Winter Sports Club says it doesn’t have the money or volunteers to expand ski lift beyond their Saturday through Sunday schedule, plus holidays, during the ski season.
Donations from Clallam County, and the cities of Port Angeles and Sequim, have totaled $45,000. Local businesses and individuals have contributed the balance.
Interior’s trial period for the road would extend over two or three years.
If the goal is met this year, another $75,000 would have be met in 2011 to keep the trial going, and again in 2012 if it lasts three years.
Interior says it will fully fund the additional snow plowing and road maintenance after the trial if the ridge attracts enough additional visitors.
Washington’s National Park Fund has set up an account at Chase Bank’s downtown location in Port Angeles for donations.
Checks can be made out at the bank at 101 W. Front St. to the Washington’s National Park Fund, with the notation “Olympic NP-Hurricane Ridge.”
Donations, which are tax-deductible, can also be made online by visiting http://wnpf.org.
Click on the “Donate Now” button and select the Olympic National Park with a note that the donation is to be used for Hurricane Ridge Road.
Kidd said that if the goal isn’t met, the donations would likely go toward another fundraising effort next year. They could also be refunded, she said.
“I’m not worried about refunds,” Kidd said,” because we are so close.”
She said the funds can be used only for Hurricane Ridge Road.
________
Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
