Skykomish-Recreation in Our Backyard Series
Posted by Gary O'Rielly
on Apr 09, 2012
Fred Black, President of BLAX Professional Project Management and Mayor of Skykomish was the guest speaker April 6, 2012, continuing the series of RECREATION IN OUR BACKYARD. Black, with a background in project development projects, aerospace amd a certified Project Management Professional is a member of the Puget Sound Chapter of the Project Management Institute where he served two terms as the Chapter President where he Increased membership by 100%. He developed training courses, authored and co-authored books on the subject, he has taught at the University of Washington and Everett Community College and been a guest speaker or instructor at conferences and programs in Paris, Brussels and Sydney as well as around the United States.
The City of Skykomish has been under renovation following a massive environmental clean-up project by the BNSF Railroad. The railroad had dumped millions of gallons of oil which leaked into the river and prompted the major environmental clean-up. Contamination was 15-20 ft. deep. The clean-up occured over a six year period and involved moving 22 buildings, removing 351,000 tons of contaminated soil, 221,000 gallons of oil with a price tag of over $100 million dollars funded by BNSF.
With the addition of a new wastewater treatment plant, Skykomish no longer relies on septic tanks and further improvements are underway. Railroal Avenue, appropriately named because of its railroad background is the primary road in town. Twenty plus trains travel through Skykomish each day heading for Chicago or Seattle. Town Center is open for business to travelers, hikers, skiers and recreationists. There is a visitor parking center and the town is working on a park and ride to take skiers to Stevens Pass and a garden railroad is in the works with 2,000 ft. of track. The town is working with Amtrak to reactivate passenger rail service (Empire Builder) between Skykomish, Everett, Edmonds and Seattle. An environmental center is in development with the Skykomish Environmental Institute. One hotel has 14 rooms and another hotel is getting ready to re-open in the future with another 36 rooms.
The Mayor's message to our club members was to come visit Skykomish instead of just driving by on US 2. Over 1.2 million travel on US2 past Skykomish each year. This Eagle Scout who currently serves as the top volunteer of the Klahaya Scout District of the Mount Baker Council extends an invitation to come see Skykomish--A Great Northern Town. You won't be disappointed.
Click here for more about the Town of Skykomish.
With the addition of a new wastewater treatment plant, Skykomish no longer relies on septic tanks and further improvements are underway. Railroal Avenue, appropriately named because of its railroad background is the primary road in town. Twenty plus trains travel through Skykomish each day heading for Chicago or Seattle. Town Center is open for business to travelers, hikers, skiers and recreationists. There is a visitor parking center and the town is working on a park and ride to take skiers to Stevens Pass and a garden railroad is in the works with 2,000 ft. of track. The town is working with Amtrak to reactivate passenger rail service (Empire Builder) between Skykomish, Everett, Edmonds and Seattle. An environmental center is in development with the Skykomish Environmental Institute. One hotel has 14 rooms and another hotel is getting ready to re-open in the future with another 36 rooms.
The Mayor's message to our club members was to come visit Skykomish instead of just driving by on US 2. Over 1.2 million travel on US2 past Skykomish each year. This Eagle Scout who currently serves as the top volunteer of the Klahaya Scout District of the Mount Baker Council extends an invitation to come see Skykomish--A Great Northern Town. You won't be disappointed.
Click here for more about the Town of Skykomish.