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Hinkle appointed to serve on
State Horse Park Authority board
Gov. Christine Gregoire
has appointed
Rep.
Bill Hinkle, R-Cle Elum, to serve on the board of the Washington
State Horse Park Authority. The board is responsible for developing,
promoting, operating, managing and maintaining the new state horse park
planned near Cle Elum. By law, one of the board’s seven members must
represent the interests of the county in which the park is located.
Hinkle will serve in that role.
“It’s important to have a local representative making sure the
community’s interests are represented as we move forward with this
important regional project,” Hinkle said. “I am honored to lend my
support and whatever resources I can bring to make this park an
enjoyable place for people in our community and all over the state.”
Ann Anderson, a former legislator and one of the original sponsors of
the bill that created the Horse Park, agrees.
“Representative Hinkle was chosen to take this important role on the
board because he’s been a county commissioner and legislator, and has a
very good knowledge of the county,” she said. “Washington spends the
most dollars per capita on horse-related activities. So this park holds
tremendous potential for the local area, and Representative Hinkle is
the right person to make sure the community’s best interests are at the
fore.”
The idea for the horse park began in 1986, when the Legislature
appropriated funds to study the feasibility of such a facility. The
Legislature established the Washington State Horse Park in 1995, and
since that time discussions have been ongoing about where to locate the
park and other logistical and funding issues.
Suncadia Resort in Kittitas County has now donated 106 acres for the
park contingent on the ability to raise private and possibly public
funds to build the facility. The location was identified as ideal
because it is a large block of land, is within driving distance to
various population centers in the state, and is easily accessible from
I-90.
The Horse Park will be a regional venue for all kinds of equine
activities, including breed shows, eventing, dressage, day ride
activities and local 4-H shows. It will also be a multi-purpose facility
suitable for dog or car shows.
“More and more, people who enjoy equestrian activities are being shut
out of the land they once used for horseback riding and other
activities,” Hinkle said. “This new park will give them a place
dedicated to the activities they enjoy. It will be a real hub, not only
for Central Washington but for people from all over the Northwest. It
will also have a positive impact on our local economy through the
creation of jobs at the horse park and in businesses around the area. We
are fortunate to have landed such an asset right here in our community.”
Hinkle’s term on the State Horse Park Authority ends in March 2006.
# # #
For more information, contact:
John Handy, Assistant
Communications Director - (360) 786-5758
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