Rainbow Park restoration plan approved by Shelter Bay board

Rainbow Park in Shelter Bay, site of unauthorized tree-cutting in 2020 that led to over $90,000 in fines imposed upon the residential community by Swinomish Indian Tribal Community officials, appears poised for a facelift.

The Shelter Bay board of directors agreed to a restoration plan for the park at their July 20 session, viewed as a key first step in tackling issues that headlined the community’s May board elections.

“We’re working on settling out a couple of other important issues, with more to follow soon, hopefully,” newly elected board member Judy Kontos told the Weekly News.

Kontos, ironically, voted against the park proposal despite her overall support of the project.

“I had to vote no,” she explained, “in opposition to a legal concession I was unable to agree to, but barring that single paragraph I support the project entirely.”

At the meeting, Kantos agreed to take charge of the permit process to reopen the community’s main swimming pool. The pool has been mostly closed since 2019 due to vandalism, COVID-19 and a missed permit application deadline earlier this year.

“We are making progress,” stressed Nancy Shimeall, also newly elected to the board.

“We approved the Rainbow Park contract, opened the clubhouse for rentals, killed the marine dredging loan that had unfavorable terms and assigned Judy the task of handling the pool permit,” she said.

Shimeall and Kontos highlighted the decision to reopen the community clubhouse for events and gatherings. Among those was the memorial on Saturday, July 30, for long-serving board member and community volunteer Judi Slajer.

“She did a tremendous amount for Shelter Bay,” Kontos said.

Shimeall will join Dan McCaughan on a greenbelt/lot committee task force. He is the third newly elected board member.

“The combined committee, called GLot, was sunset after the Rainbow Park incident,” McCaughan said. “Currently, it is being run by staff and the board is interested in reevaluating how things have been going and the potential to restart the committee populated by association members.”

Board president Wendy Poulton declined comment on the meeting, but was glad to talk about the Washington State University football team: “I’m always happy to comment on WSU. Go Cougs!”

No doubt there are those in Shelter Bay pleased to see college football substituted for political footballs as a main topic of discussion.