Castle Rock, WA 2014 1

Community Profile

Castle Rock, Washington

2014

Population Category Under 3,500

AIB Participation History: 3

rd year

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AIB Participation History: Year Bloom rating Special Mention Criteria or Other Award 2012 3 Floral Displays Best Hanging Baskets 2013 3 Landscaped Areas

Table of Contents: Introduction and Overview ......................Page 3-5 2014 Municipal Information .....................Page 6 Floral Displays ..........................................Page 7-13 Landscaped Areas .....................................Page 14-16 Urban Forestry ..........................................Page 18-19 Environmental Effort ................................Page 20- 23 Heritage .....................................................Page 24 Overall Impression and Best Ideas.............Page 25

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Introduction to CASTLE ROCK, WASHINGTON How would one summarize a description of Castle Rock? Is it ‘The Mountain’? ... Mt St Helen’s is in our backyard. ‘The River’(s)? ... The Toutle originating on the flanks of ‘The Mountain’ flows into the Cowlitz River just north of town. Is it the highways? ... Interstate 5 which parallels the Cowlitz at Castle Rock, carries travelers from the Canadian Border to the Mexican border. It slices through a chunk of Castle Rock real estate, separating uptown from downtown. Or perhaps it is State Route 504 at Exit 49, which carries more than 300,000 tourists away from town and up to ‘The Mountain’ every year.

Regional Map of Castle Rock area Mt St Helens --- summer 2013 As Castle Rock strives to define and enhance an identity that will sustain the community for this and future generations, it becomes obvious that Castle Rock is defined by its people. Generations of farmers, loggers and small business owners; students, city councils, educators, service organizations and city staff make up the multitudes of intergenerational volunteers all working together to support the exceptional community Castle Rock has been and will become. Castle Rock is named for a volcanic rock outcropping tucked into a curve beside the Cowlitz River. “The Rock", rising 190 feet high south of the city resembled a castle to early settlers who used the river as their main mode of transportation.

‘The Rock’

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This ‘Castle Rock’ was a geographic landmark for native Cowlitz Indians and also as early as 1832 for Hudson Bay Company traders navigating the Cowlitz River. Castle Rock is centered primarily on the donation land claim of Eliza and William Huntington, who settled in the area in 1852. The city was platted December 12, 1888 and incorporated on June 20, 1890. Castle Rock thrived as a Cowlitz River steamboat port and trading center for valley farms. Expansive ‘old growth’ forests of Western Red Cedar, Douglas Fir and Western Hemlock grew along the banks of the rivers and coated the surrounding hills from the valley floor to the glaciers of Mt St Helens. A local sawmill was the first to produce cedar shingles, using the Western Red Cedar. It wasn’t long before the timber industry was the center of Castle Rock’s economy. Independent logging companies, some still owned by and employing Castle Rock families, were joined by Weyerhaeuser, Long-Bell Lumber, Longview Fiber, (now Kapstone), to log, transport, ship and transform this seemingly unlimited natural resource. Timber was ‘king’ in Southwest Washington. The economic dynamic of this thriving community changed in 1980 when Mount St Helen’s erupted. A cataclysmic blast that spewed forth a plume of ash that circled the globe leveled forests, took 57 lives and released a torrent of pumice and mud that clogged 3 rivers. Debris traveled via of the mighty Columbia River all the way to the Pacific Ocean. The tiny community of Castle Rock was reeling. The core of downtown had thankfully been spared; protected by levees constructed to block flooding from rain and melting snow. Surrounding areas were devastated and the natural resources growing effortlessly upon the surrounding hills were in jeopardy. Once consistent employment opportunities provided by the timber industry would no longer support the region.

Timberlands in the foothills of Southwest Washington

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Castle Rock had become somewhat of a ‘’bedroom community’ for families of those employed in the larger southern Cowlitz County towns of Longview and Kelso. City leaders, both civic and business, realized that local companies providing goods and services to those families did not create adequate tax revenue to sustain the town. City, business and community leaders came together in the mid-90’s and began the work of improving Castle Rock’s physical presence as an attraction to new business. With the development of the Mount St Helen’s Volcanic Monument the focus turned to tourism. According to local historian, Bud May of the Exhibit Hall Society, ‘the honor of being the "Gateway to Mt. St. Helens" was bestowed upon Castle Rock well before the volcanic eruption. Though several Southwest Washington cities now bill themselves as "Gateway to Mt. St. Helens", that title was given to Castle Rock over 100 years ago when roads linking the town and the mountain were completed.’ Castle Rock leadership seized the opportunity to generate tourism dollars as well as create an environment that established Castle Rock as a wonderful place to ‘live, work and play’. The award-winning Riverfront Trail system; North County Sports Complex; Castle Rock Bike Park for mountain bike training; the Al Helenberg boat launch to access abundant salmon and steelhead fishing

Fishermen enjoy a good catch on the #2 steelhead fishing river in the state.

on the Cowlitz River, were enhancements to the town that local residents could enjoy but would also attract and hold visitors. Tourists to Castle Rock have more than ‘the Mountain’ to give them reason to stay and play.

The upgrading of two downtown business district streets provided infrastructure updates to encourage business development. Streetscape design improved the visual appeal. Always eager to learn more, Castle Rock Chamber of Commerce members and the City Council chose to enroll in the National America in Bloom program. Castle Rock is now well on its way to welcoming a new era of economic diversity and sustainability.

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Downtown business district of Castle Rock, WA in September 2013

MUNICIPAL INFORMATION Population: 1982 (2010 census)

City Website: www.ci.castle-rock.wa.us

City Contact: Mayor Paul Helenberg

141 "A" Street SW, PO Box 370, Castle Rock, WA 98611

AIB Committee Chair Contact: Nancy Chennault

953 Sandy Bend Road, Castle Rock WA 98611 nancy@theplantstation.com Cell: 360-703-8174

Town Area in Square Miles: 1.76 sq. miles (1.59 = land / 0.17 sq mi = water)

Acres of Active Recreation: 116 acres

Acres of Passive Recreation: 137 acres (In our park plan we also list the Library (3750 sq.ft.), Senior

Center (2,600 sq.ft.)and the Exhibit Hall (6,100 sq.ft.)

Schools: Elementary: 43 acres; Middle school: 4.5 acres; High school: 35 acres

CR-AIB ‘Bloom Team’ Volunteer Coordinator and Facebook Administrator: Nancy Chennault CR-AIB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/CastleRockAmericaInBloom Castle Rock Chamber Clean-Up Day Chair: Carolyn Kennington CR Chamber Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/CastleRockAmericaInBloom#!/pages/Castle-Rock-

Chamber-of-Commerce/152071474905882 Photographer and Facebook Administrator: Melody Kranz Treasurer: Mary Morgan Downtown Business District ‘Bloom Team Wellness Check’: Laura England and Coni Bush ‘Bloom Team’ Veterans: Ron Worthington, Sara Pursley, Marti Boshart Floral and Landscape ‘Adopt A Garden’: Kelso JC Penney employees, (Post Office); Cowlitz River Dental

(Gateway Park South); Ellen Rose and Lisa Hill, (Gunnars Auto Supply and Castle Rock Bakery); Linda Staudinger and Jaime Woodard, (Studio 117); Pete Mott, (Old Jail Park and Horseshoe Pits); Ryan Penner and Sara Pursley, (Jackson Hole); Ryana Covington and Anna Pliler, (City Hall); Ryan Penner, (CRHS Arboretum)

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FLORAL DISPLAYS – Attracting Attention with Colorful Plants For many years, the planting of flowering pots in the main Castle Rock business district had been encouraged by the Castle Rock Chamber of Commerce. They had included vouchers for flowers with their annual Clean Up Day Event held each spring. Businesses would plant an assortment of containers and were asked to maintain them. The city had a few concrete planters placed on Cowlitz Street. This street was the first major improvement project to be completed in the fall of 2011 and provided a completely new streetscape opportunity. Basket brackets were included on lamp posts and areas were left open for trees and flowers. The beautification of Castle Rock was reborn. The Castle Rock America in Bloom ‘Bloom Team’ evolved from the collaborative efforts of Chamber Clean Up Day volunteers, area nurseries and greenhouse growers, green industry professionals and the Castle Rock Community Development Alliance, (CRCDA). Floral displays in Castle Rock are a year around commitment. Winter pansies tucked into pots and gardens in the fall begin to blossom with late winter’s warming days.

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More than 7,500 ‘Isle de France’ red tulips highlighting Castle Rock RED have been planted for late March through early May color. Daffodils and crocus were added in 2013.

Summer plantings begin in May and the bountiful displays of Proven Winners® flowering baskets, containers and flower beds last well past frost.

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Flowering Kale/Cabbage and pansies are planted in containers for the fall display. Then greenery and decorations are added for the holidays.

‘Bloom Team’ volunteers clean out the spent annuals and plant for fall/winter. The holidays bring yet another season of opportunity for festive floral displays. Multiple varieties of greenery and seasonal decorations are added to pots. Garlands adorn the city.

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Baskets of greens with red and white ribbons hang from the lamp posts. Over 100 baskets were made at CRHS with Bloom Team volunteers and students working during plant science classes and after school. MUNICIPAL City Hall: flower beds were designed into the landscape to allow for large mounds of seasonal color. Community Reader board perennials and floral display. Cowlitz Street and Front Avenue: as well as off street by Old Jail Park, have basket brackets to display 102 flowering baskets. City owned planters and CR-AIB donated planters on display at City Hall, Post Office and Library. The Senior Center added 4 new planters in 2014.

Post Office flowers are also planted by volunteers Red tulips bloom in the spring at City Hall Entrance streets to the city have floral displays and baskets. America in Bloom sign with planters greet visitors arriving from the north. Castle Rock Public Works Department flower beds are an evaluation/trial of Nature Source Plant Food. Castle Rock Fair Grounds flowering baskets and planters on display during the fair each year. Our 2014 Fair is July 17-18-19. North County Sports Complex adds flowering annuals and perennials to display beds at the entrance to the ball fields.

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BUSINESS More than 60 planters are sponsored by businesses throughout the downtown and ‘uptown’ shopping districts. Planted by Bloom Team volunteers, these planters are seasonally updated.

Bloom Team Volunteers decorate business sponsored planters for the holidays Many businesses allow floral displays in ground and planter boxes adjacent to their business, allowing for large scale plantings throughout town. Volunteers have ‘adopted’ many of these areas and the business owners also make the commitment to the watering and weeding chores as well.

The new ‘Rocket Chevron’ sponsored the planting of 500 Red Tulips when they opened in the fall of 2013

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RESIDENTIAL Castle Rock residents are beginning to catch the ‘floral fever’ and there are many neighborhoods where hanging baskets, flower gardens and container displays are evident. The CR-AIB ‘Bloom Team’ volunteers in association with Windermere Realtors Community Service Day 2013, helped landscape 8 homes for families participating in a ‘self help housing’ program. A local nursery donated bedding plants and CR-AIB provided all 8 families with a flowering container as a ‘Welcome to Castle Rock’ gift.

There are 5 more families building homes that will be completed in 2014 and once again CR-AIB is involved. Those families will also receive a container when they move into their homes in July. COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT Castle Rock America in Bloom ‘Bloom Team’ Volunteers can be seen around Castle Rock in their bright yellow vests 12 months a year.

CR-AIB ‘Bloom Team’ Volunteers come from the surrounding Castle Rock community. Most live outside the city limits but call

Castle Rock HOME ....They call themselves the community of ‘98611’ ... Everyone within the Postal Zip Code, and beyond.

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2014 brought Castle Rock High School Science students, CR-AIB, the city and AmeriCorps volunteers together for a major overhaul of a storm water retention pond and JC Penney employees came to Castle Rock on Earth Day to help with city park weeding and to plant a tree.

AmeriCorps Volunteers, CR-AIB Bloom Team and Students JC Penney Volunteers with Bloom Team on Earth Day The Chamber Cleanup Day Event held each spring boasts an average turnout of 100 volunteers or more. Flowers are planted, weeds pulled and trash collected and hauled away. Support from Bloom Team volunteers to spread bark mulch, water and provide grooming of flowers in containers, etc. continues throughout the year. Sponsors of product and services to help with CR-AIB funding include local, regional and national companies that believe in Castle Rock and its dedication to improving ‘quality of place’ for citizens and visitors year around.

(4-Corners Organics)

The City of Castle Rock, CRHS Horticulture Department and North County Sports Complex

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LANDSCAPED AREAS – Designed Tree, Shrub, Turf, and Perennial Plantings The temperate climate of the Pacific Northwest supports a remarkable selection of both natural and ornamental vegetation. Winters are mild with low temperature rarely dipping below 25°F with lots of rain. Spring weather is generally quite wet. However, there can be a surprising frost as late as mid to late May. The local folks know, “summer always begins AFTER the 4th of July.” In Southwest Washington, there is a period of drought during the summer. Lasting no more than 6 weeks or so, temperatures may reach 90°F for a few days. September can be dry with golden, late summer days stretching into mid-October. Then the rainy season begins, continuing well into the following spring. Castle Rock has added landscaped areas as the city has improved the infrastructure of the downtown business district. The Castle Rock Strategic Marketing Plan, adopted in 2005, addresses enhancement of city entrances as a priority. Fundraisers are in place and grants funding several of these improvements have been awarded to Castle Rock as recently as a few weeks ago. City leadership, staff and community volunteers are eager to begin. New businesses are required to adhere to an acceptable standard of landscaping and the renovation of streets includes street trees and landscaping to provide visual relief from asphalt and concrete. With the reconstruction of Front Avenue in 2013, the commitment continues for improvements and beautification of Castle Rock. MUNICIPAL Volunteers have always rallied to support Castle Rock projects and programs. This has been evident in the landscaping of the city parks and buildings. Volunteers have stepped forward to assist the city with major improvements, usually tackling one big project each year. Castle Rock City Hall

Renovated landscape which includes xeriscape, rain garden, water barrels, a re-circulating creek and fountain

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New landscape at City Hall in the summer of 2012 City Hall – summer of 2013

North Trailhead, landscape was installed in summer of 2011 after the Riverfront Trail was extended to the north edge of downtown. That fall, the renovated Cowlitz Street West streetscape included circular planting areas and intersection planting beds. These were designed to represent the Pacific Northwest natural environment. In 2013 the new restrooms at North County Sports Complex Boat Ramp were completed. The transformation of the historic jail site in the center of town was the highlight landscape project for 2013.

Built in 1907, ‘Old Jail’ as it looked in early spring 2012 ‘Old Jail Park’ in summer of 2013 The ‘Pump Track’ Bike Park, next to the Riverfront Trail, was completely constructed by volunteers and donated materials. The landscape needed to be natural with drought tolerance as its focus. The park was built on dredge spoils from the eruption of Mt. St. Helens in 1980.

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BUSINESS Fibre Federal Credit Union, Red Canoe Credit Union and Cowlitz River Dental are new construction that adopted a Northwest theme for the building and their landscape. New or remodeled business development is encouraged to include planting areas that capture the feeling of a Pacific Northwest natural landscape. Rocket Market, a new business at I-5, Exit 49, chose to design their landscape similar to what they saw in the streetscapes of Castle Rock. Opening in the fall of 2013, the developers and the landscape maintenance company have supported the Castle Rock America in Bloom program with generous donations for seasonal displays.

Bloom Team plants summer flowers at the McDonald’s drive thru area at Rocket Market

RESIDENTIAL Castle Rock is a small community of modest, older homes on narrow streets with few sidewalks. As the city has added landscape interest and consistency, the residents have also enhanced their personal space with new shrubs and flower gardens. Older homes have been remodeled and landscapes upgraded as homeowners embrace the beautification of their city. This summer there will be a large scale residential street improvement project to resurface more than 20 streets. Such a large undertaking has never been available for Castle Rock. In 2012 the city council formed a Transportation Benefit District and the citizens voted to increase the city sales tax by .02%. This project will improve the ‘quality of place’ for Castle Rock neighborhoods and stimulate the desire to improve personal property with updated landscaping even more. The Lois Dye Estates, a CAP, (Community Action Program – Cowlitz County), Self Help Housing project included 8 new homes in 2013. There are 5 more families building now who will move in this summer. Castle Rock America in Bloom ‘Bloom Team’ volunteers developed landscape designs for a small section of their entry yard. Working with Windermere Realtors Community Service Day project, CR-AIB helped 3 of the families prepare and plant their landscape in 2013. CR-AIB is once again donating time to help with landscape designs for the new homes. The development includes trees to be planted along the new neighborhood streets in the city right of way.

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Windermere Real Estate Agents volunteer Move in day! November 1, 2013.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Volunteers from Castle Rock AIB Bloom Team, Chamber of Commerce, Castle Rock City Council, and Castle Rock Community Development Alliance (CRCDA) have all been involved in the design, implementation and maintenance of public areas of Castle Rock since 2011. Castle Rock Chamber Clean Up Day volunteers have participated in city, business and neighborhood landscape clean up and debris removal for 11 years. Participation has now been extended, is encouraged and supported year around.

Final touches on landscaped bed on Front Ave N Horseshoe enthusiasts Pete Mott and Tom Kinsey built pits at Old Jail Park With so many new improvements and activity within the residential, business and municipal sectors the projects have increased. The opportunity for volunteer service has therefore also increased. More community members are becoming involved and reaping the benefits of experiencing the personal satisfaction of accomplishing many tasks. Knowing that they have contributed to the overall health and well-being of their community keeps them coming back.

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URBAN FORESTRY Castle Rock is surrounded by natural as well as cultivated ‘forestry’, so the concept of developing recognition of ‘Urban Forestry’ as a category has been slow for local residents and volunteers. We have always had trees. Our hills are covered with trees and our citizens make their living working within those ‘rural forests’. However, Castle Rock has some lovely street trees and plans and policies are in place to assure the planting of more trees as areas within the city limits are developed.

MUNICIPAL Mountain Hemlock was selected for downtown streetscape and new city park landscapes to showcase the mountain landscape which is so much a part of Southwest Washington. Renovation and upgrades at entrances to the city as well as the Cowlitz Street W and Front Avenue N street renewal projects have stimulated a cohesive blend of plants and trees that tell the story of Castle Rock’s close association with the natural environment. ‘The Rock’ is maintained in its natural state with native plants and trees. Castle Rock received an Urban Forestry Grant through Department of Natural Resources in 2005 for landscaping at the southern entrance to the city.

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BUSINESS

New construction has been encouraged to include street trees and Pacific Northwest landscape shrubs and plants to provide a cohesive appearance to the business districts on both sides of I-5. Some landscapes reflect the timberline area around Mt. St Helen’s and others represent the lush greenery prevalent on the slopes of the foothills, but the trend is to showcase our natural resources.

New ‘Rocket Market’ landscape at Exit 49 included hardscape, trees and shrubs for a PNW look. RESIDENTIAL Trees planted around homes within the city limits often include native Big Leaf Maple, Western Red Cedar, Douglas Fir and Western Hemlock. Because of the proximity to the forests surrounding Castle Rock, these trees are often seedlings that are volunteers and then are nurtured and allowed to remain. The city has planted flowering cherry and pear on many of the residential streets over the years and these street trees have become part of the homeowner’s ‘urban forest’

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT Castle Rock Clean Up Day Event includes tree trimming and yard cleanup for residents that are older or unable to maintain their trees. Castle Rock High School students were included in the southern entrance feature at the southern entrance and CR-AIB ‘Bloom Team’ volunteers assisted with tree pruning along Front Ave. North and with the mature tree at ‘Old Jail Park. In 2014, CRHS Biology students planted a selection of trees, both ornamental and native, within the Disc Golf Course at North County Sports Complex. This future arboretum will include plant identification signs so that horticultural students can use them as part of their Plant Science curriculum.

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ENVIRONMENTAL EFFORT – Sustainable Development and Awareness MUNICIPAL Castle Rock received a grant to improve streets and become a participant in the ‘Safe Routes to School’ (the walking school bus), program. The safer, multi-purpose streets program encourages parents to drop their students off several blocks from school and with an adult supervisor, walk the remaining distance. This and the award winning Riverfront Trail System promote walking as a mode of transportation as well as recreation. The creation of a ‘Rain Garden’ and installation of rain barrels at City Hall as well as a Xeriscape for demonstrates water conversation. Citizens can see a landscape that uses less water and incorporate those ideas into their own yards.

Xeriscape at City Hall Before Xeriscape at City Hall After – summer of 2012

The Story of DREDGE SPOILS

The City of Castle Rock has in the past 20 years conducted several test sites recycling Class B bio-solids from the Castle Rock Wastewater Treatment Plant to grow turf and trees on the material that came out of the 1980 Mt. St. Helen’s eruption. This material is known as dredge spoils because it was dredge out of the local rivers that were undated with during the eruption.

Before and After

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The river was dredged twice. Once in 1980-81 and another in 1984-85. They were very different in their texture. The first dredging, once applied to the land, set up very firm, making it difficult to plant anything without the use of mechanical equipment such as a power auger or backhoe. The second dredging was much “fluffier” and even after 20 plus years of settling, has not firmed up except for the organic matter that has accumulated on it since it was placed. Both dredging are similar in that they do not have any organic matter or nutrients. Therefore, the only plants that have been able to survive in the material has been those that are nitrogen fixers such as, scotch broom and cottonwoods. While these vegetation’s are somewhat beneficial, they are not desirable in the long term. After all the dredging was completed the government was anxious to give these properties away because of the potential liabilities. The City, county and school district became the owners of these properties and quickly decided to come up with a plan to turn these potential liabilities into an asset for our community. Using bio-solids as a slow releasing nutrient became a champion idea as we found it very beneficial in controlling erosion, growing a grass turf for ball fields and growing a variety of desirable trees. These lands became parks, open space recreation, ball fields, trails and wet land restoration.

Youth baseball field at North county Sports Complex The City and North County Sports Complex have developed a close relationship with the school district for several past, current, future projects.

Community/School Garden & Orchard

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All of these, with the exception of ‘Jackson Hole’ are on dredge spoils. The Story of JACKSON HOLE ‘Jackson Hole’ as it is known to local residents is the storm water retention collection basin between the Cascade Market parking lot and the parking lot beside ‘Old Jail Park’. It is necessary to collect run off from area streets and parking lots to prevent localized flooding. By maintaining the ‘Hole’ as the lowest point in Castle Rock, the soil and plants filter the water and clean it of pollutants before it reaches the groundwater.

Mid-winter - ‘Jackson Hole’ is bleak and brown April 12, 2014 – 60 plus volunteers ‘transform’ Jackson Hole In 2012, as work was beginning on the ‘Old Jail Park’, CR-AIB ‘Bloom Team’ volunteers collaborated with the Science Club at CRHS and their advisor, Ryan Penner to come up with a plan to change ‘Jackson Hole’ from a visual liability into an environmentally friendly educational venue. Mr. Penner’s Biology students worked on the initial concept drawings, keeping in mind the function of the bio-swales and storm water retention. AmeriCorps volunteers were looking for a large project to do in Castle Rock in the spring of 2014 and with the help of the city, CR-AIB and local large equipment operator, Walt Keatley the most labor intensive part of the project was completed. Now the city public works department, ‘Bloom Team’ volunteers, Ryan Penner and his students monitor invasive weeds, replant when necessary and are in the process of developing interpretive signs for ‘Jackson Hole’. BUSINESS Castle Rock Chamber sponsors the annual Clean Up Day Event where often more than 100 area volunteers participate along with businesses to give the town a thorough cleaning. There is a ‘no dump fees’ day for clean up at residences as well as downtown parks and businesses. The local grocery store encourages recycling of plastic bags and many businesses support the ‘Bring Your Own Bag’ when shopping within Castle Rock.

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RESIDENTIAL Local residents have access to and use the local recycle container locations. These transfer/recycle stations are for recycling paper, glass, metal, plastic, electronics, etc. They also participate in downtown clean up event and the collection/drop off of hazardous materials when Castle Rock hosts this county event to clean up old oil, paint, chemicals, used batteries, etc. There are signs declaring parks and recreational areas to be ‘Tobacco Free’ Zones with ‘Tot Park’ and ‘Breathe Easy’ signage installed. Citizens have been observed respecting these non-ordinance endorsed signs throughout Castle Rock. COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT Senior Center and Woman’s Club participate in recycling efforts, community education and health initiatives. There is a ‘drop box’ for unused and outdated medications at the local Pharmacy and the Senior Center. Castle Rock High School Youth also participate in extensive environmental activities, such as Ryan Penner’s Science Club working on wetlands mitigation and rehabilitation of Cowlitz River wetland system. EARTH DAY 2014 brought JC Penney employees from neighboring Kelso to Castle Rock looking for a project for the actual Earth Day, April 22. These volunteers cleaned up a city park and planted a blue spruce they nicknamed ‘Penney’ at the newly renovated ‘Gateway Park’. This same group has ‘adopted’ the post office for 2014 for the seasonal planting and maintenance.

JC Penney Employees on Earth Day at north Gateway Park Ryan Penner and students at CRHS cut lumber for raised beds A comprehensive project to bring raised beds into the back yards of local families was a collaborative effort between the Castle Rock CARE Coalition, CRCDA (Castle Rock Community Development Alliance), Cowlitz County Master Gardeners, Castle Rock School District, CR-AIB ‘Bloom Team’ and the city. With funding from a Cowlitz County Health Foundation Grant, these groups worked together to build a cold-frame/greenhouse structure at CRHS that will be used to raise vegetable starts for local homeowners as well as vegetables year around. The grant also provided funds for materials needed to complete 13 - 3’ x 6’ raised beds for local families. The Bloom Team and Master Gardeners will mentor these families to show them the benefits of raising fresh food at home, composting yard and kitchen waste and the pleasure of a healthy outdoor activity. They will then be provided cold frame materials and vegetable starts in the fall to continue their gardening through the winter.

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HERITAGE – Preserving Your Past for Future Generations

MUNICIPAL The city of Castle Rock owns a building on Front Avenue that has been home to the Exhibit Hall, Visitor’s Center and Chamber of Commerce since 1989. During the past several years funding has diminished with the slowdown of the local as well as the national economy. The Exhibit Hall Society, which had been managing the facility with volunteers disbanded in May. Therefore it has been a ‘work in progress’ for the last few weeks. Viewed by the city and local community groups as an opportunity for renovation and reinvention of the building known as ‘the Exhibit Hall’. The building has housed some of Castle Rock’s historical records and artifacts over the years. However, most had been on loan and have been returned. Therefore, the transition is not yet complete and the function not yet known. Old historic jail site directly behind the ‘Exhibit Hall’, was cleaned up in 2012 and turned into a small park in the spring of 2013. Residents and visitors enjoy the quiet picnic spot. A horseshoe pit was added as well.

BUSINESS

Local businesses capture the historical look of old Castle Rock by preserving the character of their buildings and including displays and artifacts that celebrate Castle Rock’s Heritage. The Castle Rock Barber Shop includes old logging photos and tools from bygone days and owner Laura England is continually updating and adding new material.

Looking west on Cowlitz Street, pre-1912

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OVERALL IMPRESSION Notably the most significant characteristic attributed to community pride has been the dedication, loyalty and commitment of volunteers and the collaborative spirit that permeates civic activity and development. The annual Castle Rock Chamber Clean Up Event and the year around support for community beautification provided by the volunteers of Castle Rock America in Bloom gives our town the inspiration to move forward and revolutionize their approach to revitalization efforts. The city has been proactive since the mid-90’s and as the momentum grows to generate an economy that is sustainable, the results are both seen and felt by businesses as well as the residents of the community. The implementation of the Strategic Marketing Plan adopted in 2005 has provided even more opportunity to promote growth. Castle Rock is moving forward. BEST IDEAS Joining America in Bloom was most likely the ‘BEST IDEA’ members of the Chamber of Commerce and the Mayor/City Council initiated during our inaugural year of 2012. The creation of the Castle Rock Community Development Alliance (CRCDA) and the ongoing activity of the Board of Directors in 2013 have propelled Castle Rock into the bright lights of a radiant future. Both capture the enthusiasm and energy of Castle Rock’s incredible citizen volunteers and partnership with the civic and business leadership. BEST IDEA for 2014? EMPTY and OUTDATED STOREFRONT DISPLAY - Castle Rock has several downtown storefronts that historically are merely used for storage by their owners. Some never intend to open a business, nor offer the space available for one. Many have occupied the same building for generations and the outdated interior space is visible to those passing on the street. Castle Rock America in Bloom proposed to the building owners that CR-AIB put seasonal planters in front of those ‘empty’ storefronts and where possible, provide and/or create attractive, seasonal displays. This has been well received by the business owners as well as the residents who walk bike, drive and shop along Castle Rock’s main downtown business street.

Wooster Building used for storage for Bredfield’s Tru-Value Germunson’s Survey Service a ‘second generation’ business