South County Park (Wallace Pond) — Acquisition & Repairs | Greater Toledo Heritage and Horizons

This phase involves the acquisition of South Lewis County Park, a unique and underutilized property on the west bank of the Cowlitz River. Adjacent to Toledo's historic core, the park features mature trees, river access, and Wallace Pond — a serene body of water ideal for recreational programming. The project seeks to prevent private sale or loss of public access, ensuring long-term community use.

GTHH is working to position this property as a cornerstone of cultural and recreational renewal, tying it to the larger vision of heritage tourism and outdoor activity. Phase I includes due diligence, community consultation, and development of a stewardship model that aligns with conservation and historical storytelling.

This campaign has two steps under one fund: first, to complete the county’s surplus/transfer process to secure the park for community use; second, to carry out the most-needed repairs so the park is safe, clean, and welcoming.

Kitchen & Restrooms: Repair or replace aging wood and roofing; restore restrooms with new fixtures and easy ADA access; fix outdoor drinking fountain and add another if needed.
Maintenance Buildings: Clean and repair roofing as needed.
Picnic Areas: Rebuild nearly 60 picnic tables (new wood tops and benches); replace 4–5 small picnic shelter roofs.
Docks & Ramps: Replace worn planks; survey and repair floats where necessary.
Pond Care: Install aeration pump(s) to support healthy aquatic life and use natural methods to reduce algae.
Signage & Name: Replace worn signs; host a community poll to confirm the park name (South County Park, “Wallace Pond,” or another historically accurate name).

Naming: We will invite local residents to help confirm the park’s public name through a simple community poll (South County Park, “Wallace Pond,” or another historically accurate name).

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