ATTENDEE EXPERIENCE

Walla Walla Public Spaces & Wine Tour | Bike with a Ranger! Exploring the “Secret City” history of Richland | G.A. Pehrson Urban Greenbelt Trail Walking Tour | Richland’s Wartime Houses | Bridges Program

Walla Walla Public Spaces & Wine Tour

Cost: $50

Take a one-hour charter bus ride to Walla Walla and visit two of their newest downtown public spaces. Both the Walawála Plaza and Heritage Square were redesigned and reconstructed in the last two years providing remarkable public spaces in an urban environment. Participants will learn about the history of these projects and how they have rejuvenated Walla Walla’s award-winning downtown. Walla Walla Parks and Recreation along with community partners have made concerted efforts in activating these spaces through community concerts, movies and other events attracting long-time locals back to these beautiful public spaces. Participants on this tour also visit a local winery and enjoy some of Walla Walla’s exceptional wine before returning to Tri-Cities.

• 2024 Heritage Square ARPA Project | City of Walla Walla

Tour Time (times are approximate):

• 11:45 AM – Check in for Tour at Three Rivers Convention Center
• 11:30 AM – Depart Three Rivers Convention Center on Chartered Bus
• 12:30 PM – Arrive in Downtown Walla Walla/Begin Tour of Public Spaces
• 2:45 PM – Finish Public Spaces Tour/Load bus to Winery
• 3:00 PM  – Arrive at Winery for tasting & light snacks
• 4:30 PM  – Depart Winery for return trip to Tri Cities
• 5:30 PM – Tour Bus Returns to Tri-Cities, offering 2 stops:
• Stop 1 @ Social location
• Stop 2 @ Convention Center

Bike with a Ranger! Exploring the “Secret City” History of Richland

Cost: $25 - If you need a nike rental | $15 – if you bring your own bike are 

Participants will join a National Park Service Ranger on a 9.5-mile round trip (mostly flat) ride from the Richland Parkway, through Howard Amon and Leslie Groves parks along the Sacajawea Heritage Trail, on city streets through the Gold Coast Historic District to the Uptown Shopping Center before returning to the Parkway. There will be two stops along the route for presentations and a stop at Spudnuts, a favorite local donut shop for a complimentary treat. Cyclists will enjoy views of the Columbia River and City of Richland Parks while learning about the Secret City built for Manhattan Project workers and their families during WWII.

Tour Time B1:

• 11:45 AM– Park/Meet at Richland Community Center (RCC) – 500 Amon Park Drive, Richland, WA 99352
• 12:00 PM – Outfitted at Greenies Bike Shop (6-minute walk from RCC)
• 12:05 PM – Begin ~2-hour Tour (9.5 miles)
• 2:00 PM – End tour at Greenies Bike Shop & walk back to RCC

Tour Time B2:

• 2:15 PM – Park/Meet at Richland Community Center (RCC) - 500 Amon Park Drive, Richland, WA 99352
• 2:30 PM – Outfitted at Greenies Bike Shop (6-minute walk from RCC)
• 2:35 PM – Begin ~2-hour Tour (9.5 miles)
• 4:30 PM – End tour at Greenies Bike Shop & walk back to RCC

G.A. Pehrson Urban Greenbelt Trail Walking Tour

Cost: FREE

Join us for a walk on the G.A. Pehrson Urban Greenbelt Trail. While circling around the central business district, learn how a sleepy farming community was transformed by the US Army Corps of Engineers and Spokane architect Pehrson during WWII. The trail passes by numerous Richland Parks and Recreation operated facilities including: Richland Community Center, Columbia Playfields Softball Complex, George Prout Pool, Jeanette Taylor Skate Park and Howard Amon Park along the Columbia Riverfront. Led by long-time City of Richland Parks & Recreation Volunteer Tour Guides: Nancy Doran and Teresa Knirck.

Richland’s Wartime Houses

Cost: FREE

Want to get your steps in before hitting the road!? Sign-up for this post-conference walking tour on Friday morning before you head home!
In March 1943, Spokane architect GA Pehrson was hired to build a village for the thousands of workers who would operate the Hanford nuclear reactors. Those houses, and others built through 1958 when Richland became an independent city, are today known as “Alphabet Houses.” Participants on this walking tour will see some of the earliest homes and learn about life in a “secret city." Led by long-time City of Richland Volunteer Walking Tour

Guides: Nancy Doran and Teresa Knirck

Tour Time:

• 11:00 AM – Park/Meet at Jefferson Park – 1400 George Washington Way, Richland, WA 99352
• 11:05 AM – Begin ~1.5-hour Tour (approximately 2 Miles)
• 12:30 PM – End tour at Jefferson Park – 1400 George Washington Way, Richland, WA 99352

The Bridges Program

The Bridges Program is a professional development initiative designed to connect emerging professionals/students with seasoned professionals in parks and recreation. Its purpose is to foster knowledge-sharing, skill-building, and mutual learning, bridging the gap between experience and upcoming leaders. Program Goals

1. Build Connections: Create opportunities for meaningful interactions between professionals at different stages of their careers.
2. Share Knowledge: Facilitate the exchange of industry insights, best practices, and lessons learned.
3. Empower Growth: Equip emerging professionals/students with tools and guidance to navigate their career paths while inspiring seasoned professionals with fresh perspectives.
4. Strengthen the Field: Foster a sense of community and shared commitment to the advancement of parks and recreation.

How It Works

• Community-Focused - Not Matched: Unlike traditional mentoring programs, participants are not paired 1:1. Instead, the program offers a variety of formats to encourage broader connections.

• Small Group Discussions: Group conversations around specific topics.

• Roundtable Events: Interactive sessions where seasoned professionals share stories and answer questions from emerging leaders. Benefits for Participants

• Emerging Professionals/Students: Gain mentorship, career advice, and insight into the challenges and rewards of the field.

• Seasoned Professionals: Stay inspired by fresh perspectives, hone leadership skills, and leave a lasting legacy in the profession.

Why "Bridges"?

The name symbolizes the program's intent:

• Connecting generations of professionals.

• Providing a pathway for ideas, innovation, and expertise to flow in both directions.

• Creating a structure that supports and strengthens the profession as a whole.

By bringing diverse perspectives together, The Bridges Program ensures that parks and recreation continues to thrive with both the wisdom of experience and the energy of new ideas.