COLFAX – Along the banks of the Snake River, one mile downstream of Lower Granite Dam, lies the only public marina in Whitman County – Boyer Park & Marina. The park draws nearly 530,000 people every year, about 11 times the population of Whitman County.

Now, this important recreation site offers a new amenity for park users – a modernized marina. The Port of Whitman County recently completed its long-term project to replace and rehabilitate the marina’s original 1975 docks. After a brief closure for construction, the marina has reopened to transient and long-term boaters.

“As one of the only places to recreate on water in Whitman County, Boyer Park & Marina is critical to our quality of life and economy on the Palouse. However, the park’s original docks – constructed in 1975 – had reached the end of their useful life. The Port continually heard from marina customers and constituents that secure and safe docks should be the highest priority for future Port investment,” Port Commission President Karl Webber said. “Today’s modernized marina is the result of two decades’ work on the part of many Port Commissioners and staff, past and present. Our thanks go to the Recreation and Conservation Board for funding this project, our state representatives for their support, our park concessionaires for their management and all of the marina customers for their patience during the construction period.”

The Port contracted with Northbank Civil & Marine to replace a fuel dock, finger dock and straight dock with new aluminum and fiberglass docks and rehabilitate four remaining docks to extend their useful life. In addition, the Port added a navigation light to the marina for improved nighttime boater safety and installed a vault toilet near the boat launch that will be open year-round.

Improvement of Boyer Park & Marina’s original 1975 docks has been listed in the Port’s plans for more than two decades. The project was funded by a $1 million grant from the Washington Recreation and Conservation Board and $5 million in matching funds from the Port of Whitman County.

Members of the public are invited to a ribbon cutting and celebration of the marina’s completion 10 a.m. Saturday, June 10, at Boyer Park & Marina, 1753 Granite Rd., in Colfax. The event precedes the Port’s annual Snake River Family Festival, which will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the park. The festival will feature free food, live music, river-related exhibits and more. The event is always free and open to the public.

The Port of Whitman County maintains Boyer Park & Marina as a free day-use facility on a long-term lease from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. In addition to the marina, the 140-acre park features a sandy swimming beach, playground, paved pedestrian and bike trail, riverfront restaurant and more. Overnight accommodations are also available through the Boyer Park KOA. They include 61 RV sites, four camping cabins, three tent sites and a four-room motel. For more information about Boyer Park & Marina, please visit the Port’s webpage or the KOA’s website.

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About the Port of Whitman County

The Port of Whitman County is dedicated to improving the quality of life for all citizens of Whitman County through industrial real estate development, preservation of multi-modal transportation, facilitation of economic development and provision of on-water recreational opportunities.