The Wahkiakum County Eagle - Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891

To The Eagle:

The 14 year old boy looked up from his mowing at the rumble of four large campers making their way toward the park office. As he killed the engine on the mower to dump the clippings, he heard boisterous greetings, those usually reserved for good friends and family not seen in awhile, echoing in the distance. The park manager asked one camper if the knee he hurt last spring is feeling any better, to which the camper replied, “It's fine after three cocktails.” Laughter fills the air between inquiries into how the daughter’s softball team is doing and if the Mariners will ever win the AL West. As the caravan begins to pull away toward recreational bliss for the weekend, the park manager tells them their usual spot is ready for them. The wife of the first camper leans out the window and yells, “Good, then I didn’t bake my special rhubarb pie for you for nothing, Steve!” The manager laughs and says he’ll be over to check them in later that evening, probably right around dinner time.

To many this scene may seem like nothing, a blip in time in the life of a sleepy town somewhere a few miles from nowhere. The fact that the manager knew every one of their names is not inconsequential as to why they chose this small park for their vacation the last seven years. The reasons behind their annual pilgrimage to BFE are the same reasons why every week during the summer this scene replays itself countless times. These people come back not only for the beauty of the park, the surrounding scenery, or the fact they can just get away from it all out here. These people come back because they feel welcome, like family here, and you just can’t get that from scenery alone.

Having witnessed firsthand for years the hard work, dedication and love Steve McClain has for Vista Park, it was with great surprise I heard the news of his dismissal. I may live in Seattle but Skamokawa will always be home, and Steve McClain is and will always be Vista Park. In the 20 years since that 14 year old learned what being a good host and manager was all about, I’ve worked for both state and local parks and currently run operations for a municipality with almost 30 parks and control a budget of a few million. Providing the framework so people can recreate and enjoy the outdoors, go camping or just have a picnic with the family on a beautiful day is what we do. It’s the park professionals who connect and relate to the users themselves that make just another weekend camping at a nice park into something more, something memorable. Steve has done that since the inception of that park for thousands upon thousands of visitors. His contributions to not only the park but the community cannot be overstated. Most of us work eight hour days, but Steve lived the job 24/7 for three decades and helped put Skamokawa on the map.

If you walk the beach on a still morning as the fog hangs thick on the water, stop for a moment to listen. You just may feel or hear a sadness in the breeze. This is the sound of the park mourning the loss of its son, friend and companion all these years. If you think Steve can just be replaced, think again. Park men like that don’t come around very often, and many of his skills just can’t be learned from a book. In a time where the economy is down, and a town where visitors and their dollars mean more now than ever before, one thing is for sure.

Steve McClain kept them coming back.

Adam Fletcher

Seattle