*********************************************************** * ACTION ALERT - NATURIST ACTION COMMITTEE * *********************************************************** * Bob Morton, NAC Chairman/Exec Dir: ctnudists@aol.com * * Mark Storey, NAC Bd Member: storey@aa.net * * Scootch Pankonin, Gov't Affairs: scootchdc@aol.com * * Dennis Kirkpatrick, Online Rep: nat@tiac.net * *********************************************************** * www.naturistsociety.com/NAC *********************************************************** DATE: August 8, 2000 SUBJECT: SPOKANE, WA - CHALLENGE / OPPORTUNITY AT PEOPLE'S PARK To all naturists: Select members of the Spokane, Washington City Council are stepping up efforts to close People's Park (aka: Latah Creek) to nude use. A portion of People's Park has enjoyed continued nude use since the 1974 Expo fair brought visitors to this beautiful eastern Washington location. Over the years the naturists who used People's Park for sunbathing, swimming, volleyball and picnics had developed a good relationship with the local police. When the police arrived to patrol the area the naturists would respectfully get dressed and the officers would look around for people who were truly causing trouble. The few problems associated with the site were known by both the naturists and police to be due to transients setting up illegal campsites, gawkers drinking illegally at the City Park or, more recently, sexual misbehavior by a few non-naturists. Earlier this spring Spokane City Council member Steve Eugster became embroiled in a dispute over use of City Park lands and decided that the way to resolve the peripheral problems was to get rid of the nude sunbathers at People's Park. Although NAC board member Mark Storey visited People's Park in 1998 to encourage the development of a local naturist users group, no one at that time was interested in forming one. Locals perceived no serious threat to nude use at the creek, and most regular users felt their relationship with the police would continue amicably. This spring, however, Eugster's pressured Police Chief Roger Bragdon to enforce the law against public nudity. The police then began citing naturists for sunbathing at People's Park. In May 2000, NAC issued both a NAC Advisory and a NAC Alert on the situation. The latter called for letters and emails to be sent to the Spokane City Council members asking that the City show toleration for the traditional nude use at People's Park. Since then a selection of naturist users of the site have formed a loosely knit support group called People's Park Nudists, have met to discuss local strategy for preserving nude use of the site, and have developed a web site to help inform others of the issues surrounding nude use of People's Park (see http://cg.zip2.com/Spokane/Groups-peoplespark). Martin Taylor and others involved are to be applauded for their efforts at finally organizing a group to support and defend naturist use at People's Park. According to Taylor, the May NAC Alert resulted in getting the police to back off temporarily. However, Council member Steve Eugster has not given up. Eugster made a trip to People's Park last week and claimed to have found naked sunbathers. According to Taylor, "[H]e told other council members he was shocked to find that the park was still being used for nude recreation.... He told the members that it is either time to get rid of the nudists once and for all, or look at officially designating the park as clothing optional." The City Council's liaison to the Park Board reported that Eugster would approach the Board about taking one of three courses of action: (1) work with the police to get rid of the naturists, (2) officially designating the site for clothing-optional use, or (3) lease a portion of the park for nude use. Taylor reports that People's Park Nudists will be delivering signed petitions from local naturists encouraging the Park board and City Council to designate as clothing-optional the portion of People's Park that has enjoyed nearly three decades of traditional nude use (i.e., where Latah Creek flows into the Spokane River). NAC strongly encourages naturists across North America email or phone two key people in this regard. Please do so TODAY. Please direct your messages to: Michael Stone, Acting Director, Spokane Parks and Recreation Mstone@spokanecity.org (509) 625-6453 Steve Corker, City Councilman, City Liaison to Parks Board Scorker@spokanecity.org (509) 625-6255 Please be polite in your messages. We wish to show the Spokane City Council and Parks Board that naturists are valued visitors to their Park. If you have been to People's Park, you can briefly describe your pleasant experiences there. If you have not had the pleasure of visiting this fine site, you can express your desire to enjoy it as hundreds of other naturists have done. Martin Taylor advises us, however, that our messages must be sent immediately for them to have an effect on the upcoming City Council meeting. The Naturist Action Committee is the political action arm of The Naturist Society. Its volunteer members work to advance and protect the rights of Naturists throughout North America. NAC has no membership roster on which to assess dues. NAC relies on the generous financial contributions of involved Naturists like you. After you make your contact with the Spokane officials, won't you please take a moment to send a donation to NAC? NAC P.O. Box 132 Oshkosh, WI 54903 If you prefer to use your MasterCard or Visa, call (920) 426-5009 during regular business hours. Thank you for choosing to make a difference. Naturally, Mark Storey Board Member Naturist Action Committee www.naturistsociety.com/NAC