Carlisle Lake, also known as the Onalaska mill pond, is dominated by the giant smokestack from the former Carlisle lumber mill. The lake is now under new ownership.
The nonprofit Onalaska Alliance recently took ownership of Carlisle Lake and its surrounding property, and has plans to provide new recreational, educational and historical opportunities for the community.
“We saw huge potential in the Carlisle Lake site,” Onalaska Alliance member Pete Murphy said. “(Taking over the property) puts us on a whole new level.”
The previous owners, the Southwest Washington Development Association, donated the 72-acre property to the Onalaska Alliance, according to Lewis County Auditor records.
“We didn’t really pay anything for the property,” Murphy said.
Although, Murphy said, the grass-roots organization paid the county $11,000 up front to cover outstanding tax debt from the former owner.
Southwest Washington Development Association sold the mill pond to Carlisle Lake Incorporated in April 2004 and later bought it back in May 2005, auditor records showed.
The property’s current assessed value is $199,700.
“We really want to clean up the site and have a more hands on way of managing it,” Murphy said.
Murphy said the next step is to solidify a partnership with Onalaska public schools and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, which manages the lake as a public fishery.
Murphy said the Onalaska Alliance, which started in 2009, hopes to use Carlisle Lake for more outdoor classroom opportunities for Onalaska students and the Chehalis Basin Education Consortium.
The community service group also plans to dedicate part of the site to the Carlisle family.
More long-term goals include developing trails, upgrading the parking lot, adding fishing docks and offering more handicap-accessible options.
In celebration of the new ownership, Murphy said a bonfire and ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled at the lake on July 28 at 7 p.m.
The bonfire and ribbon-cutting idea came from Puyallup resident Mary Wisner, an Onalaska High School alumnus, who is helping put together the Onalaska all-class reunion July 29.
The Onalaska Alliance meets on the first Tuesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. in the Onalaska Youth Center. The alliance is made up of 12 board members and is always looking for volunteers to help with community events such as the Apple Harvest Festival, the Easter egg hunt and other projects.
