The staff at Port Gamble and Olympic Property Group would like to thank everyone who visited us this past year, attended our annual festivals and shopped in the great businesses of Port Gamble.

The Port Gamble Bay Cleanup Project completed its work on the historic mill site and in Port Gamble Bay. Port Gamble Weddings hosted 72 weddings in 2017, making countless unforgettable memories for all in attendance. Annual festivals like Maritime Music Festival, Muddy Paws, Country Christmas, Summer Faire, and the Port Gamble Ghost Conference drew thousands in 2017.

Our calendar is already filling up with great events for 2018 and we look forward to the return Medieval Faire on Aug. 31 to Sept. 3. We are also excited about some music festivals coming to Port Gamble in summer 2018. Be sure to check out our online calendar at www.portgamble.com and follow us on Facebook (search Port Gamble, Washington) to keep up with us and all the events and happenings in 2018.

Port Gamble Bay cleanup project update

The Port Gamble Bay and Mill Site In-Water Cleanup has been completed by Pope Resources/OPG.

All the cleanup sediments and debris have been moved off the mill site; all creosote and more contaminated sediments have been sent to off-site secure landfills. The trucks, cranes, excavators, barges, flaggers and construction noise are done.

In summary:

• More than 110,000 cubic yards of wood waste and sediments removed.

• 200 tons of clean cap and habitat materials placed.

• 8,592 pilings removed.

• More than 106 acres cleaned up.

• The landfill construction at the Port Gamble Trailhead is complete and the Beaver Pond trail loop is open.

• Most of dredged sediments and wood waste from the cleanup (that tested with low levels of contaminants) were placed in the limited purpose landfill and covered with a 2-foot-thick clean sand cap to ensure protection.

• The trailhead parking remains closed to vehicles until grass is established.

Next: Now that the in-water cleanup has been successfully completed, the focus is completing the upland (land) cleanup. The upland portion of the site is generally located on the west shore of Port Gamble Bay, east of North Rainier Avenue in Port Gamble.

Here’s what has already happened in the uplands cleanup.

2001-03: Removal of historic landfills.

2002-05: Removal of 26,310 tons of contaminated soils from mill site.

2003-2016: Groundwater monitoring on mill site to verify protectiveness.

Next steps:

• Review of draft Agreed Order and Supplemental Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study.

• Additional soil testing on the mill site and adjacent uplands.

• Additional cleanup requirements for the uplands to be determined.

Resolved

What’s your New Year’s resolution? If your New Year’s resolution is to exercise more, get outdoors more, or to try new things, then Port Gamble would love to help you out with your resolution. In conjunction with Olympic Outdoor Center, Roots Rock Run, NW Epic Series, and Budu Racing, Port Gamble’s world-class trails system is sure to excite and challenge those looking for adventure in 2018.

With trail and bike races virtually every month from April through October, there is an adventure for everyone who accepts the challenge. We would also like to give recognition to all of the great volunteers who have helped make the Port Gamble Trails one of the most sought-after outdoor recreation spots in the Northwest.

If you’re interested in volunteering or fundraising, contact the North Kitsap Trails Association at www.northkitsaptrails.org or contact the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance at www.evergreenmtb.org. Thank you all for the countless volunteer hours and hard work.

2018 event calendar

Port Gamble is set for an exciting year of events — from Muddy Paws, Medieval Faire, Ghost Conference, Summer Faire, Country Christmas, to monthly trail activities. You can stay up to date with activities and happenings at Port Gamble by subscribing to the monthly Port Gamble e-newsletter. For information or to sign up for the e-newsletter, please contact the events office at 360-297-8074 or email portgamble@orminc.com. You can also find details at www.port gamble.com.

— Pete Orbea is weddings and events supervisor at Port Gamble. Contact him at porbea@orminc.com.