A bid for Olson's Resort in Sekiu in has been received by a buyer who wants to raze the resort and put in condominiums. The state is now also interested in acquiring it. Efforts are being made to preserve public fishing access. Details can be found in today's Peninsula Daily News, which can be Googled.

Westender

Olson's has been for sale for more than twenty years so, yeah, I'd say he's in "no rush" to sell.

I wouldnt mind someone buying it and upgrading the motel. But I dont think there is any immediate threat:



Owners of 70-year-old resort hope to preserve it for public


By Jim Casey, Peninsula Daily News


SEKIU - On a clear day, you can see all the way to 1936.

That's when Arlen Olson's father, Alvin, built his namesake resort for sport fisherfolk on the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

Now Olson, at 73, has received a bid from a buyer who would raze it for condominiums, but he's not rising to the offer like a salmon to a herring.

He wants to preserve public access to its beach and boat launch.

Olson's wish captured the attention of Mike Doherty, Clallam County's West End commissioner who has clout with Gov. Chris Gregoire.

Doherty, D-Port Angeles, wrote to Gregoire and to the 24th District's legislators outlining Arlen and Donalyn's dilemma.

"The Olsons face a difficult decision," Doherty told Reps. Lynn Kessler, D-Hoquiam, and Kevin Van De Wege, D-Sequim, and Sen. Jim Hargrove.

"After family operation for over 70 years . . . they must sell their beloved resort. Risk in a sale is that the majority of sport and commercial fishers use the resort's boat launch and marina to access . . . one of the state's most significant saltwater fisheries."

Closing its public access "would spell disaster to the remaining small resorts and other businesses in the Clallam Bay/Sekiu area," Doherty wrote.

No rush to sell
Arlen Olson last week said he's in no rush to sell, especially not with a salmon-fishing season starting next month.

"We'd as soon be here all summer," he said. "We have reservations. You can't just walk away."

Moreover, Olson doesn't want to walk away from the people who kept his family in business for seven decades.

"The sport fishermen are the ones who built this resort," he said.

"I'm trying to keep it for sport fishermen."

Olson isn't sure that the buyers would close the boat ramp and beach - and he doesn't want to take that chance.

"I'm just trying to make sure that doesn't happen," he said.

Donalyn Olson echoed her husband.

"The sportsmen kept us alive all these years," she said.

"Some of the places around here [including the Silver King Resort and Herb's Motel] have been sold to private parties, and that shuts it down to the public."



'Disastrous' impact
Shutting down is something Clallam Bay/Sekiu knows all too well. The Strait-side hamlets have watched their branch bank and grocery disappear.

Bill Drath, head of Clallam Bay-Sekiu Chamber of Commerce, said closing the resort would be "disastrous to the community."

"Olson's Resort has a large percentage of the beds available in the area," he told Peninsula Daily News.

"Not only would jobs be lost at the resort, but all the support industries would be affected as well. The Clallam Bay-Sekiu area needs all the jobs it can get."

The save-the-resort idea resonated in Olympia.

Doherty's letter to legislators sparked an almost immediate meeting among several state agencies Tuesday.

Brent Bahrenburg, a project development specialist with the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development, called it "just a preliminary meeting" - where agencies agreed to meet again in two or three weeks, possibly at the resort.

Besides the state, Bahrenburg said "players" in the issue include Clallam County's Economic Development Council, the Port of Port Angeles and at least two conservancy groups.

'Bedroom' for new park
At Washington State Parks, planner Peter Herzog said Olson's Resort intrigues officials who are developing the nearby Hoko River State Park.

"We have a park in the early stages of planning," Herzog said, and the resort's 45 units might serve as its "bedroom."

Doherty's simultaneous plea to several state agencies also weighed in the resort's favor, Herzog said.

"It might not trip the trigger of each individual agency," he said, "but together there might be some sense in all of this."

Doherty's letter speaks of bald eagles and marbled murrelets, boating and kayaking, hiking and just soaking in the view.

"It is my hope that we can give the Olsons an idea of whether the state is a potential viable purchaser within 60 days," he wrote.

Meanwhile, people from Sekiu to Olympia are hitching up their hopes and trying to be optimistic.

"There have been literally generations of individuals who grew up fishing the Northwest Coast at Olson's Resort," said Drath.

"Hopefully this tradition will continue."

But Bahrenburg cautioned, "I wish I had a crystal ball and I wish could say we have all the money in the world, but we don't."

Donalyn Olson said, "At this point in time, it's hard to say too much. It's hard to say too little. It's hard to say anything else.

"We don't want Sekiu shut down. We're going to do what we can do."

________
Reporter Jim Casey can be reached at 360-417-3538 or at jim.casey@peninsuladailynews.com.

What about the idea of having a sportsmans group like Puget Sound Anglers get some money togather to buy it? That is sort of an "everyman" fishery.

All of the profits could go to fighting the stinking nets.

I hate to see it go. My dad began fishing there in the early 40s. Some of my earliest memories are of walking down the docks in a fog of gasoline engines, from lapstrake wooden boats, many with single engine inboards.

I'm told I went "fishing" ther in 1946 while still in diapers. I have fished there almost every year since.

Dave, you were still in diapers at age 18?

Nookie: yeah, i was and now I'm looking that way again soon. (;-)

Older gentlemen such as Dave are referred to as "spry"

I wonder if the hits on Salmon fishing the sportsman have taken in the last 20 years if anyone could make a go at that resort and still turn a profit? With the state closing parks because of budget problems is this something they really want to do?

"Goinfishin" where would PSA members come up with that kind of $$. I'll chip in $25 if that would help and I've never fished there(but want to).

I quit fishing out of Olson's many years ago and strictly use Van Ripers. If it wasn't for the only on the water gas I'd never pay Olson's a visit. I'm thinking if the state steps in it will still be condos but also a public boat launch/moorage. Condo's will be the beginning of the end to Sekiu as we know it. I can see it now, a bunch of fat old men in burmuda shorts, black socks and sandals and 50 foot yachts taking up all of the moorage. And I guess some with diapers, Dave, or are they called Depends at that age?

Olson's blows anyway!

If Van Riper's ramp was usable at minus tides... I'd NEVER go there again!

Fish Whisperer......I doubt it very seriously. It's presently viable because the overhead is low, which would not be the case if it was sold and there was a huge mortage and the associated taxes to shoulder.

Progress sucks and money talks...if you were selling what would you do? I'd get top dollar and move somewhere other than Sekiu...might go looking for some sunshine fishing.

Owner says he's concerned about the public's use of the area...we'll see when the money starts flowing.

Well I guess that depends.

Well I guess that depends.

Dave your getting hung up on these "DEPENDS".

My dad was born and raised in Sekiu and was a good friend of the Olsen's. We moved to Seattle because Dad could not make a living out there and when the WDF started screwing around with the seasons that pretty much wipped out Sekiu in the early late 70's and early 80's.
Olsens owns the place and can afford to run it, anyone paying the prices would go down in flames as it would cost to much to run it if you did not already own the land and business free and clear.
Same thing happened at Curlys and Van Ripers.
The State would screw you 2 out of 3 years and you cannot run a business with a bunch of idiots controling your seasons.

Good Gawd, Maybe Jack Nichols will design an 18 hole golf course
there too! Nothing is safe from f'ing greedy developers!
Chrome

If it is going to be saved it will probably have to be with a combination of condominiums or building sites with a boathouse open to the public. Thats just what makes financial sense. The owners have a right to make their retirement and as such it would be hard to make a profit without looking at alternative uses. I thought before it would be great it they sold small lots of 5000 sq ft or so above the resort. This would mean you could build a small cabin or campsite and could leave your boat there for extended periods. The resort would in turn make more money in the long run from a more solid cliental base. It may change the look, but in the long run could benefit everyone. The secret would be finding a good water source and dealing with septic and storm water.