Other News
Apr 25, 2025: New Daily Service Schedule, Growing Ridership & Other Insights on County’s Pilot Transport Services
Apr 24, 2025: Building and Land Use Permits, Long-Range Planning Projects, & Staff Recruitments: DCD Leadership Provides Spring Update
Apr 4, 2025: 2025 Comp Plan Update: Transportation Element, Plan Intro, & Administration Piece Ready for Review
Mar 19, 2025: San Juan County Establishes Interim Inter-Island Transportation Services as RFP Process Continues
Mar 7, 2025: 2025 Comp Plan Update: Climate Element and Draft Official Map Amendments Available for Review
Mar 6, 2025: Governor Ferguson announces plan to restore Washington State Ferries to full service by this summer
Mar 4, 2025: Public Meeting: Land Bank Using Prescribed Fires to Manage Wildfire Risks & Restore Ecosystems
Feb 19, 2025: San Juan County Seeks Proposals from Transportation Service Providers for Pilot Project
Feb 12, 2025: Call for Candidates: Three-Day Special Filing Period for Lopez Metropolitan Park District Commissioners
Jan 19, 2025: Four districts, six unions, three PTAs, and county leadership all agree: legislators must take action to fully fund education no
Dec 19, 2024: San Juan County Parks and Fair Announces New Camping Software; Delaying Reservation Availability
Dec 10, 2024: County Council Considers Extending Agreement with Lopez Solid Waste to Allow for More Collaboration
Dec 5, 2024: San Juan County to Consider Updated Interlocal Agreement with Lopez Solid Waste Disposal District
Dec 2, 2024: San Juan County Council Sets Public Hearing for Cultural Access Sales Tax at Dec. 10 Meeting
Nov 25, 2024: San Juan County Celebrates Completion of Lopez Skate Park and Calls for Inaugural Skaters
Nov 7, 2024: How Has Extreme Weather Impacted You? Participate in the County’s Climate Resilience Planning Effort
Nov 1, 2024: UPDATE: Sea Wall Repairs Temporarily Close MacKaye Harbor Dock and Boat Ramp on Lopez Island
Oct 22, 2024: DRAFT North Shore Preserve Stewardship and Management Plan Now Open for Public Comment
Oct 21, 2024: Reminder: You’re Invited to Attend Open Houses for the 2025 Comp Plan Update This Fall
Oct 1, 2024: LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF THE SAN JUANS SPONSORS OCTOBER COUNTY COUNCIL VOTER FORUMS ON SJI, ORCAS, AND LOPEZ
Sep 24, 2024: County Hosts Community Meeting on Lopez Island to Discuss Public Safety during Hunting Season
Sep 24, 2024: SJC Reviews Shoreline Habitat & Infrastructure Adaptation Strategies in the face of Sea Level Rise
Sep 23, 2024: DRAFT Watmough Bay Preserve Stewardship and Management Plan Now Open for Public Comment
Aug 29, 2024: San Juan County’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging Survey Sets Baseline for Ongoing Change
Aug 27, 2024: 2024 San Juan County WSU Master Gardeners Gardening Workshop Series, October 15-24, 2024
Aug 27, 2024: County Representatives Discuss Solutions to Ferry Service Disruptions with Governor Inslee
Aug 21, 2024: County Council’s Request to Governor for Relief from Ferry Service Disruptions Not Fulfilled
Aug 20, 2024: San Juan County Certifies Primary Election Results & Celebrates Highest Primary Turnout in Years
Aug 13, 2024: WSF Commits Additional Crews to Interisland Route to Ensure Service During County Fair Week
Aug 13, 2024: Ferry Data from Staff and Local Partners Shapes Council Request for ‘Executive Relief’ From WA State
Aug 5, 2024: The Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival returns to Lopez for its 27th Summer Concert Season
May 2, 2024: WA State Governor and Assistant Secretary of WSF Talk Ferry Service & Solar Power with SJC Officials
Apr 11, 2024: Community Meeting: Sea Level Rise Adaptation for Outer Bay and Agate Beach Areas on Lopez Island
Mar 11, 2024: Queers in Unexpected Places: Searching for (and Finding) Gender and Sexual Non-Conformity in the Rural and Early PNW
Mar 7, 2024: DRAFT Richardson Marsh Preserve Stewardship and Management Plan Now Open for Public Comment
Dec 5, 2023: County Council Member Jane Fuller and Senator Liz Lovelett to Host Public Meeting on Lopez
Nov 3, 2023: County and Town Send Open Letter to State Officials Regarding Impacts of Poor Ferry Service
Sep 29, 2023: Conservation Land Bank Announces Special Meeting to Discuss Watmough Bay Preserve Addition
Sep 14, 2023: The mobile dental van is coming to Lopez! // ¡La camioneta dental móvil ya llega a López!
Aug 22, 2023: San Juan County Adopts 32-Hour Work Week in the Name of Fiscal Health, Recruitment, and Islander Wellness
May 25, 2023: Recap of Lopez Neighborhood Meeting Regarding the Relocation of Public Works Facilities
May 23, 2023: District 3 Councilmember Jane Fuller Opens Office on Lopez and Hosts Community Conversation
Apr 17, 2023: Give Lopez Starts April 17th - A two week fundraiser benefiting 15 Lopez Island Non-Profits
Sep 22, 2022: Interim Watmough Preserve Addition Stewardship and Management Plan Now Open for Public Comment
FLIP's Path Toward Swim Center Construction
Sep 20, 2021
By Friends of Lopez Island Pool
With the recent selection of construction project manager/owner’s representative Dana Warren of Warren Company, Friends of Lopez Island Pool (FLIP) is finalizing plans for building the Swim Center.
Warren will oversee the pre-construction and construction phases to ensure this major community project stays on time and on budget.
Warren’s expertise in commercial project management includes building recreational facilities and private schools in the greater Seattle area. He also has experience with capital campaigns, which makes working with nonprofit FLIP a natural pairing. He’ll collaborate with respected Lopez architects Lois and Bob Wardell, who have been ardent Swim Center supporters. The Wardells’ architectural and engineering focus for the Center was keeping operation and maintenance costs low, ensuring that the Swim Center remains financially and environmentally sustainable over the long term.
“We’re proud to be at this pivotal moment and collaborating with Dana to move the project forward,†says Lois Wardell, principal at Wardell Architects. “With his expertise, we’ll be well-positioned to get the construction phase of the project launched.â€
FLIP has made significant progress on the project and fundraising.

From the project side, FLIP is essentially shovel-ready! FLIP has received preliminary approval for 11 of the 13 reviews required for the San Juan County Building Permit to be issued. The Water System review is pending final state approval for the Group A water system, which will be shared with the School District and neighbors - a win-win for the community. FLIP has already secured a donation of 2.5 acres for the site, and has completed a site feasibility study and all project planning, facility design, and development. Construction plans, as well as mechanical and electrical engineering, are finished, and the site preparation is complete.
Thanks to generous donors, FLIP is now 73% toward its capital campaign goal, with more than $5.84 million raised/committed. The Lopez community has driven this effort, with more than two-thirds of FLIP’s private funding coming from local Lopez addresses. This show of local support has already inspired nearly $2 million in state and county funding for the project and is stimulating new major gifts from families and foundations to help close the campaign.

Once funding and the building permit are secured, plans are to break ground as soon as spring 2022.
“It’s all coming together with the building permit expected this winter," says FLIP Executive Director Anne Marie MacPherson. "We aren’t done fundraising, and with project progress, a solid five-year business plan showing operational sustainability, and more than 1,000 donors from our community in place, major donors are being inspired to bring in the final dollars needed to conclude the campaign! This is so exciting!â€
Warren’s expertise in commercial project management includes building recreational facilities and private schools in the greater Seattle area. He also has experience with capital campaigns, which makes working with nonprofit FLIP a natural pairing. He’ll collaborate with respected Lopez architects Lois and Bob Wardell, who have been ardent Swim Center supporters. The Wardells’ architectural and engineering focus for the Center was keeping operation and maintenance costs low, ensuring that the Swim Center remains financially and environmentally sustainable over the long term.
“We’re proud to be at this pivotal moment and collaborating with Dana to move the project forward,†says Lois Wardell, principal at Wardell Architects. “With his expertise, we’ll be well-positioned to get the construction phase of the project launched.â€
FLIP has made significant progress on the project and fundraising.

From the project side, FLIP is essentially shovel-ready! FLIP has received preliminary approval for 11 of the 13 reviews required for the San Juan County Building Permit to be issued. The Water System review is pending final state approval for the Group A water system, which will be shared with the School District and neighbors - a win-win for the community. FLIP has already secured a donation of 2.5 acres for the site, and has completed a site feasibility study and all project planning, facility design, and development. Construction plans, as well as mechanical and electrical engineering, are finished, and the site preparation is complete.
Thanks to generous donors, FLIP is now 73% toward its capital campaign goal, with more than $5.84 million raised/committed. The Lopez community has driven this effort, with more than two-thirds of FLIP’s private funding coming from local Lopez addresses. This show of local support has already inspired nearly $2 million in state and county funding for the project and is stimulating new major gifts from families and foundations to help close the campaign.

Once funding and the building permit are secured, plans are to break ground as soon as spring 2022.
“It’s all coming together with the building permit expected this winter," says FLIP Executive Director Anne Marie MacPherson. "We aren’t done fundraising, and with project progress, a solid five-year business plan showing operational sustainability, and more than 1,000 donors from our community in place, major donors are being inspired to bring in the final dollars needed to conclude the campaign! This is so exciting!â€