By Teresa Chanes, Executive Director, Ellensburg Downtown Association

Before moving to Ellensburg, I don’t think I really knew what community meant.

Of course, I knew the word. I had friends, family, coworkers, and places I had called home. But I don’t think I had ever experienced what it feels like to live somewhere where people are so deeply connected to the place they live and to each other.

I came to Ellensburg in 2021 knowing almost no one. I was new to town, starting a new chapter of my life, and had no idea how much this community would eventually become part of who I am. Five years later, I’m raising my family here. I’ve built friendships, a career, and a life here. But more than anything, I’ve found a sense of community I didn’t know I was missing.

A lot of that has happened through downtown. Through my work with the Ellensburg Downtown Association, I’ve had the opportunity to work alongside people who genuinely care about making this place better. Our board and committee members bring their time, ideas, and different perspectives to the table because they believe in downtown and in this community.

But the work doesn’t stop with our organization. One of the things I am most proud of in Ellensburg is the way people and organizations work together. The City of Ellensburg, Central Washington University, the Kittitas County Chamber of Commerce, Gallery One, the Ellensburg Rodeo, local businesses, property owners, nonprofits, and community members all have different roles, but again and again, we find ways to come together around a shared goal. There isn’t one organization responsible for making Ellensburg what it is. We make it together.

That collaboration is behind so much of what you see downtown, from public art and events to historic preservation, business support, and investments in our public spaces. But I think the relationships built through that work are just as important as the projects themselves.

This October, Ellensburg has the opportunity to host the PLACES Conference and welcome people from communities across Washington into ours. I’m excited to show off our downtown, but I’m even more excited for people to experience the community behind it. I hope they meet the people who care deeply about this place, see the partnerships that make our work possible, and feel the sense of connection that made Ellensburg home for me.

When I arrived in 2021, I didn’t have roots here. This community gave me a place to put down my own. I’ve started my family here, but I’ve also built a community around us. Five years ago, I don’t think I could have told you what community really felt like. Now I can. It feels like Ellensburg.

And this October, I can’t wait to share it.

All photos courtesy of the Ellensburg Downtown Association.