URGENT REQUEST FOR PUBLIC INPUT/MADRONE WALL

[John Frieh]

I tried to post this in the access issue section but got the "a moderator is looking you post over" response... that was days ago (if a mod wants to move this cool).

 

As input can't wait I am posting this here... please please please take 5 minutes out of your spray time and use the prepared attached letters (Word or PDF) and fire one off. Even if you are a WA kid... Madrone is an excellent place that you will likely climb at some day. Feel free to copy and email to others. Thanks for your help!

 

AN OPEN LETTER:  URGENT REQUEST FOR PUBLIC INPUT/MADRONE WALL:

 

I was asked by Bob McGown, Chair of the American Alpine Club - Oregon Section, to prepare a sample letter that people could use as a template to provide their own input to the Clackamas County Board of Commissioners regarding their upcoming decision on the future of the Madrone Wall.  Please see that which I have attached (along with an advertisement that we will are preparing to run in several newspapers).  I ask you to forward this sample letter on to those on your email lists, your friends, family - whoever may write or email the Commissioners.

 

The Commissioners are deliberating the future of this amazing civic treasure and are scheduled to make a decision later this fall on the future use.  Now is the time to make your voice heard.  Even with all the good will and activity generated in the last six months to elevate the awareness, to date, only a few dozen people have written or emailed the Commissioners.  Because so many are so interested in preserving this site and would like to visit it again, I believe that we, as a community, can offer much more constructive input to the Commissioners.  Please take a moment to write your own letter or simply modify the sample letter I've provided and send or email it to the Commissioners and help us save this treasure for all time.  Thank you.

 

Keith K. Daellenbach (503/691-4102)

Secretary/Treasurer, Director

Madrone Wall Preservation Committee

5815 N.E. 31st Avenue

Portland, Oregon  97211

www.savemadrone.org

473429-063005samplelettertoBOC.doc

[ivan]

not hard to do - just use the attached letter and insert a few witty profane statements to insure the powers that be notice you

 

so how good is madrone wall anyway? yet another place i'm gonna feel like a shit climber at?

[Wasabi_Joe]

Done

[Drederek]

Climbed there once late 90's. Very solid and decently rated. If I lived nearer to Portland I'd go there at least once a month. I think its south or southeast facing so it must be climbable yearround. Around 100 routes. A cliff worthy of a little effort by anyone who climbs rock IMAO

[rbw1966]

Its like Broughtons with shorter, single pitch stuff. I think there is more like 50 routes but they are south facing and even when its wet elsewhere quite a few of the routes remain dry.

[billcoe]

so how good is madrone wall anyway? yet another place i'm gonna feel like a shit climber at?

 

Probably!

 

 

Pretty good place to get a workout, definatly worth the time to send a letter to save - nice combo of mixed bolted some trad climbs: like Rob says, it stays dry. Real nice place to hang for an afternoon or a day.

 

I'll send a note: thanks Nolse and Keith for the work on all of our behalf.

[Dr_Crash]

Change the letter somewhat before sending it, or write your own. Sending the sample letter as is is not as effective.

 

drC

[billcoe]

Here is the thing in it's entirety as Nolse wrote it in case you don't have Word and can't transcribe it. Very well done Nolse.

 

Do like Ivan says, toss in an expletive and switch a couple of sentences around and you're gold.

 

SAMPLE LETTER TO BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS/MADRONE WALL

 

 

Name

Street Address

City, State Zip

 

Date

 

 

 

 

Clackamas County Board of Commissioners

Commissioner Bill Kennemer

Commissioner Martha Schrader

Commissioner Larry Sowa

2051 Kaen Road

Oregon City, Oregon 97045

bcc@co.clackamas.or.us

 

Re: Preservation of and Access to Publicly-Owned Madrone Wall

 

Dear Board of Commissioners:

 

I understand you are soliciting public input for your upcoming decision regarding the future of the Madrone Wall, an amazing civic treasure located just east of Carver near the Clackamas River. This beautiful site, located in the geologically important Clackamas Bluffs, offers beautiful views over the lower Clackamas River Basin. It has an unparalleled diversity of wildflowers, old growth Douglas fir, Pacific madrone, and wetland bogs. Ground water emanating from its headland supports endangered salmon and nearby residents and there are vast, untapped outdoor educational opportunities. The site offers superb recreation for hiking, rock climbing, horseback riding, picnicking, and wildlife and wildflower viewing that citizens of all ages can enjoy. Within this increasingly urbanized and park-barren area of Damascus, we need more open space, not less, to reconnect with the natural world that makes Oregon so unique.

 

It is because of this diversity of geography and potential use that makes it a rich treasure without equal anywhere in the northern Willamette Valley and if destroyed it will be surely gone forever to the regret of future generations. This treasure must not be destroyed as an environmentally ruinous open pit quarry and it must not be auctioned to the highest bidder and transferred out of the public trust for a future trophy housing development. After nearly a decade of deliberation, I urge you, as ultimate stewards of the County's natural heritage, to seize this opportunity to preserve this public treasure, which would require no money to acquire, for all time as a park that all can access and enjoy. Thank you.

 

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Name

 

_____________________________________________--

 

or call them up:

 

Contact the Commissioners

 

Phone: (503) 655-8581

Fax: (503) 742-5919

Address: 2051 Kaen Road

Oregon City, OR 97045