No Grant $ for the Madrone project

[elaine]

We just found out that the Madrone will not be receiving a matching grant through Oregon State Parks-Local Government Grant Program. This matching grant would have been an additional $100,000 on top of the $100K that the County had budgeted for the construction costs to start the improvements out at the site.

This matching grant program was something that Clackamas County had to apply for since they have larger sums of money. The MWPC could not apply for this grant since the we are not a "local government."

 

The Clackamas County Parks Board had also discussed ( and I mentioned this in my last update in June), that the $100K that Clackamas County had budgeted COULD go to other park projects.

 

What does this mean? This means that the chances of this site becoming a park in the near future ( one year from now) would be put on the backburner, and who knows how much longer it could take because of the lack of funding. If you're asking about the Access Fund, they only give grants up to $10,000 per year, which won't do much for the amount it will cost for the construction of the road in and parking area. If Clackamas County does not invest any money at this site, we won't be able to apply for an AF grant anyways.

 

If you care to share your input with Clackamas County Commissioners, please include in your letter to be creative with the $100K they did budget and NOT spend it on other park projects. Also, to be creative and work with the Oregon National Guard to see how much work they can get done with the $100K. You can also include that the Boring Station/ Springwater Corridor project DOES have access, but after 12 years, the publicly owned Madrone Wall site remains closed. You can read a letter I wrote that says similar things in this forum under the June 2009 update.

You can e-mail them at:

bcc@co.clackamas.or.us - general e-mail

lynnpet@co.clackamas.or.us - Lynn Peterson, Chair

baustin@co.clackamas.or.us - Bob Austin

alininger@co.clackamas.or.us - Ann Lininger

clehan@co.clackamas.or.us - Charlotte Lehan

jbernard@co.clackamas.or.us - Jim Bernard

 

Edited July 7, 2009 by elaine

[kevbone]

Why does the site need improvement?

[elaine]

It will need a parking area, restroom, and a road in for emergency vehicles. The trail development is an extra based on the master plan for the site. Clackamas County cannot have a park without including those top 3 needs I mentioned above.

 

It is actually illegal ( an dangerous along this stretch) to park along Hwy 224. People do it anyways for river access, but again, Clackamas County would not create an official park and not have adequate parking for park users.

 

This info as to the "why" has all been posted in this forum, and has been communicated at many of the public meetings, fundraisers, and on our snail mail list.

 

Thanks for asking, Kevin

[Off_White]

Maybe we need Pink to come out and hang a banner on that wall. After 12 years do you still have patience and belief in the public process?

[letsroll]

anybody up for some cragging. Kidding, well only half

 

elaine, thanks for all the work you have done to try and get this done.

Edited July 7, 2009 by letsroll

[elaine]

Off_White

 

It was in January of 2006 when the County Commissioners stated that:

1) This site will not be sold for quarrying or private development,

2)This site will be put into the inventory of land for future park space, and

3) To ask their Parks Board to move forward and develop a parks master plan.

 

Up until 2006? There were still plans for the County to quarry the site, or sell it off to a private quarry operation or housing developer. So, yes, it has been closed for 12 years, but has only been actually preserved for 3.5 years.

 

My faith in the public process? It was because of the hundreds of people who wrote, called, e-mailed, and attended public meetings that got this place preserved in the first place between the 2004 and January 2006 timeframe. I actually spent several hours in the 4 climbing gyms here in P-town ( and before the Circuit opened)asking people to sign petition letters.

 

Obviously a bigger fight took place before 2004 to actually stop the initial quarrying plans back in 1997 when it closed. The real reason for the closure of the site in '97 was because the County was just a few months away from opening it back up for quarrying. The County will tell the public that it was because of liability, but the MWPC at that time filed a FOIA and came upon the actual quarry plans.

 

My faith in the County is far less, but they did spend $80,000 on a parks master plan in conjunction with Alta Planning and Design. The initial investment in creating that plan at least showed some progress in moving forward. You can view that plan at www.madronewall.com. or at savemadrone.org

 

Why $80K? It's part of Metro's money from the recent bond, and our taxpayer dollars, so ask the County why it costed $80K. You have the contact info.

[elaine]

The Parks Advisory Board met on Tuesday and agreed to keep the initial investment of $100K for the Madrone, and not allocate those funds to another park project.

 

If you wrote a letter or e-mail, Thank you. It worked. The Park Staff actually commented on how many letters they received in regards to this one issue, and our call to action.

 

Please continue to send your comments in, and more information will be available in the coming months about moving forward with construction at the site.

 

We're not sure how much $100K will do for improvements at the site, but it's a starting point and our group can now apply for Access Fund grants, and fundraise specifically for construction costs and materials.

 

Thanks!

[billcoe]

That's awesome news Elaine! I'll get a letter out in the next few days. Highly recommend all of us, but especially Clackamas county residents, do the same for sure. The finish line is in sight, lets keep it up!!!!

 

Thank you and Keith again for all the hard work you've been putting into this.