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Wednesday January 15 | Number 3, 136 years Lifestyle
Tourism continues to boost local economy Life in Cottage Grove
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JEREMY C. RUARK and summer tourism seasons, Wednesday 9, 2024 Number 39, 135bands years Cottage GroveOctober Sentinel Haskell| said requests from
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to appear at the annual Concert in the Park series are mounting and planning continues for other events, including a vintage car show presented by KNND Radio, Metro Creative Connection neighborhood walking tours, a Visitor spending at Cottage Grove’s local restaurants, lodging establishments, specialized growing display of historic mushops, and other businesses is up approximately 10% compared to the previous year, acrals, the Spirit of Bohemia Mining cording to Cottage Grove Chamber of Commerce Director Georgia Haskell. Days, and the W.O.E. Heritage Fair. “Our spring and summer seaCrews the smaller homeless sons are offbegan to thedeveloping races already,” camp site this week on the she said. “We are slammed in thevacant lot at 12th Street. summertime.” Haskell also noted new businesses opening in the city includJEREMY C. RUARK ing the Quarter Drop Arcade, a Cottage Grove Sentinel new deli and a new restaurant Oregon’s wildfire season is along Main Street in the city’s expected to continue through this Historic District. month, but the mental scares and impact of the season on the fireMAIN STREET fighters who battle blazes in Lane RECONSTRUCTION County and across the state, and their families, may last a lifetime, While Haskell said she remains according to Jeff Dill, the founder positive about the impact tourof Firefighter Behavioral Health ism is having on the city, she Alliance (FBHA). acknowledges that the planned Dill established the FBHA in multi-million-dollar Main Street 2010 following Hurricane Katrina. Redevelopment Project will be He was than a Battalion Chief challenging. for a fire department in northwest “We are not going to just close Chicago. up shop, that’s for sure,” she said. “I saw our brothers and sisters The project, expected to start in struggle from the devastation that February, is designed to renovate they saw, so I went back and got C. Ruark / Cottage Grove Sentinel PHOTO JEREMY C. RUARK / COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL Jeremy my degree and became a licensed the aging Main Street, including The Cottage Grove Chamber of Commerce Visitor’s Center displays and sends over the counselor,” he said.all “We started replacing improving Sauerwein and other city officials currently doing, which is providing The newsidewalks, mini homeless camp world a variety of brochures and pamphlets describing the city’stracking amenities and natural EMS and firefighter suia location for folks to spend the will include the same restrictions as have told the Sentinel, that there beauty surroundings. cides across America.” See TOURISM, are no additional plans to offer any night from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.” the former larger camps.Page 6 other long-term sheltering for the Read previous coverage about “The same rules will apply,” Behavioral Impact homeless. the homelessness challenges in Sauwrwein said. “The camp will According to Dill, firefighters “Cottage Grove will follow Cottage Grove and follow new be available from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. often don’t recognize the behavioral state law as we understand it,” developments at cgsemtinel.com impact of their work. and the rules will be enforced “We become cultural brainSauerwein said. “That is what we and in the Wednesday print editions through our contracting company, washed,” Dill said. “Whether it’s are doing. To change that is up to of The Sentinel. One Security of Eugene to help us structural or wildland fires. So, we the legislature. The city of Cottage during this transition period. They are meant to believe we are supGrove has no plans to do any kind are a very experienced homeless posed to act strong, brave, be help, of a shelter beyond what we are camp management company.” RUARK don’t askJEREMY for help,C.and we don’t Grove Sentinel want Cottage to look weak and not ask for help.” Property in Oregon Dill addedowners that while firefighters living are onin thehigh-risk front lineswildfire battling areas the face new rules state chaladwildfires, one ofasthethebiggest lenges they face issafety. the unknown. dresses wildfire “It’s how rapidly theses fires can Statewide maps of wildfire move, and the and unknown is where hazard zones the wildlandis it going to end? will this urban interface areWhere complete, fire go to and how long will last? and final versions are now itavailAnd that is a struggle,” he said. able on the Oregon Explorer “So, when you are fighting that website. Thetrying mapsto illustrate arfire, you’re do your best eas of stricter building codes to stop it, and yet the wind kicksand Jeremy C. Ruark / Cottage Grove Sentinel mandates to reduce up at 60 miles an hourvegetation. and it drags Eleven-year-old Titus Ervin catches the Jeremy C. Ruark / Cottage Grove Sentinel werebehind beingthem. it Notifications further and further edge during a ride at the Cottage Grove The Cottage Grove Skatepark is locateCINDY at 714WEELDREYER S Goshen-Divide in mailed to impacted property That aspect of the unknown is very / COTTAGEHighway GROVE SENTINEL Skatepark. Cottage Grove. difficult in wildland fires. The fireowners. Matchbooks from the Village Green Resort in Cottage Grove. See more photos with this story at cgsentinel.com. fighters have that stress map’s and anxiety, The wildfire hazard and that struggle purposes are to: to protect is a very difficult challenge for residents the wildland • Educate Oregon firefighters.” and property owners about the It is often very difficult for famCINDY WEELDREYER makeshift ramps we needed for our level ers and frequent the Cottage Grove of accidents. of hazard where they live. ily members of the firefighters to Cottage Grove Sentinel Smith said he started skateboard- jumps. I got involved in the SkateSkatepark on Highway 99 next to • Assist prioritizing CINDY WEELDREYER understandinwhat emotions fire there are, the way” during theproject construction helpedQueen. us meet many of our future 50To people attended the ingNearly in 1986. prevent serious park improvement because adaptation Dairy and mitigation reFor The Cottage Grove Sentinel and that many firefighters don’t project. bookstore customers,” Birdy said. Cottage Grove Historical Society’s Cottage Grove City leaders face injuries, he hung up his wheels on I wanted young kids today to have sources for the most vulnerable As a local Scoutmaster, Cottage express their emotions, according HeI said hehave was given importShe City shared a humorous mem“Farewell to the Village In 1975, budget when Birdy Hoelzlein significant challenges 50th birthday, yet hisGreen” passionat what didn’t at theiranage.” Grove Councilor Dana Merry- his locations. to Dill. ant job of opening the boxes ory they made in the formal Iron the Community Center, Saturday, and her sister Gail opened The 2025 requiring thoughtful discusday is surrounded by youth who are for the wheeled sport remains high. •“We Identify where defensible ask the family members delivered to the guest rooms and Maidenand Dining Room that drew Sept. 21. Bookmine werecity familiar sion of howthey current assetswith will active Councilors Ervin and MerSKATEBOARDING HISTORY love the outdoors. Glenn When to try standards to understand thehome cultural,” space and hardrecalled how coolemerged he felt driving laughter54, from the crowd. Theput internationally resort Thefunded VillageinGreen. be the future. out a call forfamous community Skateboarding in the Smith, describes himself as the ryday he said. “Be direct. Challenge ening codes will apply. the orange golf cart around “My sister and I were budding was created by Walter A. Woodard Theirisfather traveled lot and This part four of a asix-part to raise awareness and United States during the latethe 1940s “old skateboarder” among the lead- support with compassion when something property for assigned errands. Yearsa doesn’t look right or doesn’t sound feminists at the time and were quite (W.A.) and his son, Carlton. Some often brought its matchboxes home series describing the history and money to upgrade or replace the and early 1950s, as surfers sought ers who are involved in creating a The statewide wildfire hazard later,toanother memory was shocked the park. sexism practiced in members of signed the family as keepsakes for his girls. Theassets: sismanagement of City-owned right,designates and do an internal size up, new and by larger park, Smith up. attended and way recreatespecial the exhilaration of map all of Oregon’s seeingwaves the famous football dining sheyears, said. the “The personal tersHistoric were in their 20’s when they the theFor the Downtown District, which we ask the firefighters to moreroom,” than 20 facil- shared “In the 1980s memories. we didn’t have riding on land. New player, board million property tax lots O.J. Simpson, running of the 1.9 menu to a womanskateboardhad no do as well,” he said.” Internal size opened the Main Street bookstore Library/Community Center, the Ar- ity hasgiven accommodated anyplace to ride ourTHE skateboards,” designs in the 1970s ledontoone an exinto one ofasking threewhy wildfire THROUGH LENS up means am I hazard acting resort’sof paths. prices on itbikers and foot and, toBohemia enhance their mory, Park,income, the Skatepark ers, BMX andpillows Scooterwere riders Smith recalled. “Skaters got in plosion popularity in the 1980s zones: low, moderate or high.this It Kris Woodard’s introductory this way, and why am I feeling To the delight of those gathered, provided so ladies’ uncomfortable worked as waitresses at the resort. and Middlefield Golf Course. – yet its small size and inadequate trouble for loitering, damaging and expanded worldwide through- also identifies whether a tax lot remarks included personal memway? The best thing we can do is Kris’ Casey shoes could din-at property, and there was a height“It was aGrove wonderful to Cottage City place Councilor design limitsbetheremoved numberwhile of users out thebrother, late 20th and Woodard, early 21st ories he made through the lens of ing. It was a very different era.” work and, being new in town, it Greg Ervin has two young sons any one time and increases the risk ened risk of injury the “in a 12-year-old who using was often See LEGACY, Page 6 See HEALTH, Page 6 who are passionate BMX bike ridSee SKATEPARK, Page 6 See WILDFIRE, Page 6
The mental City establishing mini health impact homeless camp at 12th Street facing Oregon’s
As Cottage Grove evolves from a timber-based economy to a tourism-based economy, quarterly visitor counts to the city are a critical economic indicator, measuring the dollars and cents impact. Tourism always drops off a bit during this time of the year, according to Cottage Grove JEREMY C. RUARK Chamber of Commerce Director Cottage Grove Sentinel Georgia Haskell. Public works crews are in the “But we do still have an influx process of establishing a new of visitors,” she said. “They come smaller homeless camp site at the to see our beautiful bridges, which vacant lot on 12th Street in Cottage are still our top tourist attraction. Grove. People want to come and see the Cottage Grove City Manager covered bridges. We also have an Mike Sauerwein said the city is awesome display of waterfalls. behind its original Oct. 1 timeline People continue to come into the is establishing the camp, following office to get the brochures and to the Aug. 22 closure and cleanup take the bridge tours.” of the 12th Street and Douglas As the visitors come into CotStreet homeless camps. During the tage Grove, they also spend time transition, the adjacent Lulu Dog and money at the city’s local Park at 12th Street has been used restaurants, specialized shops, as a homeless camp site with hours local lodging facilities, and other from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily. businesses. “None of us have ever managed “Compared to last year, we are a homeless camp before, so we trending pretty close to normal, knew that date was a bit aspiraup about 10%. The weather is tional,” Sauerwein said. “We are fairing very well for us this year,” hoping that this week we will be Haskell said. “Things are looking able to make the transition. Our really good for 2025.” goal was to provide folks with a safe and secure place to spend LOOKING AHEAD the night and that’s what we are Looking ahead to the spring doing.” Sauerwein said city staff was cleaning up the Lulu Dog Park to reestablish it as a dog park. Specific costs of that cleanup and establishing the smaller homeless camp at 12th Street were not immediately available.
wildland firefighters
SPECIAL REPORT
Makeover planned for local skatepark Grovers gather to remember Village Green Resort
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State issues Wildfire Hazard Maps