For Immediate Release

Date: May 2, 2003

Rogers Landing Dedication May 16

The largest boating access project on the Willamette River is now complete. In fact, Rogers Landing, in Newberg, boasts one of the finest facilities in the state, according to the Oregon State Marine Board. The three-lane ramp is state-of-the-art and the 200-plus parking spaces await busy summer crowds looking for access to the Willamette River.

The facility will be formally dedicated on May 16, 11 a.m. Anyone who worked on the project, volunteered time or is otherwise interested is invited to attend. "This is really a top notch facility," said Ron Rhodehamel, Facilities Program Manager for the Oregon State Marine Board. "It's 10 years in the making, and it's the result of a cooperative effort between state, federal and local governments and user groups. This facility will serve boaters and the local community very well."

If you haven't launched at Rogers Landing in years, you simply won't recognize it.

"The narrow access road is gone, replaced with a two-lane road that is much safer," says Rhodehamel. "The parking lot is completely re-engineered, expanded and striped for 157 boat parking spaces and 50 car parking spaces. The old boat ramp is gone. The new boat ramp is long, wide and environmentally friendly. This facility is completely transformed."

Funding for the project came from numerous sources: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Sport Fish Restoration Funds administered by the Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, Oregon State Marine Board funds generated by motorboat fuel tax and boat title and registration fees, and Yamhill County.

The large project required three phases of work spanning more than 10 years at a cost of nearly $1.3 million. Phase one involved construction of restroom facilities in 1992. Phase two occurred in 2000 with a parking lot expansion that nearly doubled available parking spaces. Phase three of the project replaced the old boat ramp with a new three-lane ramp constructed upstream from the old ramp location, which is currently being restored to natural conditions. Amenities include boarding floats on both sides of the ramp, and a 200' long concrete transient tie-up float.

The ramp itself is unique because the entire lower portion of the ramp is suspended above the riverbed. The design reduced the amount of fill in the river to meet environmental requirements.

Lt. Ron Huber was the Yamhill County Parks Coordinator at the time and oversaw much of the project at the local level for nearly 10 years. "Everybody should be happy about the finished project," said Huber. Broad support for the facility helped it survive many obstacles. There were significant engineering problems during phase II that threatened to derail the project, he said, and just getting environmental permits through the various state and federal agencies took an estimated 600 days and literally hundreds of letters and e-mails. It was a big project but the facility is heavily used and it will serve boaters well, said Huber.

"It's sure nice to have it done," says Laura Tschabold, a grant writer for Yamhill County who became heavily involved with the project in the last five years. "The project couldn't have happened without involvement from the community and local organizations." She cites positive working relationships with S&P Newsprint, Hard Rock Enterprises, Newberg Boat Club, Yamhill County Sheriff Marine Patrol, the local Steelheaders chapter, and contractors Axis Curb Company who completed the boat ramp and JP Contractors who completed the parking lot.

"The Willamette River is our area's most important recreation resource," says County Parks Director David Primovicz. "Expansion of the parking and launching facilities at Rogers Landing County Park dramatically improves the ease with which citizens will be able to access the rich opportunities the river offers for fishing, water skiing, paddling and nature discovery."

Primovicz says there were a wide range of factors complicating the design and construction of this project over the years. "We are lucky to have dedicated people who kept their focus on the importance of this facility to Oregon boaters. The high quality facilities we see at the site today are the result of great effort and cooperation by the Marine Board, ODFW, Yamhill County, and the many volunteers who have invested their time and energy in the site over the years."

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