Marion County is engaged in a planning process for its fire-damaged Santiam Canyon parks that likely will be wide-ranging and whose effects will be felt for decades.
Marion County supervises six parks along the North Santiam and Little North Santiam rivers and will be taking on operations of the state-owned North Santiam State Recreation Area. North Santiam is the lone facility currently open, with North Fork, Bear Creek Salmon Falls, Minto, Packsaddle and Niagara all closed because of damag due to the Labor Day 2020 fires.
And with Marion County, like many jurisdictions, awash in federal and state funds from both wildfire and COVID relief sources, the parks work will be starting with money in the bank, or on its way. Parks officials have spent more than $300,000 on parks recovery, and have another $265,000 in grants.
Also, perhaps as much as $1.5 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency funds will be available. Parks officials note $990,000 in FEMA will be used for restoration or replacement of amenities such as signs, kiosks and restrooms, with the possibility of another $500,000 for erosion control. Officials also will be seeking planting grants for work next year.
In fact, there is so much loose change about that the process is proving confusing to the Marion County Parks Commission, the volunteer body that is working with parks officials on a plan that will ultimately come before the three-person Board of Commissioners, perhaps as early as July.
“I’m lost. There are a lot of things we are working on here,” said parks commission chair Wayne Rawlins at its March 17 meeting. “I really want to know what pieces we’re involved with out there.”
Rawlins also expressed concerns about the financing of the work, noting “we’ve got $990,000 here, $500,000 there… and I don’t know what our budget is. What funds are we expecting to come down the road?”
Brian May, division manager for Marion County Parks, sympathized with Rawlins and the board.
“We’re as confused as you are,” May said. “So many dollars are being thrown in. Everything is very fluid. As a commission you guys are going to have a lot of stress and a lot of fun and a lot of stress. It’s a great opportunity to restore a beautiful area, and we are real excited about that.”
The commission meets every other month, with its next session set for May 19. Meetings are open to the public and public comment is welcome. In addition, Marion County parks officials are planning a public meeting on proposed upgrades in the Canyon for late April or May.
The ideas the parks commission is working with center on restoration, facility improvements, and transportation. Some of the information stems from studies performed for the county by consultants Walker Macy and Eco Northwest.
Officials are looking at three main components to its restoration work: hydro seeding, replanting of trees and removal of noxious weeds. Improving the vegetation is critical because of how many trees were lost in the fires.
Our Town visited the North Santiam Recreation Area on March 22, with the loss of trees in most of its 16 acres so pronounced that you want to add the word “prairie” to the park’s name. But the bones are still there. The restrooms and picnic shelters remain intact, there is a good-sized trail system and parking lot, and the river access is so good that officials are considering adding it to the put in, putout rafting/kayaking system.
“We’re super excited about it,” said Tom Kissinger, program supervisor for Marion County Parks.
The county also is working on renaming the North Santiam Recreation Area, with Rawlins suggesting using the name to honor someone who died in the fires. First, however, the county must come up with a policy on renaming.
Residents can also expect to see more amenities in Marion County facilities, in contrast to the Forest Service model of basic tent camping. Cabins and yurts will be in the mix as well as better plumbing, electricity and WiFi and perhaps fish cleaning stations.
County officials also will look at the possibility of a pricing structure that might charge more for high-demand periods such as Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day.
Also being discussed is a shuttle bus concept for day-use visitors, with Marion Parks Commission vice-chair Katy Waid, who lives in Mill City, urging that the county look at an electric model.
Much further in the future is the possibility of a rail trail for bikers and hikers, using railroad right of way that exists between Stayton and Idanha. A shuttle bus also could be a key component there.
No timelines were available regarding any of the proposed changes.
