Visitor visibility: North Santiam opens new Chamber office, visitor center

By Linda Whitmore

In just a few months’ time a small group has brought a canyon-region information and visitors’ center from concept to reality.

The North Santiam Chamber of Commerce’s new center is open for business a few hours a day and plans are for it to be fully functional by the time the tourist season hits.

The new center, located at 825 N.W. Santiam Boulevard in Mill City, will make its public debut with an official opening April 30 from 2 to 8 p.m.

“We are very pleased to get this off the ground and running,” said Mike Long, Chamber president. “It provides an opportunity for the businesses and other attractions in the canyon to have a spot so people traveling through can stop and get information on golf, restaurants, fishing and rafting guides, camping and other attractions.”

Long credits the efforts of Jim Clough and many other volunteers who hustled to bring the center to fruition. Chamber director Nicole Miller, too, said Clough spearheaded the project.

At first, Clough said, he was reluctant to get involved. When asked to join the Chamber board several months ago he had said, “If this is just a social club, count me out.” Assured the Chamber was making changes to have a stronger impact than had been evident in recent years, he agreed to participate. “I came on to make a difference.”

To determine its course, the Chamber board conducted a strategy session in October. “The board is very motivated to be effective – especially in these economic times,” Clough said. The consensus was that what the Chamber most wanted and needed was a Visitors’ Information Center.

The Chamber had no office space; there was no place for visitors to get information about local businesses and attractions – “to assess what our amenities are. It’s a high quality area to live and work,” Clough said.

Chamber members went to work to develop the project. It was decided that Mill City was a central location for the Highway 22 corridor that would be served by the new center.

Santiam Memorial Hospital had a vacant space, which they offered for the Chamber’s use.

“In a matter of a few weeks we made arrangements to locate there,” said Clough, who owns Benchmark Builders. He took on some of the repairs needed to make the building suitable.

To furnish and equip the center, the Chamber made a list of things that were needed – “everything from a desk to a vacuum cleaner,” Clough said. The Chamber sent out an email to area businesses “and we started getting phone calls for donations.” Before they knew it they had a conference table, office equipment, furniture – “more than enough,” he said. He even got brochure racks when ODOT closed its visitor center in Jantzen Beach.

“We are set up,” Clough said, including computer access, a Web site – nschamber.org and telephone – 503-897-5000 .

“GROW North Santiam program assisted in finding our full-time volunteer office manager Angie Fretter, who now dedicates time every day to getting the Visitors’ Information Center stocked, staffed and fully functional,” said Miller. Volunteers are organizing things and staffing the center a few hours every weekday afternoon. More volunteers are sought to contribute whatever time they can,  she said.

“This is going to be a first-rate visitors’ center — it’s staffed well, too.” Clough said. Having information about area businesses will be a boost for them, he believes. “We think we can stimulate economic growth. More people will come to visit and live.”