By LYNDA KAMERRER/for The Herald
August 23rd — The Oakridge/Westfir Chamber of Commerce held an After-Hours event to support the Banner park kiosk project. The Oakridge Parks and Community Services committee is raising money to have the kiosk built.
Lynda Kamerrer, a member of the committee, said “A big thank you is in order to the Oakridge and Westfir community!” Donated items came in the form of baked goods, and beverages. The baked goods were auctioned off at the end of the evening. Also, extra corn hole games were loaned to make an evening filled with fun and networking.
The fundraiser
The goal was to raise funds for an information kiosk to complement the landscaping changes already underway. The two-sided kiosk will have local and regional maps to orient visitors. These maps will direct them to restaurants, lodging, recreational attractions, and other services. Included will be space dedicated to natural history, how the community developed, and local events.
Banner Park is located at 48267 East First Street in the heart of the Uptown District in Oakridge. That said, over 50 people found their way to the park and put money in the jar toward this effort; thank you!
The baking talent in Oakridge and Westfir shined brightly last Tuesday evening. Offered for sale were three kinds of cookies, gluten free zucchini bread, berry pie, and a very fancy fruit tart.
Westfir business, Transcascadia Excursions, generously supplied beer, cider, and non-alcoholic beverages; thank you! Teams of players participated in fundraising by ‘paying to play,’ on three Corn Hole game boards in the parking lot on the north side of the park.
Chamber After-Hours event
The Oakridge Westfir Chamber of Commerce hosted this event and provided online marketing and donation options. Also, a big special thank you to the Chamber Board and Alissa Mayer, Executive Assistant. Alissa served as both Corn Hole Referee and Auctioneer. Visit www.oakridgewestfirchamber to learn about membership benefits.
The kiosk, as seen below, will follow the design set forth in the 2015 Oakridge and Westfir Signage and Wayfinding Plan, authored by Mayer Reed Architects. Examples of the kiosk style can be seen in the new park signs at the Portal in Westfir and all of the parks in Oakridge. Banner Park was not yet a park when the plan was published.
Banner Park project partners
The funds raised by the community will be added to a small grant from Lane County Economic Development. The Parks and Community Services Committee is overseeing the development of Banner Park. They will announce the next steps for the park as information falls into place and the kiosk is fully funded. Stay tuned!
George Custer lives in Oakridge with his wife Sayre. George is a former smokejumper from his hometown of Cave Junction, a former captain in the U.S. Marine Corps. and ran a construction company in Southern California. George assumed the volunteer duties as the Editor of the Highway 58 Herald in 2022. He loves riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle, building all things wood, and playing drums on the weekends in his office.
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