opinions/letters to the editor
An Opinion:
2009
5
Oakridge and Vernonia-- Similar Towns; Similar Stories-- Almost
By Scott Laird
A front page story in the Opinion section of the
October 11, 2009, Sunday Oregonian told an interest-
ing story. A small, rural Oregon town, with a popu-
lation of a few thousand, formerly dependent on the
timber industry for its livelihood, has struggled through
tough economic times, but is finding ways to reinvent
itself.
A re-emerging historic downtown corridor
with a slew of new businesses establishing themselves
in recent years, affordable real estate with mountain
and and river views, reasonable property taxes. Sound
familiar?
How about this? A new ethnic restaurant in
downtown and a new brewpub. Neighbors who look
out for each other and step up when members of the
community need help. A forty-five minute drive to the
nearest hospital. Still sound familiar?
For those of you from around these parts, you
might think that article was about Vernonia. But it
wasn’t our town the Oregonian was talking about.
That’s right, the small, rural Oregon town fea-
tured in that opinion piece was Oakridge, Oregon, lo-
cated about forty miles southeast of Eugene. Popula-
tion 3,745. Formerly a mill town whose last mill closed
in 1984. Largest employer is the Oakridge School
District. Looking for funding for wastewater and wa-
ter treatment facilities. A struggling economy. Hav-
ing to lay off city employees because of tight budget
constraints. When asked why people still want to live
there, a local business owner answers, “Why wouldn’t
they? In so many ways this is a wonderful town.”
At first glance, the parallels between Oakridge
and Vernonia are extraordinary. But really it’s not such
an unusual story in rural Oregon. A slumping economy
that was dependent on the timber industry. Aging infra-
structure that needs expensive updates. Historic down-
towns looking to re-invent themselves. You wouldn’t
have to look very far to find that same story all around
this state.
But I still can’t not be amazed by the similari-
ties between Vernonia and Oakridge. Even the name of
the City Administrator in Oakridge is familiar to Ver-
nonians-- Gordon Zimmerman. Zimmerman was the
City Administrator here in Vernonia in 1997, right after
the flood. “It was a tough time,” said Zimmerman in a
recent phone conversation.
Zimmerman says he also sees similarities be-
tween the two communities: Tremendously engaged
volunteer base; schools that are the center of the com-
munity; a diminishing resource based economy; sur-
rounded by forests-- these are some of the ways Zim-
merman sees Oakridge and Vernonia as alike.
But one thing is very different about Oakridge
and Vernonia. Oakridge has fully embraced recreation-
al tourism and especially mountain biking as ways to
boost their economy. Oakridge has given itself these
two slogans: “The Center of Oregon Recreation” and
“Mountain Biking Capital of the Northwest.” Oakridge
is especially proud of their local festival, “Mountain
Bike Oregon” which draws hundreds of visitors in July
and again in August to ride local trails, camp in city
parks, and spend money locally. “That’s the resource
we have, and that’s what we’re trying to develop,” says
Zimmerman.
Zimmerman notes that when 300-400 visitors
come to Oakridge, burn a whole bunch of calories rid-
ing their bikes all day, and stay for weekends, they tend
to eat in local restaurants. And they eat a lot! Zim-
merman notes that the 350-400 miles of single track
mountain bike trails within 50 miles of the town are a
big draw. “People who spend three to four thousand
dollars on a bike don’t have a problem spending money
to get here,” says Zimmerman. He also notes the de-
velopment of a kids’ and and adults’ “Mountain Bike
Skills Area “ as a big draw.
Oakridge has other recreational activities they
promote as well. “We have our biking in the summer,
but we also have hunting and fishing in the fall and ski-
ing in the winter,” he says. He also mentioned birding,
kayaking, and quad trails as popular.
Zimmerman stated that the city has actively
sought grants to develop and enhance biking facilities
and trails, and he notes that local businesses are finding
ways to take advantage of this new economic opportu-
nity.
Would it make sense for Vernonia to try to mir-
ror Oakridge’s success?
In Oakridge, the ability to cultivate entrepre-
neurial endeavors was fortified by a city staff person
whose job was “enterprise facilitator” and who assisted
twenty-one new business start-ups during the last three
Readers Lend Their Voices...
Dear Vernonians,
Thanks to the generous gardeners
of Vernonia who have contributed fresh
produce from their gardens to the clients
of Vernonia Cares Food Bank. These fresh
vegetables and fruits add a healthy food to
the menus of our families. There’s noth-
ing like crunchy, fresh veggies! Thanks
for sharing!
Just a reminder, too, that the food
bank will not be giving out Thanksgiving
food boxes. Because this type of project is
so expensive, we concentrate on supply-
ing Christmas meal food boxes only. We
will begin accepting applications for the
Christmas boxes on November 3, to al-
low us time to order groceries. Let’s hope
the weather cooperates this year so we can
successfully disperse these boxes about a
week before Christmas. I’ll be publish-
ing more on how you can donate to this
project and the dispersal date (in Decem-
ber) in the next publication.
Please call the food bank (503-
429-1414), if you have any questions. We
are located within the Legion Hall at 627
Adams Avenue and open Tuesday and
Thursday, from 10:00 to 2:00 PM. Our
mailing address is PO Box 126, Vernonia,
OR 97064. Vernonia Cares Food Banks
assists about 400 people every month
with emergency groceries. Thanks to gen-
erous donors, we are your hands extended
to the hungry within our community.
Sandy Welch, Director
Vernonia Cares Food Bank
november
Do you have plastic or glass bottles & alu-
minum cans stacked up in your garage??
Well you could donate them to a worthy
cause! You can help me; Bridger Steward
earn money for my 8th grade CloseUp
trip to Washington DC April 18 – April
23, 2010. I need to raise approximately
$1800.00 for this to happen--right now
I am a little over ¼ of the way to reach-
ing my goal. If you would like to support
me with your donations please contact
my Mom; Kinnell at 503-819 0143 or my
Dad; Jon at 503-819-2656. We would be
happy to pick up your bottle/can donation
from you. Thank you.
Bridger Steward
Vernonia
Thank you from the family of
Myra Baska for your prayers, cards and
flowers. Thank you also for the food for
the luncheon. Vernonians are always
there for you and we are very thankful to
live in this caring community. A special
thank you to the ladies who did such a
great job of taking care of the luncheon.
Fran Fletcher
Vernonia
To the Vernonia Community-
I would like to personally thank
the Vernonia Community Church for host-
ing the benefit concert for Darrold Mush-
att. And all the artists and people who
years-- helping jump start that downtown revitaliza-
tion. But that position was cut this year because of
budget constraints.
In Vernonia, the Bicycle Skills Park, a fa-
cility that is intended to bring visitors to the area and
provide activities for local residents, has been slowed
by the Flood of 2007, but is looking to regain traction
throughout this next year. Fishing at Vernonia Lake
has become a real draw and is helping the city park
system become more self-sufficient. City officials are
eyeing development of a Disc Golf Course, a sport
whose popularity is soaring. Sport Haus, a new Bed
and Breakfast/Lodge north of town caters to outdoor
enthusiasts and has featured Yoga retreats. Right now,
Vernonia has a number of interesting restaurants, a lo-
cal inn and two bed and breakfasts right in town, and a
couple of city campgrounds.
Are there other ways local entrepreneurs can
tap into this growing tourism market? Are there more
ways the city can find to attract visitors? The local
Chamber of Commerce is hard at work looking for
ways to be effective and support their members. An
Economic Development Committee has been started.
A small industrial park is in the planning stages out
by the Vernonia Airport. Small business development
seems to be the wave of the future for Vernonia.
There is one last piece to the puzzle. A qual-
ity school system could be expected to attract young
families. Those same families could be drawn to a re-
gion that encourages an active, outdoor life style with
opportunities for hiking, camping, fishing and biking.
Drawn to a community with a vibrant and active down-
town-- to a town that encourages business, the arts and
innovation.
A new school campus would be a great start
towards that quality school system. It will attract fami-
lies, quality staff, and resources. But a new building is
not all it will take. To create a quality school system, a
new emphasis needs to be placed on programs, on edu-
cational standards, on assisting the students who aren’t
succeeding, on providing alternatives.
Vernonia has a chance to re-invent itself, just
like Oakridge is doing. It doesn’t mean all our troubles
will go away. But it could mean more opportunities
for more people in this community to find ways to
thrive. And that sounds like a proactive approach.
helped make it a wonderful evening and
Larry and I, along with the Ver-
success. Vernonia, you are AWESOME!
nonia Lions Club, would like to say thank
you to everyone who donated to the Fish-
Mark Brown
ing Fund for Vernonia Lake this past sum-
Vernonia
mer. We would especially like to thank
the Vernonia Parks Committee and the
To the Cast and Others who City of Vernonia for their donation of
helped put on the Melodrama at this years $400 for this project to help stock the
Salmon Festival. Thank You!
Lake.
Even with illnesses, surgeries,
Larry and I would also like to
accidents and difficult work schedules, thank everyone involved with clearing the
you all maintained an attitude of “The debris and trees from around the entrance
Show Must Go On” and indeed it did. I area to Vernonia Lake. Special thanks to
was so very proud of the wonderful job the City Public Works crew, the Vernonia
done with my meager words. You made Fire Department and our “coffee club”
the whole process so much fun. The audi- folks--they helped make some real im-
ence seemed to really enjoy our efforts, provements to this site.
too.
Lastly, we would like to say
And, so bouquets of violets to thanak you to everyone who supported
you beautiful ladies, Sharon, Helen, Mari- the Old Saw Mill Eatery and fishing at
lyn, DeAnna, Coral Dawn and of course Vernonia Lake this season. We look for-
the incomparable Bonnie.
ward to seeing all of you again next year.
Bravo to you stalwart men, Sam,
Ron, Kevin, Zack, Bob and Burt.
Gail and Larry Snethen
To you lovely painted ladies, Vernonia
Sharon, Rebecca and Allison, hubba, hub-
ba!
continued on page 18
My dearest wish is to have the
honor and priv-
ilege of work-
HOW TO SEND LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
ing with you
again soon.
Vernonia’s Voice welcomes and requests your thoughts, opin-
Love you All,
Sally
ions and ideas. Please include your name, address and phone
number, limit your letters to 300 words or less. Vernonia’s Voice
reserves the right to edit, omit, respond or ask for a response to
letters submitted. We will print letters, space permitting. Dead-
line is the 20th of the month. Email to: news@vernoniasvoice.
com or mail to: Letters, PO Box 55, Vernonia, OR 97064.
