Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 17, 2012)
PRIKT = Arts& C u ltu r e ___________ ,, '........................ Festival highlights Arch Bridge history Luke Frank Associate Arts & Culture Kovash;. Clackamas County Chair Charlotte Lehan; ODOT Transportation manager Jason Tell; Tribal Council Member of the Grand Ronde tribe, Jon A. George; ODOT Transportation Director Mat Garrett; FHA The smell of fried bread made from a recipe, borrowed A dm inistrator Phil D itzler; from eastern Oregon Native Tim H endrix and Josh Smith Americans, was strong in the of Wildish and Oregon City air as people strolled towards Manager Lloyd Purdy. The festival wasn’t just a the festivities surrounding the opening of the Oregon City Arch rededication of the bridge, it was Bridge on Sunday. also a rededication of 47 couples “Did you know this was renewing their collective wed voted most beautiful bridge ding vows; a group that includ when it was built?” said city ed Neely, who was celebrating commissioner Carol Pauli as she nearly 50 years with his wife, explained how much the bridge and Pauli, celebrating nearly 20 means to the communities of years with her husband. Rhonda and Don Mircovich Oregon City and West Linn. “We share the same space, there’s just were also renewing their wed ding vows after almost 30 years a river between us.’’ Congressman Kurt Schrader of marriage and thoroughly made an appearance for the enjoyed walking on the deck of event, speaking briefly at the the bridge. dedication for the bridge. “I come this way to work in “Well, it’s wonderful to be Lake Oswego four days a week here to celebrate that Congress and I've missed it terribly,” said actually did something,” . he Rhonda. said to everyone’s enjoyment. Main Street was closed for Schrader also stated that ODOT several blocks near the bridge got the job done on budget and allowing pedestrians full access on time, receiving loud applause to the streets and the antique cars that lined both sides of the from the crowd. “One of the things that I think road. Both the old and young is really important [is] we prom enjoyed seeing these beautifully ised members of this community restored Vehicles from days gone that we’d have thisopen within by: Fords, Plymouths, Cadillacs, 22 months and we. made that and Chevrolets, a 1915 Kissel Kar, I'm very pleased that we were even a Willys Jeep and an old able to keep that promise,” said fire truck. Don Hamilton, ODOT spokes The bagpipe players began the procession, adding a sense of person. Many other officials attended formality to the parade as they the festival, primarily the rededi led the antique cars up the bridge cation celebration that took place into West Linn for the inaugural on the Oregon City side of the crossing. After the cars slowly bridge at 2 p.m. on Sunday. The made their way past the specta impressive list of dignitaries tors, the Girl Scouts strode by included: proudly carrying their banner Oregon City Mayor Doug between them. Neelyj West Linn Mayor John Following were the bicyclists, oZ ©a m cz> W WEDNESDAY10/17 1* it co CM o _Q o O « # 5 Above: Mayor o f Oregon City, Doug Neeley, and Mayor o f West Linn, John Kovash, cut the ribbon on the Arch Bridge. An icon since 1922, the bridge has been closed fo r the past two years fo r restoration. who were put out by the closure of the bridge and were forced to use the Bridge Shuttle to get back and forth between Oregon City and West Linn. The feeling of being a very real part of history was palpable and the festivities were rem inis cent o f the original bridge open ing with the parade, crowds and speeches. “I’m pleased that they did very little to it in terms of struc ture” said Neely of the finished product. “It’s really a historically significant bridge.” Many businesses were affect ed during the construction and while some closed, others filled the empty void left behind. “Some of the businesses didn't make it through the reces sion, street changes and closure of the bridge, but we've had twice as many businesses come in than we've had gone out,” said Neely. “You see a lot of restora tion work being done; we've got a lot storefront improvements that are occurring along Main Street.” “The construction was rough, it was hard on us,” said JJ Foster, co-owner of Wynona Studios, located at 719 Main Street. “It’s made it hard for people who are coming from Lake Oswego, Wilsonville [and] West Linn to get to us.” “There were times when it would take someone 45 minutes to get from Lake Oswego to here,” Foster continued. “The Arch Bridge seems like an exten sion of Highway 43, so it's easy for people to just keep coming.” The hope all around is that the bridge opening will continue to improve business in the area. “I do think that it’s going to be a lot easier to get here and it will be more welcome,” said Foster. Oregon City Testing 800.777.2437 cascadeaids.org/hiv-testing-resources Cascade AIDS Project THURSDAY-10/18 FRIDAY-10/19 SATURDAY-1 0 /2 0 SUNDAY-10/21 • E v e n t: Taking Back Sunday takes the Crystal Ballroom -Portland Oregon 8 p.m. • E v e n t: Sinatra Fest 2012 will be held at Tony Starlight’s - Portland • E v e n t: Morton City Soundtrack performs at the Hawthorne Theatre - Portland 7 p.m. • E v e n t: Sinatra Fest 2012 begins at Tony Starlight’s - Portland • E ven t: Kilgore, W a k e lin g , P o r te r Ivories Jazz Lounge - Portland 8 p.m - 11 p.m. >CAI=> c a s c a d e a id s .o rg • E v e n t: The Shangai Woolies play at Jimmy Mak’s - Portland 8 p.m. • Event: Switch- foot performs at the Crystal Ballroom - Portland 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 17,2012 MONDAY-1 0 /2 2 TUESDAY 10 /2 3
