Applegater Summer 2009 9
Cantrall-Buckley update
BY LAIRD FUNK
There must be something about
hang-gliding that gets the fliers dirty. That
was the logical conclusion when hundreds
of hang-gliding enthusiasts landed on the
Cantrall-Buckley Park Campground over
Memorial Day weekend for the annual
fly-in which christens the camping season.
Park Manager Rick Barclay momentarily
thought he'd gone to Seven Feathers
when $140 in quarters rolled out of the
shower coin boxes at the new bathroom/
shower building at the campground after
the first day!
Memorial Day weekend not only
marked the public opening of the new
restroom, but also the first days of operation
of the new wetland waste water treatment
system at the park and the first use of the
drip disposal system in the campground
meadow. A lot of time was spent over
the previous 90 days bringing the new
system up to operating condition, getting
the several control panels programed to
work in unison and encouraging the several
thousand wetland plants to grow, and it all
paid off. The weekend went flawlessly and
the capacity crowd was pleasantly amazed
at the new facilities. Most of them even
returned the next weekend!
The native grass seed provided
by the BLM has made itself at home in
the campground meadow and will be
fully established by the end of summer.
Currently the meadow is closed to allow
it to grow to maturity and to protect it
from traffic. One errant early camper
decided to set up a tent in the meadow
and managed to pound a tent stake right
through one of the drip lines making up
the 5000' system, but we got that repaired
quickly to prevent gullying of the meadow.
Native wildflowers also colonized the area
to add to the normal mix of grasses and
other plants found in a natural meadow.
In May the park was awarded an
approximately $30,000 grant from the
BLM so that we could install a new 4”
water main from the storage tank in the
day use area to the campground. The
water system had been engineered by
David Evans and Associates of Bend, who
also designed the waste water system, so
it was “shovel ready”. For safety reasons
and camping convenience the actual
installation will have to wait until the
campground closes next fall, but the under
road bore to carry the line across the road
and the saw cutting of the pipe route have
already been done as part of the sewer line
work. The balance of the potable water
infrastructure, the new 10,000 gallon
storage tank, pumps and the control
building await funding as the Greater
Applegate Community Development
Corporation (GACDC) searches for more
grant opportunities.
The GACDC is also searching for
grants to assist Jackson County Parks
in funding improvement projects in
other Jackson County parks. The parks
department, under the leadership of new
Director John Vial, saved the day for the
Cantrall-Buckley project when the costs of
the waste water system began to outstrip
the grant amount due to skyrocketing
costs and having to pay for work which
had been counted as being free. Without
that help, the project would not have
been completed and the $250,000 grant
amount would have had to be paid back!
Unfortunately, that help significantly
depleted their capital projects budget so
the GACDC volunteered to expand the
partnership with the County by seeking
grants for some of their needs. So while
we seek to pay off the moral if not fiscal
debt to our partners we may need to forgo
some grant opportunities which we would
normally apply to Cantrall-Buckley Park
so that we can apply in behalf of Jackson
County. One of the results of all this is a
strengthening of the relationship between
the two organizations and a new sense
of camaraderie growing between all the
people involved.
Speaking of which, besides John
Vial, one new face has joined the group
and two have left. Vivian McAleavey, one
of the mainstays of the GACDC “retired”
from her twelve years of volunteering for
our benefit and is off with Joe doing fun
things like paddling their newly built
kayaks! We will get on without her but it
won't be easy. Paddle on, Vivian!
At the parks department, Operations
Manager Randy Hutton was discharged
and has been replaced by a gentleman
from Linn County, Steve Lambert. Steve
joined us in early May for an Advisory to try camping at Cantrall-Buckley Park
Board meeting and park tour and was this year. They'll love the showers!
Laird Funk 541-846-6759
impressed by what he saw. He fits right
Photos from top:
in with the renewed partnership between
—The new restroom/shower building in
GACDC and Jackson County and we all
campground.
look forward to working with him.
—Wetland showing the growth of the plants.
OK, that's it till next time!
—Meadow drip disposal field in the
campground.
Meanwhile, tell your out-of-town friends
Cantrall-Buckley
Season Passes available
Electric Contractors
Season passes are now available to buy at the office of Cantrall-Buckley
Park or at the Ruch Country Store. Prices are $20 regular, $10 for seniors
over 65; for people who cannot afford a pass, work trade will be accepted
(Check with the park manager Rick). The winner of the art contest is Morgan
from Applegate School.
Park Manager Rick Barclay
541-899-7155
10 % OFF
•Lighting •Service Change
•Remodels/Additions
•Troubleshooting •FREE Estimates!
CCB# 107300
Ask for Troy • 474-7943
“WHY TAKE A CHANCE? CALL A PRO !”
“How is it that one careless match can start a forest fire, but
it takes a whole box to start a campfire? “ ~Author Unknown