Smoke Signals
FEBRUARY 1, 201 1
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By Ron Karten
Smoke Signals staff writer
The celebration mark
ing the restoration of Arch
Bridge between Oregon City
and West Linn brought to
gether the area's indigenous
past with plans for a revital
ized future.
The arch-type bridge,
opened in 1923 and named to
the National Register of His
toric Places in 2005, spans
the Willamette River and
is just downriver from Wil
lamette Falls, a traditional
fishing center where the
Grand Ronde Tribe and its
precursors, as Tribal Chair
woman Cheryle A. Kennedy
said in welcoming people to
the celebration, have long
invited other Tribes in the
area to take part in fishing
and trade.
Other parts of the renewal
are also proceeding in Or
egon City and West Linn
where the focus is on sur
veying and revitalizing each
city's main street.
The Confederated Tribes
of Grand Ronde is among
14 Oregon cities, counties,
state departments and local busi
nesses in the Willamette Falls
Heritage Area Coalition. The
effort is supported by Oregon's
5th District Congressman Kurt
Schrader.
Kennedy welcomed more than
700 people to the celebration on
Saturday, Jan. 15. Folks from the
neighborhoods and partner orga
nizations crowded the structure,
huddled under canopies to escape a
steady rain. They sampled smoked
salmon, nuts and berries provided
by the Tribe.
Tribal member Jan Michael Look
ing Wolf Reibach told the crowd
that he wanted them to "put your
hearts together for this bridge" and,
following a prayer, played blessing
900
Photos by Michelle Alalmo
Tribal Elder Debi Bernando makes a cadar bark bracelet as she sings along with the Grand Ronde
Canoe Family as they perform during the event celebrating the Arch Bridge, which links Oregon
City and West Linn over the Willamette River, on Saturday, Jan. 1 5. The bridge, which the event
took place on, closed on Jan. 1 5 for a restoration that is expected to take two years.
songs.
Tribal member Eirik Thorsgard
told an Indian story about how the
falls were created by a communi
cation breakdown between Coyote
and Meadowlark.
"Coyote wanted to build it in
Salem," Thorsgard said, "but he
couldn't communicate that to Mead
owlark," and it wound up in West
LinnOregon City area.
The Grand Ronde Canoe Family
- including Tribal members Travis
Mercier and Brian Krehbiel, and
Richard Sohappy (Yakama) on the
drums, along with Tribal members
Tiffany Tonso, Zoey Holsclaw and
Selena Ulestad all found space
outside the canopies and were
singing in the rain. Tribal member
and Cultural Resources Depart
ment Manager David Lewis, in
addition to his coordinating duties,
kindly held an umbrella over the
group.
Tribal member Debi Bernando
demonstrated the traditional way
of making cedar bark bracelets.
Tribal Public Affairs Director
Siobhan Taylor and Tribal Attorney
Rob Greene were on hand. Taylor
handled questions about the Tribe's
ceded lands with maps and other
information. Taylor and Greene
also focused on the heritage area
effort.
There are only a couple dozen
areas so named across the coun
try and most are in the East, said
Taylor.
The bridge was designed by state
Engineer Conde B. McCullough, the
brains behind more than 30 pictur
esque coastal bridges in the state.
It is distinctive for its roadway
built halfway up the arch,
rather than above or below
as with most arch bridges,
according to an Oregon
Department of Transporta
tion handout.
"You can tell the de
signer put his heart and
soul into this bridge," said
Rich Keene, Department
of Transportation project
manager for the restora
tion. After four years o
preparation for the renova
tion, "This is our moment
of glory," he said.
"It was so well built," said
Jody Carson, West Linn's
City Council president,
"that no major work has
been needed on the struc
ture (since it was built)."
Visitors to the celebra
tion included Chris Davis,
a retired Oregon City ce
ment mason who worked
on many bridges during
his career, and had a pro
fessional interest in this
work.
"Most bridges today are
quick and uncomplicated,"
he said. "These details
used to be done with man
power. Today, it's all big equip
ment. But when you're looking at
repairs for 400 bridges (as ODOT
does today), it's a different job."
The bridge is expected to be closed
until late 2012. In the meantime, a
free shuttle service will be available
for bicyclists and pedestrians, with
a detour along McLoughlin Boule
vard and Interstate 205 designated
for cars and trucks.
The $10.6 million project will
be funded almost 90 percent with
federal funds and a little more
than 10 percent state funds. In
addition, the state Department
of Transportation has come up
with $1.5 million to help the lo
cal areas with revitalization and
hope to add another $900,000 to
the effort. -
For more information about the
Willamette Falls Heritage Area Co
alition, go to the Web site at www.
wfheritage.org. D
Tribal Council member Valorie Sheker fixes her granddaughter Tribal
descendant Azreyuh Guzman's regalia before they mingle at the event
celebrating the Arch Bridge in Oregon City on Saturday, Jan. 1 5.
Tribal Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy speaks to the crowd of hundreds in
attendance at the event celebrating the Arch Bridge, which links Oregon City
and West Linn over the Willamette River, on Saturday, JaYi. 1 5.