4 C | SIUSLAW NEWS | NOVEMBER 18, 2017
PORT OF SIUSLAW SEEKS A NEW VISION
SIUSLAW NEWS FILE PHOTOS
The Port of Siuslaw will work with members of the public to improve outreach, education and entertainment at its marinas, boardwalk and campground.
B Y J ARED A NDERSON
S IUSLAW N EWS
T
he Port of Siuslaw is inviting
the public’s help in building
the future of the Siuslaw
region.
On Wednesday, Nov. 29, at 5
p.m., the port is opening its doors
to share what it hopes the port will
become in the near and far future,
and get input from the public on
what direction it should go.
The Port of Siuslaw has been the
lifeblood of the Siuslaw region since
the port began in 1909. It represents
the traditions and values that have
sustained, and will continue to
sustain, the region for decades. But
it’s an ever-evolving process.
The list of upcoming projects the
port has to evolve is daunting, from
massive technical projects to classes
and artistic endeavors.
The Port of Siuslaw is planning
on a two-step process. The fi rst step
being broad public input, the second
being specifi c public committees
tackling individual projects the port
is looking at.
The fi rst part begins with the
public meeting on Nov. 29. The
meeting is a public free-for-all, an
overfl ow of ideas meant to stimulate
the imagination and generate
excitement on the possibilities of the
port.
Members of the community can
give any input they wish. What does
the public want the port to become?
What can the port offer? What does
it need to improve? What is it doing
right? Any question is fair game, and
no idea is too far-fetched.
The input derived from these
public meetings will lead a more
offi cial phase, with a committee
(or committees) being formed to
address many exciting projects the
port is planning.
One project will be looking at
ways to get the public involved with
what the Port of Siuslaw offers. As
of now, the port primarily acts as
a marina and campground, but it
could be so much more. In fact, the
port believes it should be so much
more.
There could be a whole host
of activities the port offers to the
community, from sailing classes
to clamming expeditions. Art and
historical displays could be built,
along with festivals and events.
The port should evolve into a
place for exploration, both for the
mind and body.
But what should be offered?
While many port employees and
commissioners have broad dreams
of what could be done, they are short
on specifi cs, including who can run
these programs.
The community holds a large
swath of expertise among its
residents, and it has been an
untapped resource thus far. Is there
an expert clammer out there? How
about an angler who loves to show
off their casting skills? And what
about the potential for windsurfers?
The hope is that these types of
activities will not only improve the
lives of those who live in the area,
but of those around the country.
Schools from the east could bring
their students down to learn about
what it means to be a part of a coastal
community. Travelers from the
south can discover the true benefi ts
of the pristine beauty Oregon has
to offer. And of course, people
from around the world can interact
with vital community of the Siuslaw
region.
The second project for the port
will be the planned estuary trail,
an off-street bike and pedestrian
connection from the Munsel Creek
Multi-Use Path north of Highway
126 to the Siuslaw Bridge in Historic
Old Town Florence. A large portion
of that trail will run through port
property.
The project is massive, and the
benefi ts of a well-planned trail can
be enormous. From providing
unique interactive and educational
experiences, bolstering tourism,
and enhancing local businesses,
getting the trail right is vital not only
for the port, but to the region as a
whole.
But building the trail is
complicated. From integrating the
trail into the planned repairs for
erosion damage that occurred last
year, to ensuring the trail does not
encumber the privacy of campers in
the ports campground, the logistics
of this processes are massive.
The city, and the entire region, is
counting on the Port of Siuslaw to
make this portion of the trail one of
the cornerstones of the community,
and it’s the community that needs to
help plan and build it.
The third project is improving
the Port of Siuslaw Campground
facilities. Located at First and
Harbor streets in Florence, the
campground has become a mecca
for seasonal RV travelers and
recreational campers from across
the country looking to enjoy the
beauty of the Oregon coast.
While there are already a whole
host of amenities the campground
offers, the port is always looking to
improve.
One of the most immediate
needs of the area is building a
second restroom with showers.
With hundreds of travelers coming
through the campground, and
occupancy rising year after year, the
current facilities are being stretched
to their limits. But questions are
still up in the air, including where
to put the facility, what the facility
should offer and what is the most
economical way to build it.
The electricity of areas of the
campground needs to be replaced
as well, upgrading from the retro
20/30-amp sites to 50 amps, to
PORT OF SIUSLAW
ensure that the power always fl ows
to the people.
In addition, the port looks to
improve the dry camping sites the
port has to full service. A dry camping
site is an RV site with no water,
sewer or electrical connections.
Simply put, it’s a parking space.
To get tourists to stay longer, and
to bring more money into the local
economy, the port believes it is vital
to have these spaces upgraded to full
service sites.
But it’s a complicated process.
Where do you run the pipes and the
electrical lines into the area? How do
you make it aesthetically pleasing?
And how do you plan it so current
services aren’t disrupted? The port
needs the public’s help to fi gure
these logistics out.
The port will also improve its
marina facilities. The Port of Siuslaw
operates two marinas with a total
of 104 boat slips, which host a
whole variety of boats with different
purposes, including commercial
fi shers who travel to the deep sea
for tuna, seasonal salmon anglers,
recreational sailors touring the coast
and even a place for people to dock
their boats year long and so they may
live on the river itself.
The port also is addressing plans
to upgrade the marina.
It will need to upgrade the water
and add electrical hookups to the F
Dock, where seasonal boaters moor.
Along with that, new lighting has
to be installed in the west marina to
ensure safety at night.
The port also needs to replace the
debris booms in the marina, which
blocks debris from the river itself,
including fl oating timber, seaweed
and silt from clogging up the marina.
Of course, these are merely the
planned improvements the port is
looking at. There could be a whole
host of issues that port staff and
commissioners haven’t even thought
of, and that’s why public input is
so vital. Are there other issues with
the port that need to be addressed?
From landscaping to cultural events,
the port needs to know what the
community wants to help drive the
economic and cultural importance
of this all important public entity.
As it comes to the end of its
current strategic plan, this input
will be vital to update the Port of
Siuslaw’s new plan for the future.
The Port of Siuslaw has been the
lifeblood of the community since
its inception, and will continue to
be so for decades to come. But to
make it great, the port needs the
community’s help. The process is
long and complicated, and it can’t do
it alone. And, it believes, it shouldn’t
do it alone. The Port of Siuslaw
belongs to the community.
The Port of Siuslaw Campground
and Marina Administration Offi ce
is at 100 Harbor St. For more
information, call 541-997-3426 or
visit PortofSiuslaw.com.
Notice of Public Event
P O R T O F S I U S L AW B U I L D I N G T H E F U T U R E
Th e Port of Siuslaw is
seeking public input
in 4 core areas:
• Marina
• Siuslaw
Estuary Trail
• Activities
• Campground
You’re Invited
The port is opening its doors to share what they hope the port will become in the near and far future,
and get input from the public on what direction it should go .
Wednesday, November 29th
Public Meeting @ 5pm
Port of Siuslaw
100 Harbor St. Florence