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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 28, 1960)
o S A MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE. MEDFORD, ORE. SUNDAY. JOJOVtr left Long-Term Capital Improvement Plan Seen for Park Areas By JOE COWLEY Mail Tribune Staff Writer Wednesday's tour of three recreation areas by members of the Jackson county parks and recreation commission convinced them that the coun ty must set up a long-term capital improvement program. The current allocation of S12.000 by the county court may not be enough even for immediate projects. Tenta tively, these may include wid ening the present concrete boat-launching ramp at How ard Prairie reservoir to 40 feet, $3,200, and clearing and disposing of snags at Hyatt lake which would cost an es timated $7,500. The newly enlarged Emi grant reservoir will be in op eration this fall which means possible construction of min imum outdoor toilet facilities and picnic units. Possibly next summer two additional boat ramps, a float ing dock and wharf facility, additional showers, a laundry room and a permanent restau rant and concession building will be needed at Howard Prairie reservoir. Emigrant will need one, maybe two, concrete boat launching ramps, outdoor fireplaces and additional parking areas in the near future. Future Facilities Hyatt, which Talent Irriga tion District Manager Walter Hoffbuhr says will never be drawn down more than six vertical feet after this year, will need further recreation facilities. But, to give Hyatt reservoir its full recreation and scenic potential of over 916 acres of water surface, snags must be disposed of. The lake will be completely drained until De cember, but winter weather sets a deadline of Nov. 1 for last snag removal. Felling of all snags in Hy att up to the 5,018 foot con tour or to the high water mark will cost an estimated $1,500 to $2,000, fullers told Hoffbuhr. Twenty eight-hour work days will be needed to fall, burn and pile the snags at an overall estimated cost of $7,500. The TID manager figures the snags can be pulled or pushed above the high-water mark. Then they can be burned at leisure. He figures the concessionaire and the ir rigation district personnel can boom up drift logs which can be disposed of gradually over a two-year period. Sinker logs would not be disturbed since they provide natural foedine places for bass and other fish. I Clearing Program This clearing program as proposed would also affect the scenic and recreation val ues of 25 home sites laid out by the bureau of land man agement. An access road around the lake is planned In the near future. The tour started at Hooper Springs where the county, at the suggestion of former County Judge Rodney Keat ing, purchased two acres from Hugh Houck, who runs cattle in the area. The acreage has been cleared and a roof is being placed on a concrete block rcstroom building. A bubbler type fountain will be placed nearby and furnished by water from the natural spring. A cattle watering trough will be placed up the hill near the park area for the cattle and connected with the coun ty's pipeline from the spring. The spring, fenced off by a wood rail fence, will be left, and perhaps some facility con structed so logging operators can more easily get water for their brakes on their downhill haul without making a left turn across the highway en dangering themselves and traffic. May Widen Area The temporary parking area may be widened for mo torists. Purpose of the newly created park area is to allow motorists to pull off the high way to view the scenery with out parking too close to the curve and endangering them selves and traffic. It provides a natural picnic and rest area for tourists on their way to Hyatt and Howard Prairie res ervoirs which is what Keating had in mind when he made the purcha.se arrangements. Recreation committee mem bers seemed even more im pressed with the potentiali ties of the Howard Prairie area than they were this spring before much of the de velopment was under way. Discuss Horses Commission Member Mrs. Marcel LePiniec. Applegate. could see corrals and shelters for privately owned horse and horses to rent. Mrs. Ben Day, Medford, said the Seven Lakes recreation area had 700 horses there in one season. Both women agreed that trails could be marked and perhaps connected with northern Cali fornia trails providing limit less country for riding. Other tour members could . TRASH-The big problem for those planning recreation areas are careless picnickers or campers who leave trash piles. This one was photographed last week on the shore of Hyatt lake in the Talent Irrigation project. The county is gradually in stalling trash barrels in recreation spots and hopes the public will use them. Such a trash pile as this is the reason farmers don't like picnics on their lands. As he talked, fellow tour members could already see varied colored sails of the slim ice craft against the snow covered hills and silver ice. They could see the rud dy glows of warm-up fires on the shores and skaters gliding over the ice in their brightly colored winter caps, jackets or sweaters. Used For Skating The lake was used for Ice- skating by many people last winter and the surrounding nuis tor sieadlng or toboggan ing. Howard Prairie reservoir in the Talent project is already assuming the proportions of a year-around recreation area. How well it fulfills the dreams of those who saw this possibility during Wednes day's tour will depend on the foresight of the county court, the demands of Rogue valley residents and travelers, the planning and push of the county parks and recreation commission and the skill of the concessionaire. , A sad footnote to this vision ot increased public recreation al use were two piles of picnic refuse, tin cans and beer bot tles, one already at Hooper Springs area and a large pile on the shores of Hyatt lake. envision sailing, canoeing swimming, water-skiing and fishing activities on the waters of the five-mile long lake dur ing spring, summer and early fall. Present Concessionaire Rob ert Johnston figures there will be over 5,000 persons at the lake at the start of next sea son. He's already planning to take several sailboats in next year. He is planning 37 trailer house units. Twelve of these will be installed next season. These will be utility types containing refrigerator, stove and sleeping space. Construct Rest Rooms The county is now con structing two toilet and show er houses in the trailer area. Johnston hopes to have a per manent restaurant in the area if he obtains the long term lease. He has an 18 months lease now. The concessionaire will de cide fall hunter facilities after his observations this fall. Howard Prairie is a choice spot for geese and ducks, he noted, deer and some bear. The blue eyes of Rogue River's Mayor John Leyen lit up as he told fellow recrea tion commission members of possible winter carnivals. 'fP ' "'if v v?r - - i V - COMPLETING RESTROOM-Bert Marshall, The picture was taken last week as the men Central Point, and Jim McGowan, Medford, rushed work on the building in time to were preparing timbers for the roof of the catch the last of the summer season tourists rest room of concrete block at the Hooper en route to Howard Prairie reservoir. Springs recreation area off Dead Indian rd. 7k i .;v .. -v . "an fit -iJt-t-i rH. , -vigV ipX,-i si SNAGS The two snags in the foreground parks and recreation commission is consider- seen in the background. The Jackson county ing possibilities of removing the snags by are typical of the many which poke up from November while the lake is drained. Talent the waters of Hyatt lake in the Talent Irri- Irrigation district officials say this lake will gation project. A forest of snags can be seen never be this low again after December, in the background. The Jackson county SK IMfflF 525 Crater Lake Ave. QUITTING BUSINESS Phone SP 3-4886 -ONLY- 10 DAYS LEFT! CONTINUES! Everything Must Go Regardless of Cost! OPEN ALL DAY SUNDAY Wgff&S YES! Prices Slashed Again on All Ladies7 -Men's and Children's Shoes! ALL LADIES' DRESS HEELS ALL LADIES' FLATS Value. 5199 Values to 19.95 to $8.95 JL MEN'S WORK & DRESS SHOES CHILDREN'S BACK-TO-SCHOOL Good Selection $99 SH0ES S099 Priced from & From BASKETBALL SHOES HURRY! HURRY! HURRY! Now Ona Si 99 Come in today We are Low Price open until 6 p.m. OPEN EVERY NIGHT UNTIL 9 (Except Sat.) COMING THE EARL an adventure in listening PR0GR NIGHTINGALE AM J f 6 M ' . r-Tm,. , . 1 1 fs' VV U ' ii r k 1V t if-.' - t. 1 4-4 .n f s 1 .s :- V -.J v ' 1 v . "yir ChoogDimg Wirlldlff TWICE DAILY Starting Sept. 5, 1960 on KM ED Earl Nightingale PRESENTED BY Jackson County Federal Savings & Loan Association "Your Family Center for Savings and Home Loans" Home Office -126 E. Main, Medford Ashland Branch - 337 E. Min, Ashland o
