On October 11th, 2000 President Bill Clinton signed the Interior Appropriations bill which included authorization for Mosier Waterfront improvements in the amount of $500,000. Mosier, located five miles east of Hood River, Oregon, is in the heart of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.
The City of Mosier is one of the partners in the Columbia Gorge Recreation Coalition. The Coalition was formed to further the mandate of the Scenic Act to protect and enhance recreational access to the Columbia River, and the group includes along with the City of Mosier: Oregon and Washington State Parks; the US Army Corps of Engineers; and the Columbia Gorge and US Windsurfing Associations.
"This is our fourth year in the process to seek federal funding for our proposed set of improvements to four sites to provide better access to the Columbia River," said Gay Jervey who has represented the City of Mosier. The other sites are: Viento and West Mayer State Parks in Oregon and the Spring Creek Hatchery State Park in Washington.
In 1999, the Columbia River Gorge Vision 2000 Campaign joined in the efforts of the Recreation Coalition. "Mosier is a unique example of a town within the Scenic Area that is working together as a community to flourish under the Scenic Act. We joined the efforts of the Coalition to further assist them in their goals of improving recreational opportunities in the Gorge" says Tiffany Newton, Field Organizer for Friends of the Columbia River Gorge.
The Coalition's proposal seeking $3,678,000 had been unanimously approved by the Columbia River Gorge Commission for funding under Section 16 (b) (2) of the Scenic Area Act, which authorizes $10,000,000 "for the purpose of construction of recreation facilities."
"The Coalition is very excited about this recent authorization of $500,000 for the Mosier Waterfront. We've had great support from our communities, the Gorge Commission, the Forest Service and especially from our Governors and legislators from both Oregon and Washington who have worked together for our Gorge area. We will continue our project until all four sites are completed," said Diane Barkhimer spokesperson for the Coalition and CGWA Executive Director.
US Senator Gordon Smith (Oregon), Recreation Coalition & CGWA member
Ken Maddox, CGWA Executive Director Diane Barkhimer,
Columbia Gorge Commission Executive Director Claire Puchy
More details about the Mosier Waterfront project
< Back to Columbia Gorge Recrection Coalition home page >