Sean C. Morgan
Of The New Era
River Bend County Park opened on Oct. 7, and the Linn County Parks and Recreation Department is offering free camping to the public through the month of October.
The new park is located east of Sweet Home off Highway 20, a little more than three miles east of Quartzville Road.
“We just literally found out yesterday we were going to be able to open,” Parks Director Brian Carroll said on Oct. 7. Oregon Department of Transportation signed off on the new turn lane and highway improvements at the park.
“We’ve still got work to do in there,” Carroll said. Projects still on to-do list include shoulders, landscaping and construction of a second set of restrooms and a second shelter.
The incomplete status of the park didn’t stop a fairly steady stream of curious travelers from stopping in and driving through, and by the afternoon the first campers were settled in.
“We’ll probably be building on it for years,” Carroll said. So far, the county has completed work on half, 45, of the total campsites planned. The park sits on about 70 acres along the South Santiam River.
The Linn County Parks Commission decided at its Oct. 6 meeting to open it up and let folks camp and enjoy the new park, compliments of Linn County.
During October, visitors can camp their first four consecutive nights for free, Carroll said. Campers still need to register at the kiosk near the front of the park so officials can keep track of spaces and who is in the park.
Camp host is Jim Davis.
Prior to Memorial Day weekend next year, the county will hold a formal grand opening ceremony, Carroll said. It’s a way to say thank you, “and at the same time, we’ll probably provide opportunities for people to come in and enjoy it for free,” he said.
The park will move to normal operations beginning with Memorial Day weekend, Carroll said.
Carroll thanked the parks staff, parks commission, Linn County Sheriff’s Office, Northwest Youth Corps, Linn County Juvenile Department and Linn County Road Department for their work on the park.
The highway improvements were completed in a matter of weeks, Carroll said. “I suspect that was done in record time.”
Morse Bros. completed the the highway improvements.
He also recognized Terry Watkins Construction for its work on the park.
So far, the county has spent about $1.2 million developing River Bend, Carroll said. That’s a combination of RV funds and local grant programs provided by the state Parks Department and Department of Fish and Wildlife. Probably about $500,000 in grant funds have been used for the park.
The land was donated by the Northwest Area Foundation, and Cascade Timber Consulting traded land, with a donation value, to the Parks Department.
“So the local community’s been fantastic helping us out,” Carroll said.
For more information, visit http://www.co.linn.or.us/parks.