The Clackamas County Tourism Network recently granted just over $600,000 to eight different initiatives meant to spur tourism and enhance visitors’ experience throughout the county.
Through the strategic investment program, the tourism network granted funds from the county’s transient lodging tax — a tax on visitors staying in lodging accommodations like hotels and Airbnbs.
The grants will fund a variety of projects from restoration of camping areas impacted by wildfires to repairs of historic buildings and installation of informational signs and artwork.
The Clackamas County Tourism Development Council made the following grants:
$143,128 to Sandy’s Ant Farm Youth Services, a nonprofit seeking to support youth through career opportunities, education, addiction and recovery services, housing services and connections with nature and the outdoors. The grant will specifically go towards rebuilding and reopening camping and day use areas within the Clackamas River Corridor and provide recovery and resiliency stewardship training for Ant Farm’s youth.$100,000 for repairs of the nearly century-and-a-half-old Mark Prairie School House . The school house, which is located in Canby and was built in 1879, suffered extensive damage during the 2021 ice storm. The historic building operated as a one-room country school until 1946 when it merged with Canby schools. From then until the storm in 2021, the building served as a community center for the rural area south of Canby.$27,822 to Forests Forever, Inc. to create and install interpretive panels at Hopkins Demonstration Forest in Oregon City. The 140-acre forest has five miles of trails and is home to the Molalla Log House , which is thought to be the oldest pioneer home in the state.$64,000 to Clackamas River Water Providers to create a Clackamas Water Trail website, signs and maps.$60,000 to Vintage Trolley for an electric engine and battery to convert the trolley to an electric vehicle. The Vintage Trolley runs along the Willamette River between the South Portland waterfront and downtown Lake Oswego.$115,031 to Trailkeepers of Oregon for trailwork and repairs and stewardship training to build resiliency for Clackamas County’s trail network.$49,000 to the Jackknife Zion Horseheaven Historical Society to install mobility-friendly all-seasons paths at Philip Foster Farm. The farm, which is operated by the Jackknife Zion Horseheaven Historical Society, is a historical site in Eagle Creek. The site was considered an important rest stop for travelers on the Oregon Trail.$56,699 to Clackamas River Basin Council for indigenous art and interpretive panels. The council’s main goals are restoring and protecting the Clackamas River watershed and the fish and wildlife that live within it. The basin was originally home to Indigenous people like the Clackamas, Chinook, Kalapuya, Molalla and other Native groups.
"These grants represent a significant investment in the future of tourism in Clackamas County," Director of Clackamas County Tourism Samara Phelps said in a press release. "By supporting these diverse projects, we are not only enhancing the visitor experience but also contributing to our communities' economic vitality and sustainability."
The press release noted that the goal of these grants, and the strategic investment program as a whole, is meant to have a lasting impact on tourism within the county, “ensuring that Clackamas County offers visitors and residents authentic, enriching experiences.”
Most Popular
Comments / 0