Oregon City's Main Street, whose restored, historic storefronts conjure an atmosphere at once modern and traditional, is a delightfully colorful secret tucked between Highway 99E and the Union Pacific Railroad.
It's easy for travelers to speed past, unaware of the thriving downtown paralleling their route only blocks away.
With the help of an Oregon City enhancement grant, one organization hopes to change that.
Main Street Oregon City, a volunteer-led nonprofit that works to enhance the city's downtown through collaboration with various stakeholders, is the sponsor for a grant project that would involve building multi-functional gateway installations to attract passers-by into the downtown area.
According to a letter submitted to the grant review committee by former Main Street director Lloyd Purdy, ODOT estimates 36,000 vehicles pass through downtown Oregon City on Highway 99E daily. Along this route are many entry points into the city itself.
Structures at these entry points could serve to both identify access to Oregon City's downtown and inform individuals how to navigate there, said Nick Dierkman, a Main Street volunteer and project contributor.
"The sort of traditional gateway is an arch that says you're entering a particular place," Dierkman said. "But traffic doesn't just naturally flow into downtown. We see these gateways as multipurpose – announcing that you're entering the area, and also serving as directional structures."
The project is in the visioning stages. Main Street and Oregon City officials still don't know where the gateway structures will be located, or even what they will look like. Dierkman said the project board will seek interested parties to design potential gateway structures.
"We're trying to accomplish multiple things," Dierkman said. "We want people to recognize the downtown area. We're trying to continue to improve how downtown is used and how people get into downtown or recognize that they're already there. We're also not seeing this as a flat directional sign. We're seeing it as additional community art."
The gateways project received $13,800 from Metro's community enhancement grants program. The grant funding comes from a fee on trash at the Metro South Transfer Station and is designated for community improvement projects in the area directly affected by the waste disposal facility.
Oregon City Mayor Doug Neeley, who chairs the enhancement grants committee, said that most projects are visual in nature, such as cleanups, storefront improvements or new construction.
Neeley said the gateways proposal mutually reinforces Oregon City's Main Street Project, an urban renewal effort that began five years ago and has experienced great success in revitalizing the downtown area.
Main Street has several public art installations along its sidewalks and adjacent streets. Its businesses are painted a variety of bright colors, with big showcase windows and diverse signage. The street itself is slow moving two-way traffic, with bikesharing symbols painted in the lanes.
People strolling the length of the downtown area can access attractions such as the city's historic arch bridge and its municipal elevator, one of only four in the world. The elevator leads to a circular observation deck, providing a view of the river, downtown, Blue Heron mill site, and a backdrop of leafy trees already beginning to change with the season.
"There are great Main Street projects going on in Oregon City," Neeley said. "We want to enhance the actual capability for people to come into downtown and see it."
Other grant projects awarded funding by the committee are:
- Clackamas County Historical Society ($10,812)
- Roof repair and window restoration at the Museum of the Oregon Territory.
- John McLoughlin Elementary PTSO ($16,008)
- Track restoration project at McLoughlin Elementary.
- Oregon City High School’s construction class ($11,000)
- Develop and install a park stage at a city park which is still to be determined.
- Oregon City-Tateshina sister city committee ($2,680)
- Rehabilitate the water feature in the Peace Garden at the Pioneer Community Center.
- Park Place NA/Earth Crusaders ($8,480)
- Restoration and enhancement of the grounds at Straight Pioneer Cemetery.
- Social Services of Clackamas County ($3,800)
- Enhancements within the Clackamas Heights and Oregon City View Manor neighborhoods which will include public barbecue and picnic areas, along with neighborhood clean-ups.