The Great Basin Visitor Association has moved to a new location on Riverside Drive, within the area proposed for development as the South Portal of Klamath Falls.

Published Saturday Oct 8, 2005 By HOLLY OWENS
Klamath Herald & News

One more piece of the South Portal Project fell into place this week when the Great Basin Visitor Association showed off its new quarters along the south Highway 97 entrance to Klamath Falls.

The center has been drawing visitors since its first day at its new location three weeks ago. On Thursday, it held an open house.

"The first day we were in here it said, 'Closed - enter here at your own risk,' " tourist assistant Sylvia Cook said.

That didn't stop visitors who were looking for maps or information, and the guests were sympathetic about the predicament of working out of cardboard boxes, Cook said.

The visitor center is within sight of both northbound and southbound traffic along Highway 97. Relocating it from downtown is one part of a plan to get travelers to spend time, and ultimately dollars, in Klamath Falls.

"We're creating a sense of arrival. It's a big step," said Jim Carpenter. He and his wife, Stephanie, have been active in redevelopment of the downtown area and the South Portal Project that focuses on development of the southern entry to the city near Lake Ewauna.

In his own travels, he's noticed that when he tells people where he's from, they inevitably reply, "Oh yeah, we've been through there."

The goal, he said is to "get people off the highway," rather than just going through.

One feature that could draw travelers off the highway is convenient RV parking. A trashy area that Carpenter says people used as a midnight dump for old couches and other trash has been cleaned up and now provides pull-through parking for RVs.

"They'll be able to see big RV parking spaces," he said.

The property will eventually feature restrooms, and a stand-alone visitors information hub.

And, as a turnaround point for the museum trolley next summer, Great Basin could funnel more visitors to the downtown area.

"People can come to this as a hub," Carpenter said.

The new location also provides office space for South Portal Project developers next door to Great Basin.

But the people at Great Basin and the South Portal Project aren't planning on settling in for the long run.

The location is only temporary, said Carpenter.

"We want to springboard on the success of one project and use it to go on to the next," Carpenter said.

A new interpretive center is part of the vision for the South Portal Project. Carpenter estimates the center could cost $5 million to $6 million to build. He anticipates the facility the project uses now could be leased or sold to provide room for an art gallery or restaurant space that would complement the development.

One goal in designing an interpretive center would be to give Klamath Falls an immediate and recognizable identity. Carpenter cited the example of the Sydney Opera House - a structure that effectively links a building to a city.

"There's models out there of site interpretive centers," Carpenter said. " What they've done in different communities. What they want to showcase," Carpenter said.

Water, Carpenter said, is an element Klamath can showcase. He cites the example of Portland and other cities that have redeveloped unsightly industrial sites along their waterfronts into thriving economic communities.

"It's just been a huge boost economically," Carpenter said.

Development along the waterfront will ultimately connect the community to the area's water resources, Carpenter said.

"As an extension, we're going to get better water quality in Lake Ewauna," Carpenter said.

He gives credit for the accomplishments of the project so far to the wide variety of people involved.

"The success of this project has been the development of partnerships and volunteers," Carpenter said. "There are just some great people involved in the project."

At the open house Great Basin tourism director Dawnn Brown pointed out a wall covered with framed certificates of some of Great Basin's 35 partners. The wall was proving inspiring, Brown said, as she had a couple of people in Thursday who wanted to be partners.

Great Basin raises funds through partnerships with businesses and agencies. Partners in turn are listed in promotions, e-newsletters, on the visitor association's Web site and in print. Advertisements promoting the qualities of the Basin and local events are printed in Travel Oregon, Northwest Travel, and the Oregon Events Calendar, an annual magazine distributed through visitor centers, chambers of commerce, state welcome centers and by direct mail through the Oregon Tourism Commission.

And the news about Klamath is spreading. In 2004, only two events were listed in the Oregon Events Calendar, said Brown. This year there were 23 events listed, and for 2006 there are already 35 events lined up that will be listed in the calendar.

Timing has been opportune for the South Portal Project, Carpenter said, with the development of TimberMill Shores property along the shores of Lake Ewauna and increasing prices for land.

"We're only going to have this opportunity once," Carpenter said. "This was the time to begin."

Great Basin Visitor Association is open Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information phone 882-1501. On the Net: www.greatbasinvisitor.info