Published Dec 5, 2003 Klamath Herald & News
Something that often gets overlooked when people talk about the benefits of tourism is that the
same amenities that attract tourists also make a town nicer for the residents.
Things that encourage people to visit Klamath Falls do more for the local residents than produce income for businesses and
their employees - though that's a lot.
Activities and recreational opportunities created specifically for tourists, also add something for local residents. They make a town a nicer place to live.
The
South Portal Project envisioned for the Highway 97 area on the south side of Klamath Falls falls into that category.
Thursday, we poked a little fun at the state's new slogan: "Oregon: We love
dreamers."
But we also indicated, we hope, that there are those who just dream, and then there those who dream and make their dreams real. The South Portal Project has the look of the latter.
The
South Portal plans were presented to the Klamath Falls City Council this week by Jim Carpenter of Carpenter Design Inc. He has done a $15,000 study of the proposal that would cover about eight acres of
mostly wetlands now owned by the Burlington Northern & Santa Fe Railway west along Highway 97 as it approaches the Klamath Falls downtown area.
The goal is to encourage people to get off the highway
and spend time in the Klamath Falls area. Anyone who doubts the power of such things should consider the impact that Interstate 5 has had on Medford, a city that in its pre-interstate days lagged well behind
Klamath Falls in population. It now has more than three times Klamath Falls' population of 19,462.
There were also other reasons for Medford's gain, but Interstate 5 was the key.
Highway 97 is not I-5,
and doesn't have the millions of people who travel the more western route. But it does have people who would stop, spend time and money, and encourage others to do the same if they can be tempted to leave
the highway. That could be done by an inviting south entrance that would include a visitors center, interpretive trails through the wetlands along Lake Ewauna and information about the things that Klamath
Falls has to offer.
In addition, such things would provide recreation for local residents. They would encourage more pride in Klamath Falls and the way it looks. They offer the potential of tying into
other developments on the Veterans Park side of the Link River, and along the shoreline of Lake Ewauna.
Dreams can pay off. So does tourism.
