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"The Register=vuard ° Jule 1,2003
<br /> WILLAMETTE RIVER ACCESS
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<br /> THOMAS Born/The Register-Guard
<br /> Ian Blanchard jumps up and down to help pull on his spray skirt before paddling with a parade of boats that celebrated a new ramp on the Willamette
<br /> River south of Day Island Road.This section of the river was previously accessible only by traversing the rapids under the 1-5 bridge upstream.
<br /> Newest launch site lures river runners
<br /> of the Willamette made safely acces- "The bond measure gave us the
<br /> The Alton Baker Park project began when the old boat landing Bible by a new boat launch,located funding to make this a reality,"said
<br /> on the west end of Alton Baker Park Weber, who also designed West Al-
<br /> a mile upstream was closed due to vandalism and dumping south of Day Island Road. The ton Baker Park.
<br /> launch,completed in November,was Working with a team of consul
<br /> BY BEN Fucus truck-like force slam into his pole, officially dedicated Saturday before ants, Weber and others involved in
<br /> The Register-Guard doubling over the thin fiberglass rod. about 50 people in a brief ceremony the project, including local fishing
<br /> A fierce tussle brought the 11-pound followed by a floating parade. and boating organizations, chose a
<br /> Expertly maneuvering his spring chinook salmon, lip-hooked Funded by a bond measure passed section of the riverbank where the
<br /> McKenzie drift boat through the by the slimmest thread,to the edge of in 1998, the launch cost about conditions were near-perfect for the
<br /> riffles and eddies of the river bend, the boat.And not a moment too soon. $300,000,Eugene landscape architect ramp. There's a very thin riparian
<br /> Gabriel O'Campo recounted his fish "As soon as I set(the fish)in the John Weber said. And he should strip,a solid,sediment-free river bot-
<br /> tale of the big one that didn't get bottom of the boat,it shook that hook know—Weber has been working on torn and a calm stretch of water
<br /> away. loose," said O'Campo,now 46 and a the project since 1996,the same year where boats can put in safely.
<br /> It was a beautiful spring day on father of three. the old boat launch,located about a "It had all the right ingredients,"
<br /> the Willamette River in 1998, and The fishing fanatic may soon be mile upstream of the new one, was Weber said.
<br /> O'Campo was getting ready to reel in able to add a story or two to his am- closed due to vandalism and illegal So they built it.And on Saturday,
<br /> his line when he felt a Mack ple collection thanks to a new stretch dumping. Please turn to LAUNCH,Page C3
<br /> Launch: Site offers `wonderful opportunity'
<br /> Continued from Page CI the ramp Northwest
<br /> said
<br /> provides access to a Wildlife.But the launch, the only
<br /> kayakers, fishermen, rafters prime stretch of fishing water. ramp of its type in Eugene,will
<br /> and plain-orfloaters came out This section of the Willamette benefit more than just fisher-
<br /> to take part in the flotilla, was previously accessible only men.Outdoor enthusiasts of all
<br /> which drifted about two miles by traversing the rapids under types will now find "getting
<br /> from the new launch to a take- the Interstate 5 bridge up- wet"much more convenient,ac-
<br /> out point adjacent to the Valley stream, a maneuver O'Campo cording to Therese Picado, the
<br /> River Center. and other fishermen saw as too floating parade's unofficial
<br /> Everyone seemed to be excit- dangerous. director.
<br /> ed about the new launch,open "This boat ramp is going to "It's a wonderful opportuni-
<br /> only to nonmotorized water- provide access to those fish, ty to invite people to partake in
<br /> craft, for different reasons. now and in the future,"said Jeff the river," said Picado of the
<br /> O'Campo,a member of the Em- Ziller, a fish biologist for the city's Parks and Open Space
<br /> erald Empire chapter of the Oregon Department of Fish and Division.
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