Visit Central Oregon gives $840,000 to a dozen tourism projects designed to benefit both tourists and residents
(Update: Adding video, comments from recipients, Visit Central Oregon CEO)
SUNRIVER, Ore. (KTVZ) — Visit Central Oregon has announced the 12 organizations being awarded a total of $840,000 in grants as part of the Central Oregon Future Fund, a new grant program to support local projects that will benefit both residents and visitors.
Visit Central Oregon said Wednesday it selected the dozen recipients from 43 applications requesting more than $4 million in funding.
The recipients represent a wide range of projects — from a program to enhance outdoor recreation opportunities for people with disabilities, to Tower Theatre sound improvements, to a myriad of trail projects spread throughout Central Oregon.
Visit Central Oregon CEO Julia Theisen explained how the new Central Oregon Future Fund is funded out of transient room tax revenues.
"We have two contracts, one with Deschutes County and one with Travel Oregon," she said. "It's our fund, it's our budget and we created this program out of our budget."
Theisen continued, "We had funds that would typically be used for marketing, and during the pandemic, we weren't able to expend those funds. So we decided to start this new program with some of those funds that were generated that we weren't able to spend."
Central Oregon Trail Alliance got $60,000 from Visit Central Oregon. They'll use it for signage and other resources on several area trails.
COTA Executive Director Emmy Andrews says rural trails will be a priority.
"Actually, a lot of these trails that are more in the rural communities, there may not be signage at all," she said. "So part of what we said in the grant is, that can be really intimidating for a first-time user."
Andrews continued, "(We'll have) Improved signage on some of the trails that are in rural area. Everyone knows about the trails west of Bend, but this money will go to having really quality kiosks and signage."
Theisen said the Trail Alliance was chosen to help visitors and residents navigate the trail system.
"Our residents also use that, as well as our visitors," she said. "And improving signage on that is going to help everybody."
The Deschutes Soil and Water Conservation District is getting an award of $95,000 for maintaining natural habitats and reducing light pollution. District Manager Erin Kilcullen told NewsChannel 21, "I also believe that with our expanding growth that our light pollution is expanding, and this can have detrimental effects to not only human health but wildlife as well."
Theisen said, "We're not doing this to bolster our image. We're actually just reinvesting tourism dollars back into projects that we feel will positively impact our region, for residents and visitors alike."
Each has at least one thing in common: Every project awarded a Central Oregon Future Fund grant placed an emphasis on sustainable tourism, in line with the Fund’s pillars of promoting accessible adventure, cultural tourism, and stewardship. The 43 applications included 13 access adventure projects, 22 cultural tourism projects, and eight stewardship projects.
“Each of these projects will provide a lasting benefit to the region and enhance the enjoyment of Central Oregon for those of us who live here, as well as those who visit,” Theisen said in the announcement “Our goal is to support programs that will help make Central Oregon a better place to live as well as a more attractive place to visit. And as each of these grant recipients prove, these interests do not necessarily have to compete with one another.”
The 2023 Central Oregon Future Fund grant winners include:
Bend Parks and Recreation District, River Access Improvements Phase 3 ($100,000): Aimed at improving river access along a busy stretch of the Deschutes River, while also restoring habitat and ensuring sustainable water enjoyment for decades to come.
Central Oregon Trail Alliance, Welcome to Central Oregon’s Trails ($60,000): Aimed at welcoming locals and visitors to Central Oregon trails, beyond the most popular near Bend, by improving signage and trip planning information.
Deschutes Soil and Water Conservation District, Got Stars Central Oregon ($95,000): TheOregon Chapter of the International Dark-Sky Assoc., Deschutes Soil and Water Conservation District, and its eight Central Oregon partners, are collaborating on a community-wide initiative to showcase the importance and solutions related to dark skies and astro-tourism through outreach, education, and signage and lighting improvements.
Discover Your Forest, Skull Hollow Trail Head ($77,375): Facility improvements to enhance a diverse mixed-use trail area and prevent further resource damage to the most visited trailhead in the Crooked River National Grassland.
High Desert Museum, Changing Exhibits Initiative ($50,000): The Changing Exhibit Initiative brings new and exciting experiences to the museum, driving attendance, and supporting Central Oregon’s thriving arts and culture community.
Maupin Area Chamber Endowment, Deschutes River Athletic Complex ($60,000): Enhancements to the Deschutes River Athletic Complex, upgrading its track and football field, performing arts stage and spectator facilities.
Oregon Adaptive Sports, Moving Mountains ($67,475): Program will enhance opportunities for residents and visitors with disabilities and their families to access Central Oregon’s outdoor recreation opportunities.
Oregon Equestrian Trails, Sheep Springs Horse Camp Steel Corral Upgrade ($66,083): Oregon Equestrian Trails will install steel corrals at Sheep Springs Horse Camp, providing safe and durable corrals critical for equine safety and visitor enjoyment.
Sisters Trails Alliance, Whychus Overlook Accessibility Enhancement Project ($37,152): Modification of the existing masonry wall with two 10-foot viewing sections and refitting it with a cable-rail assembly to create a fully inclusive overlook at the Whychus Creek Overlook.
Sunriver Owners Association, Sunriver Pathway Wayfinding Signs ($74,148): The project will add 25 new signs throughout Sunriver, providing enhanced wayfinding for residents and visitors.
Tower Theatre, Sound Mitigation Project ($49,140): This project will fully complete comprehensive sound mitigation to improve, enhance, and clarify audio amplification in the historic Bend venue.
Warm Springs Community Action Team, Warm Springs Commissary ($100,000): A collaborative project, this is aimed at creating a sustainable destination and business incubator supporting 40 aspiring or current small business owners in the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.
To be selected, winning applications had to be aligned with three program pillars: Stewardship, cultural tourism, and expanding access to outdoor adventure. In all, The Central Oregon Future Fund awarded $840,000 in grants in what is its inaugural year. The grants are entirely funded by revenue generated from the region’s transient room tax that is dedicated to tourism programs.
“The Central Oregon Future Fund is off to a great start and Visit Central Oregon will continue to support the region by reinvesting TRT dollars back into our communities and impacting them positively,” Theisen said. “Ultimately, Visit Central Oregon’s mission is to promote sustainable tourism and to ensure that the region remains a community we all enjoy.”
To learn more about the Central Oregon Future Fund and this year’s grant recipients, visit visitcentraloregon.com/Future-Fund.
ABOUT VISIT CENTRAL OREGON:
Visit Central Oregon is a 501c6 that serves as the regional destination marketing organization. We drive overnight visitation to the region to support a thriving tourism economy. We inspire travel to the region through an integrated marketing campaign that celebrates our unique culture, people, and landscapes. As the Regional Destination Management Organization (RDMO) appointed by the Oregon Tourism Commission, we manage the Regional Cooperative Tourism Program (RCTP) which is leveraged by the Deschutes County budget to optimize the economic impact from tourism to the region. We collaborate with industry partners towards a shared healthy vision of tourism for the region.
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Here's Bend Park and Rec District's news release Thursday about their grant award:
BPRD receives grant to further develop river access improvements
he Bend Park and Recreation District has been awarded $100,000 for its project to improve river access at three of its parks: McKay, Miller’s Landing and Columbia. The grant funds will contribute to development of preferred concepts, permit submission and design development.
The grant was awarded by the new Visit Central Oregon Future Fund. The grant program received more than $4 million dollars in application requests. Less than 25 percent of all applications were funded.
In 2019, BPRD embarked on a two-year planning process to best manage the increased recreational river use and improve the experience for all users at riverfront parks, and protect the surrounding river bank and habitat. The 2021 Deschutes River Access & Habitat Restoration Plan identified 28 projects for implementation over an approximately 10-year period.
Three individual projects from the river plan have been combined into a single, larger project: the McKay, Miller’s Landing and Columbia Park’s River Access Project (MMC), which include river access points to manage the increased recreational river use, repair habitat degradation, and improve the experience for all users.
“This successful grant award would not have been possible without the support of our partners,” said BPRD Park Planner Rachel Colton. “BPRD is grateful for the hours the community has invested to inform the design of this project, and for the organizations that provided letters of support for this project. These organizations include Oregon Adaptive Sports, Central Oregon Coalition for Access, Upper Deschutes Watershed Council, Visit Bend, William Smith Properties and Bend Paddle Trail Alliance.”
Results of recent public input were shared with the BPRD Board of Directors and direction was provided to staff to continue with the design process. Additional planning and design will be completed, in addition to securing grant funding and establishing timelines that may take years.
