Wallace Marine Park Perimeter Trail Build Kick Off!

On August 22, 2009 over 120 Willamette University football players , lead by coach Mark Speckman, came out to Wallace Marine Park to build the beginning of the Wallace Marine Park Perimeter Trail. Using shovels, tarps and rakes the football players spread woodchips and built over 1,500 lineal feet of the soft surface trail. This event was a United Way Day of Caring and was made possible by the collaborative efforts of the Friends of Two Bridges, the City of Salem, United Way, Hands On of Willamette Valley, and the Willamette University Football Team.

Thank you to all of our volunteers for making the Wallace Marine Park Perimeter Trail build kick off a success!

Work on the Wallace Marine Park Perimeter Trail will continue on September 12^th, 2009 at 9am as an additional United Way Day of Caring. Friends of Two Bridges is looking for Volunteers to spread woodchips and trim brush. Tarps, shovels, rakes and clippers will be provided by the City. Volunteers should bring work gloves and appropriate work clothes. Volunteers will be required to sign a city waiver provided at the sign in table located at the first parking lot on the left as you enter the park. Refreshments and lunch will be provided. Please contact Ellen Miller with the Friends of Two Bridges with any questions, 503-409-9502.

Grand Opening Blogroll

The reactions pour in...all positive!

Over at AC Gilbert House, Bubble Girl frolics with the Mayor and has a slideshow.

At Pacificpedaling there's another slideshow.

Salem-News has a video and article.

Oregon Farmer calls it "awesome."

Paul Gehlar sends this great slideshow:

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

What an Opening!

Beautiful weather, wonderful crowd, great speeches and enthusiasm. What more could you ask for?

Here's the Statesman's coverage. (pdf here)

The better part of an hour was necessary to make an official half-mile trek across the river Saturday morning, but those who made it seemed to relish the experience. Hundreds of eager river crossers endured some 50 minutes of ceremonial oratory, salutation, acclamation, and approbation from at least a half-dozen speakers, waiting to get a shot at a trip across the Union Street Railroad Bridge.

For a Statesman Photo Gallery, click here.

Today it seemed just as crowded. One person on a bike counted over a hundred of pedestrians on the bridge during the 5 minutes he rode from one end to the other. A few were standing and gazing at the wonderful views of the river, but most were strolling. That means thousands of people used it this weekend!

(Photo: Thomas Patterson, Statesman Journal)

Interpretive Signs with Historic Timelines

Over at SHINE, Virginia Green has posted images of the three signs that will be mounted early tomorrow morning, in time for the Grand Opening ceremonies! Aren't they fabulous?

SJ Photo Gallery

The Statesman Journal has a nice little photo gallery of the bridge. I don't know if the link will go into the paid archive and die, but here it is for now!

It's Almost Here! Bridge Grand Opening on Saturday

Wow! The Grand Opening is just a few short days away! It starts at 10am this Saturday, April 18th.

The ceremony will feature music by the 234th Army Band and presentations by Salem Mayor Janet Taylor, Senator Peter Courtney, Senator Jackie Winters, Congressman Schrader’s Field Representative for Marion County, Jon Pugsley, Councilor Dan Clem, and Friends of Two Bridges Chair, Hazel Patton.

A formal ribbon cutting will follow the presentations and then the inaugural bridge parade will begin. The bridge parade will be led by the North Salem Color Guard and will feature Mayor Janet Taylor on the SANYO electric hybrid eneloop bike, followed by the 234th Army Band.

Event attendees will be joined by local mascots, including A.C. Gilbert’s Discovery Village’s “Bubble Girl,” Salem’s Riverfront Carousel’s “Ambassador,” and the Salem-Keizer Volcanoe’s “Crater” to complete the procession across the bridge. Following the parade, attendees will enjoy cookies, coffee, hot chocolate, and family activities in Wallace Marine Park.

In addition, local businesses will be offering special opportunities for attendees in honor of this momentous occasion: The Willamette Queen Sternwheeler will be offering a 9:45 a.m. Union Street Railroad Bridge Ribbon Cutting Cruise for $5.00 per person; A.C. Gilbert’s Discovery Village will be hosting a FREE day for families from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Dragon Boat Club representatives will be available at the docks in Riverfront Park to answer questions about the boats and club involvement; and Downtown and West Salem merchants will be open for Saturday shopping and meals.

The event will be crowded, and the weather looks to be good, so we encourage people to walk and bike! If you must drive, park on the west side, in Wallace Park, and use the old Center Street Bridge path to get to the east side. Click through for a larger version of this map for more detailed directions.

Bridge so Popular, Impossible to Keep Closed!

Salem loves the Bridge!

Yesterday interest in the bridge was so intense that it proved impossible to keep people off it! Today the Statesman notes that demand was so great that at about 1:30pm yesterday City officials opened the bridge to bicycle and pedestrian traffic.

The Grand Opening ceremony is still scheduled for Saturday, April 18th, at 10am.

(Photo: Timothy J. Gonzales, Statesman Journal)