U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service proposes the Oregon spotted frog be listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act
INSIDE THIS ISSUE Nature Center................ 8 Calendar...................... 11 SROA News.................. 26
Public Safety................ 34 Commentary................ 44 Classified..................... 47
Author Craig Johnson will be in Sunriver to debut Spirit of Steamboat, the latest in his Walt Longmire mystery series
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S U N R I V E R
S C E N E A COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE SUNRIVER OWNERS ASSOCIATION
october • 2013
volume xxxix • Number 10
Covering costs focus of 2014 admission fees
‘Besson Commons’ dedicated at former South Pool site
By Scene Staff On Sept. 21, the Sunriver Owners Association Board of Directors approved a new fee structure for owners, guests and the general public to access SHARC, the North Pool and SROA’s tennis courts in 2014. A great deal of work led up to the board’s recent approval. A work group consisting of three SROA board members and three staff members met and worked independently over the past eight months to examine actual use, cost and revenue data, develop accurate amenity use projections, and examine viable fee structure options. This group also met numerous times with the SROA Finance Committee and board and presented their research work at the annual meeting in August. Ultimately, they presented the board with a proposal they believe to be fair to the various user groups with a key focus on covering the cost of a visit as their guiding principle.
and guests.” Hand said he was entering survey results into a spreadsheet that will produce graphs of the yes and no responses to each of the survey’s 13 questions. Additionally, WHPacific will incorporate verbal comments collected at owner workshops held Aug. 10 in Vancouver, Wash., and Tigard and Aug. 13 in Sunriver. In straw poll votes taken at the workshops, 28 out of 33 at the Sunriver meeting supported developing river access. All owners at the Tigard meeting said a boat ramp is desirable. “We are getting lots of information and comments on the dog park concept and those are split 50-50 in favor or opposed. Those with dogs want it. Those without dogs don’t want it. We’ve
By Brooke Snavely The former South Pool is now Besson Commons, Sunriver Resort’s newest outdoor venue. In a Sept. 7 ceremony rich with history and distinguished guests, the Resort dedicated the site and paid respects to Col. Frank S. Besson, commander of Camp Abbot in 19431944, and to the 90,000 U.S. Army combat engineers who trained here for the Allied invasion of Germany during World War II. The resort invited Besson’s descendants to the dedication and presented them a portrait of their grandfather that was painted by a combat engineer trainee who passed through the camp. The painting was displayed for a number of years in the Great Hall, the former Camp Abbot Officer’s Club. “The Besson family is honored to have the legacy of our grandfather recognized by Sunriver Resort. We are pleased to know that this site will bring joy to families for generations to come,” said Frank S. Besson III, the colonel’s grandson. Besson graduated with honors from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1909. Under his leadership, Camp Abbot served as an Engineer Replacement Training Center (ERTC) during World War II, where he fostered a mission to make Camp Abbot the best ERTC in the country. Besson was credited with creating a strong esprit de corps among the troops. He was known for riding the grounds in an open jeep with pipe in hand while encouraging soldiers with his favorite slogan: “Sweat saves blood.” Besson family members helped Tom O’Shea, Sunriver Resort managing director, unveil a plaque inscribed with a Besson quote from the dedication of Camp Abbot 70 years ago to the week: “In every theater of war, the engineers are using their tools and their weapons with equal skill. Let us continue with our efforts of training soldiers who are
Turn to River, page 7
Turn to Besson, page 4
Brooke Snavely photos
Above, from left: Gene Whisnant, Frank Besson III and Tom O’Shea unveil a memorial plaque at the new Besson Commons. Left: Invited veterans attending the ceremony show their respect during the Pledge of Allegiance.
Turn to Admission, page 3
Owners respond to survey about river/marina access within Sunriver By Brooke Snavely As of mid-September Sunriver owners filled out and returned approximately 150 surveys regarding a proposed river access site on the Deschutes River due east of the HOLA! Restaurant. Clear trends have emerged said Ron Hand, senior project manager for WHPacific, the landscape architecture company hired to design and develop river access cost estimates. “Most survey responders are owners of watercraft. Some are owners of multiple watercraft. Most own canoes and kayaks, a few own inflatables and very few have drift and powerboats. Five out of six are interested in the project. There is a large majority interest in a boat launch in some form or another.” Survey responders were split between which portions of the river they prefer SUNRIVER SCENE SUNRIVER OWNERS ASSN. VOLUME XXXIX • NUMBER 10 P.O. BOX 3278 SUNRIVER, OR 97707
to float. Approximately 50 percent put in at Harper Bridge and take out at the marina; the other half put in at the marina and pull off the river at the canoe takeout about six miles downstream. There were more than 50 comments favoring a ramp that incorporates a rubberized material to protect boat hulls. “Without saying ‘this is what we are going to do,’ it would be safe to say there is a good amount of support for a boat launch,” Hand said. There is interest in a kayak rack storage facility on site. About one in three responses support the on-site boat storage for a fee concept. “In response to the question of who should be permitted to use it, a large majority said owners, families and guests. About three people said anyone. There’s a 5-1 margin in favor of owners, families
PRSRT STD. U.S. POSTAGE PAID BEND, OR PERMIT NO. 213