Cascade Locks, OR

Saturday and Sunday, September 27-28, 2008 the 4th Annual Festival of Nations and 10K Salmon Run will be held in Cascade Locks at the Marine Park. Entertainment will include Warm Springs dancers performing ancient dances that few have seen, Korean drummers and dancers, and Hispanic dancers plus more. Learn about Gorge geology and history, cultural exhibits, demonstrations by Warm springs Heritage group-drum making, beadwork. There will be an "Art in the Park" tent with hands-on ethnic art projects for kids. Saturday, Sept. 27 at 8:00 am the 10K Salmon Run on the Historic Highway will be held. For more information visit www.cascadelocks.net.

The annual Sternwheeler Days festival will be held in Cascade Locks on June 27-29, 2008 This annual event includes arts and crafts vendors, music, food, and a parade through downtown Cascade Locks. Cascade Locks is located about 20 miles west of Hood River in Hood River County. It is the home of the Columbia Gorge Sternwheeler. This year there will be a race between the Columbia Gorge Sternwheeler and the Portland Steamer. This is the first steamboat race on the Columbia in 56 years! Tickets are available to ride on either boat by calling the Portland Spirit at 1-800-224-3901

Cascade Locks is also home of the Bridge of the Gods and access to the Washington side of the gorge. After you cross into Washington, Stevenson is about 3 miles to the east and North Bonneville is about 6 miles to the west.

Disclaimer: I assume no responsibilty for accuracy of information provided within this post and blog. Many entries on this blog are based on the opinions and ideas of the author and are provided without warranties of any kind, either expressed or implied.

Will there be a Warm Springs Casino in Cascade Locks in Hood River County? Learn more about where things are at with this proposal at www.gorgecasinoeis.com You can also read the Environmental Impact Statement at the Skamania County Chamber of Commerce located at 167 NW Second St. in Stevenson, WA.

Here's a brief overview of what is being proposed. The Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon (Tribe) have proposed to develop a resort and casino, with associated transportation system improvements, in the City of Cascade Locks, Hood River County, Oregon.

The eventual size and scope of the facilities may be modified, however the Tribe's current proposal is for a $389 million, 603,000 square foot riverfront destination resort and casino on 60 acres. Initial plans include a 90,000-square-foot gaming casino, 241-room hotel, 26,000 square foot meeting and convention facility, spa and fitness center, retail shops, cultural and interpretive center, daycare facility, and a variety of dining options. Parking would be provided for 3,700 vehicles, including a multi-tiered parking garage and two surface lots.

There will be five public hearings conducted by the BIA (Bureau of Indian Affairs) during the
comment period. This is your opportunity to voice your opinion about the
proposal. The first hearing took place this week in Warm Springs, Oregon.
Here is the schedule for the remaining public hearings:

Monday March 10, 2008
6:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Port of Cascade Locks Gorge Pavilion, Marine Park
355 Wa-Na-Pa Street
Cascade Locks, Oregon

Wednesday March 12, 2008
6:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Rock Creek Center
710 SW Rock Creek Drive
Stevenson, Washington

Thursday March 13, 2008
6:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Doubletree Hotel, Lloyd Center
1000 NE Multnomah
Portland, Oregon

Monday March 17, 2008
6:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Hood River Middle School Auditorium
1602 May Street
Hood River, Oregon

The Bonneville Dam is Located in the Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area 40 miles east of Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington. The Bonneville Dam was the first of the major dams to be built on the Columbia River. It was one of the northwest's largest Depression-era New Deal projects, built to harness the river for hydroelectric generation and to improve navigation.

Construction of the dam began in 1933, and water began to rise in 1937. In a short time, the impoundment drowned the historic Cascade rapids that had been a treacherous obstacle for Native Americans for generations and for European-American explorers and travelers since the arrival of Lewis and Clark. The dam which is 2,690 feet long and 197 feet high, is about two miles downstream from the Bridge of the Gods located in Cascade Locks, Oregon. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers operates and maintains Bonneville Lock and Dam for hydropower production, fish and wildlife protection, recreation and navigation. There are visitor centers with interpretive programs and tours on both the Oregon and Washington sides.

Since 1938, Bonneville Dam has supplied the region with inexpensive electrical power. Visitors can experience first-hand the operation of two hydroelectric powerhouses and watch migrating fish traveling upstream at the underwater viewing rooms next to the fish ladders. This area is along the Lewis and Clark route.