McKenzie Discovery Park receives $25,000 matching grant

OCF award will match donations dollar-for-dollar

LEABURG: Plans to build a world-class facility to honor the McKenzie River got a big boost this month, thanks to the award of a $25,000 gift.

To date, the Friends of the Old McKenzie Fish Hatchery has acquired over $1.2 million in cash and physical assets for the “McKenzie River Discovery Park” project at Leaburg Lake. The MRDP Interpretive Center has been planned to offer education and experiential learning, featur-ing themed areas - including movie theaters, trails, cultural exhibits, riverboat displays, and a gallery for rotating exhibits - along with an overhead aquarium and the Tamolitch interactive lab. Each feature was planned as part of a comprehensive learning experience for the 35,000 to 50,000 visitors expected to visit the center annually.

The $25,000 grant from the Oregon Community Foundation is set up as a matching source. Each dollar donated by individuals or other organizations will be matched, dollar-for-dollar - up to $25,000.

Those amounts are nearly enough to complete the Discovery Park project’s pre-campaign phase — which includes public outreach, a market analysis feasibility study, site plan and a sustainability plan — to help ensure its viability and long-term success. The value of the 43-acre Old McKenzie Fish Hatchery (donated for a 99-year secure lease) is estimated at $757,710.

Tax deductible contributions can be sent to Friends of the Old McKenzie Fish Hatchery, POB 506, Walterville, OR 97489. For more information on the project, go to: alturl.com/9nw3r.