A site to mark the Holiday Farm Fire?

RAINBOW: A one-acre parcel barely a quarter mile from the ignition site could become a memorial to the Holiday Farm Fire, according to a recent study. The site of the proposed memorial is located on unused USDA Forest Service land at the junction of Highway 126 and the west end of McKenzie River Drive.

In their proposal submitted to the McKenzie River Chamber of Commerce, University of Oregon students Rachel Benbrook, Meghan Doremus, and Elise O’Brien note the lot also includes a historic piece of the old McKenzie River Hwy. and seems to be a former homestead, judging by river rock features like an old retaining wall and a large chimney.

The chimney was obscured by brush until the Holiday Farm Fire, revealed after the event, could become a built-in focal point of the site. It is also highly visible from the highway but could be accessed via McKenzie River Drive to avoid impeding traffic on the highway. “It would attract travelers going between Eugene and Bend, bringing their spending money into the communities of McKenzie River,” the UO School of Architecture and Environment members wrote, adding, "Its high visibility would be a morale boost for residents and help energize the community.”

The study includes three alternative levels of development, depending on the level of funding available. Starting at the entry-level, they suggest a shrine could be created with community participation, utilizing on-site materials recycled into seating. “Some form of community organization would be required to build momentum for the site’s development as a memorial,” they suggest.

The area could be replanted at the mid-level to accommodate a small trail loop. A marker on the highway would encourage visitors to pull off to view signage or local artworks denoting narrative points along the trail.

Including everything mentioned in the mid-level cost option, the site could be further developed as a rest-stop area with bathrooms, offering more motivation for travelers through the region to stop and enjoy the site. “This would require adoption by a local organization for maintenance of facilities,” the report notes.

The proposal is currently in its initial planning stages. Still to be determined are how the proposals might mesh with the McKenzie River Ranger District's management plans, who will own and operate the facility, and where development funds could come from.

The proposal will be on the agenda for the McKenzie Chamber’s board of directors meeting scheduled for December 19th via Zoom at tinyurl.com/yc395jyh People with input on the project can send comments to [email protected]