August 12, 2022 3:30 a.m.

Beginning on Monday, August 22nd, the Douglas County Parks Department will temporarily close the boat ramp and adjacent parking lot on the east side of the railroad trestle at John P. Amacher Park in the Winchester area.

A release said the closure is necessary to complete a much-needed improvement project that involves the repaving of the parking lot, installation of new curbs, new stormwater catch basins and striping of parking spots. The project is expected to take about six weeks to complete.

The release said the goal is to have the rest of Amacher Park open for park patrons. There might be short periods of time when the contractor will need to close other areas in order to complete their work. Those wishing to float the river, fish off the river banks or kayak in the area are encouraged to utilize the access points near the day use area during the project period. In addition, boaters are encouraged to select an alternate facility among the large inventory of county parks with boat ramps.

In addition to Parks Department money approved by the Board of Commissioners, the project is being funded in part with grants from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Oregon State Marine Board, and the Umpqua Fisherman’s Association. The total project cost is roughly $800,000.

The project is expected to be completed by the end of September.