19 BRAND STORY The Port plans to continue helping its tenants and other local businesses secure funding, like the recent Business Oregon awards given to Landmass Wines and Son of Man Cidery. To attract and further support new business, the Port of Cascade Locks offers its waterfront incubation space, originally home to Thunder Island Brewing, which has since expanded, moving downtown after purchasing a much larger property from the Port. Pair that with nearby Gorges Beer Co. and Cascade Locks has established itself as a respectable beer destination with an offthe-beaten-path feel despite its convenient location for en route visitors and outdoor adventurers. Dynamic, year-round event calendar and a growing community Today, the incubator space houses the Gorge Canoe Club, equipped with a small gym that quickly became a local hangout. “The Canoe Club’s activities help to grow Cascade Locks’ profile as an outrigger canoeing destination and they are terrific volunteer partners for community clean-up days, lifejacket loaner stations and water safety,” Blue notes. “On Thursday nights, they bring canoes out and anyone can come down and enjoy them. The incubator concept is working, and we’ll likely expand it to other properties.” Aside from its weekly happenings, including Wednesday night live music at Thunder Island Brewing, Cascade Locks attracts significant crowds to its annual events, with exciting new additions in the pipeline. Its Bridge of the Gods run lets people of all ages and fitness levels enjoy the scenery, with unforgettable half-marathon, 10K, 5K and kids’ routes that take participants high above the gorge. The weekend also features the Thunder Island Twilight Music Festival. Also in summer, the popular two-day Pacific Crest Trail Days festival draws roughly 3,500 visitors per day. It celebrates outdoor recreation and stewardship with music and vendors offering food, drinks and gear, as well as overnight camping. Reimaging a future based on livability As the team reassesses and potentially rezones its industrial land, the gorge’s camping options may soon expand, with the possibility of a Port-operated RV park and campground currently under serious consideration. Its location on the east side of town would place it close to the renowned EasyCLIMB mountain-biking trail and a new six-mile trail loop constructed in partnership with the Northwest Trail Alliance, the US Forest Service and the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. With a prime location in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area—among national forests, dramatic Benson Plateau cliffs and nearby waterfalls—the Port plans to prioritize useable green spaces over factory development. As owners of residential, commercial and industrial properties, the Port recognizes its responsibility to develop those spaces in ways that support the community for the long term, such as the creation of workforce housing. “We’ve even gotten involved with childcare,” Blue elaborates. “That’s something that young families obviously need, and we’re very close to having that. We want to support the development of these services for our residents through public-private partnerships and deliberate collaboration in planning.” While the Port of Cascade Locks views its next steps through the lens of outdoor recreation and community wellbeing, it also celebrates and preserves the city’s history. “Even though we’re not a mill town anymore, that will always be a part of our identity. Our vision isn’t just based on fresh and new infrastructure,” Blue concludes. “We want to highlight the natural beauty of this place, revitalize historical structures, support established businesses and then share all of it with visitors in an accessible way.” n. Momentum is building in Cascade Locks. For a business development tour with the Port of Cascade Locks, please contact: Jeremiah Blue jblue@portofcascadelocks.gov (541) 436-2539 Melanie Schmidt and Malia Myers, Landmass Wines Alex Sarames, brewer at Thunder Island Brewing Co.
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