Commissioners Hold Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony
for Umpqua Dunes RV Park
(Douglas County, Ore.) The Douglas County Board of Commissioners held a ribbon-cutting ceremony yesterday in Winchester Bay, Oregon to formally celebrate finalizing the Umpqua Dunes RV Park North Loop rehabilitation project. Phase two of the project is in the final stages of completion with a few finishing touches remaining for landscaping and the furnishing of five new cabins (expected to be finished by the Fourth of July Holiday). The North Loop rehabilitation project redeveloped the campground with 34 full-hookup paved campsites, paved parking lot, new restrooms and shower building, a laundry room, above-ground OHV and propane fuel tanks, and a 3,400 square-foot commercial retail building.
Commissioner Chris Boice, liaison to the Douglas County Parks Department and the driving force behind the Umpqua Dunes Project, spoke at the ribbon-cutting about the successful transformation the park has received over the last five years. Present for the ceremony were Commissioner Tim Freeman, Commissioner Tom Kress, Sheriff John Hanlin (DCSO), Jeff Bailey (Pelican Market), Steve Bailey (Pelican Market), Chuck Miller (Reedsport City Council), Mark Wall (DC Parks Director), James Zimmer (Salmon Harbor Director), Jody Morrow (DC Coastal Marketing Coordinator), Dee Dee Murphy (Reedsport City Council), Deanna Schafer (City of Reedsport Manager), Mayor Linda McCollum (City of Reedsport), Sergeant Jon Dorland (DCSO) and Deputy Michael Pitcher (DCSO).
Douglas County purchased Discovery Point RV Park in March 2018 with significant grant funds from the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department’s Local Government Grant Program. The acquisition of the campground is the most recent asset in the Douglas County Parks Department and was promptly renamed Umpqua Dunes RV Park. The Parks Department immediately began the process of complete redevelopment aimed at transforming it into a regional hub for ATVs, UTVs, and camping enthusiasts. Phase one of the renovations was completed in 2020 and included the complete rehabilitation of the South Loop of the RV park with 26 full-hookup paved campsites, a paved parking lot, and a new restroom and shower building. Both phase one and phase two were completed with grant funding.
In addition to the redevelopment of the RV Park, a new 3,400 sq. ft commercial retail building was built on the grounds of Umpqua Dunes RV Park and was leased to Fritz, Jeff, and Steve Bailey, the new owners of the Pelican Market on Highway 101 in Winchester Bay, through an RFP process. The layout of the new retail marketplace building (Winchester Beach Plaza) includes a convenience store offering groceries, hot food, beer, wine, bags of ice, toiletries, fishing bait, and firewood. The floor plan includes sections of camping and fishing supplies, accessories for RVers, and a pro shop for motorsports. A garage on the east side will house several quads and side-by-sides available for rent, small mechanic repair services, and tires and tire installation will also be available onsite. Above-ground tanks will store 1,000 gallons of OHV fuel and 500 gallons of propane for sale. A laundromat with 3 washers and 3 dryers is also available.
“The construction was worth the wait! I want to thank Morello Construction, the successful bidder for both the North Loop and South Loop reconstruction projects, for a job well done. I also want to express my sincere appreciation for all the hard work our Douglas County Parks staff and the Baileys with Pelican Market have done to make this rehabilitation project a huge success. The dramatic difference the renovations of this park have made for recreational enthusiasts and visitors alike will no doubt bring added value and future tourism opportunities to our beautiful Douglas County coastal community. In addition to our partners who collaborated on this project, I would also like to thank the local residents and guests for their support, cooperation, patience, and understanding during construction,” commented Commissioner Chris Boice. “I’m thrilled with the outcome and excited for the future of our Winchester Bay community.”
Located on the edge of the Umpqua Dunes portion of the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, Douglas County Umpqua Dunes RV Park is tucked behind the foredune, overlooking Half Moon Bay providing direct dune access for off-highway vehicles (OHV) and is designed to enhance the OHV experience. The park located at 1 Umpqua Dunes Way in Winchester Bay includes 60 full-hook-up campsites with Wi-Fi, group campsites (non-hook-up and partial hook-up sites), and soon-to-be 5 rental cabins. The campground features direct access to the dunes and water views. Enjoy swimming, fishing, and crabbing nearby at the Crab & Fish Dock, and picnic at the Day Use Park at the nearby beaches, all just a short drive from Salmon Harbor Marina.
A copy of the ribbon-cutting presentation can be found on the Douglas County Government Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/DouglasCountyeGovernment.
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Media Contact: Tamara Howell, Douglas County Emergency Communications & Community Engagement Specialist | Public Information Officer | (541) 670-2804 cell | (541) 957-4896 office | tjhowell@co.douglas.or.us
Photos Attached © K.Trenkle/Douglas County. Photos available upon request.