The Douglas County Commissioners are excited to announce the purchase of Discovery Point RV Park in the Reedsport/Winchester Bay area. This purchase will lead to increased revenues for the Douglas County Parks Department. The sale closed last Thursday, March 22 and the county took over ownership on Friday, March 23. The total price for the 9.24 acre property, structures and RV operations is $1.8 million. Douglas County Parks received a $650,000 grant from Oregon Parks and Recreation Department’s local Government Grant Program. This program is derived from lottery funds and is dedicated to the expansion and improvement of Outdoor Recreation in Oregon. The remaining $ 1,150,000 is from county funds. Commissioner Chris Boice, who is the Commissioner Liaison to the Douglas County Parks Department, commented, “In the counties current financial situation, the need to identify alternative revenue streams for county services is paramount. The tourism along the coastal section of Douglas County is a staple economic driver, and adding to our recreational offerings in that regard creates an additional opportunity to capture revenue from tourism to fund the county parks system. Potentially, it could lead to reduced dependency on parking fees in the future.” The Parks Advisory Board voted at their last meeting to rename the park as, Umpqua Dunes RV Park. The county will to continue to operate the site as a recreational campground, but has plans for improvements to the property over time to enhance the recreational experience for users. They will be honoring all current reservations at the park and any new reservations can be made at our website: www.yourdcparks.com. An official grand opening of Umpqua Dunes RV Park will take place on Tuesday, May 15, 2018. More details about the grand opening will come as we get closer to the date. It project is part of a broader capital improvement plan for Douglas County Parks. The department is reinvesting usage fees in repairing and replacing park assets to ensure the outdoor recreational experiences remain for future generations. In 2016, the Douglas County Parks Department became self-sufficient and is reliant on user fees to operate and maintain the 43 developed parks, 23 boat ramps and nine campgrounds.
