Lawrence Barber, 6422 Kerby Avenue Portland Oregon 97217 (503) 285-4220

Maritime Writing
Photography
Public Relations
Member

INTERNATIONAL ASSOCATION OF BOATING WRITIERS

October 14, 1975

Commissioner Mildred Schwab
City of Portland
City Hall
Portland, Oregon 97204

Dear Commissioner:

Photographs of Columbia Slough are enclosed showing it as a placid and pretty waterway, as it actually is.

It is a place where people may go with their small boats to get out of the swells of ships and tugs on the Willamette and Columbia Rivers.

This is unique for a major city.

I hope this 71/2 mile slough will be left open from the rivers and some day improved with a couple of launching ramps, tie-up floats and picnic parks for the benefit of the public.

If the city takes over this area as proposed, the improvement of this waterway for public pleasure will become the responsibility of the city, probably its park bureau. I assume the Oregon State Marine Board, of which I was a member for 13 years, and the Federal Bureau of Recreation can be induced to assist financially.

There is no good reason for the Port of Portland to dam this slough, but it can build bridges for the passage of its roadways and railroad, and vertical clearance of 25 feet should suffice. Higher bridges are not necessary for the passage of small craft or small barges, which are all that would use this waterway.

Much of the work proposed in Plan I is not necessary and, no doubt, would never be built. It is there to confuse reasonable thinkers.

Let’s keep this a simple matter; build only what is necessary, and keep this unusual waterway open, wild and refreshing

Very truly yours,

Lawrence Barber