Public invited to depot celebration
By Terry Murry on Monday, July 10th, 2023 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
UMATILLA COUNTY – The Columbia Development Authority is hosting a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday at 10 a.m. to celebrate the former Umatilla Chemical Weapons Depot land being turned over to local control.
The ribbon cutting will be followed with a free barbecue and a tour of the depot. It is being held at the former army depot which is now known as Camp Rees. The tour includes exploring an igloo in which chemical weapons were once stored, visiting the southern Oregon trail, and visiting the site of the 1944 igloo explosion.
Those who want to attend should take exit 177 for the Oregon National Guard Training Center, and drive under the railroad bridge to the guard gate for directions to the celebration.
In addition to the training center, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation will be turning a large portion of the 9,511 acres into a wildlife sanctuary. The CDA is also made up of representatives from Umatilla and Morrow counties and the ports of Umatilla and Morrow, which will make a portion of the land available for economic development. Umatilla County Commissioner John Shafer said that people are already inquiring about the property.
“It’s right in between I-82 and I-84,” he said. “It’s got rail service. It’s got the river right there and this time next year, we’ll have water there. It’s going to be a big deal.”
More information is available at https://www.umadra.com/.
