First Phase of McKee Bridge Restoration Starts
The first phase of the McKee Bridge restoration has started. The McKee Bridge Historical Society (MBHS) commenced raising matching funds when Jackson County agreed to apply for a grant to restore the bridge. The grant was made by the federal government on August 2, 2012. It totaled $547,250, of which 10.27% must be raised as matching funds ($56,202). MBHS is committed to raise all of the matching funds. Of that amount, $12,000 was needed by January 2013 in order for the initial engineering work to commence.
McKee Bridge
By the beginning of December 2012, only about $8000 had been raised. The Mid Rogue Independent Physician Association and CareSource/Mid Rogue Health Plan came to the rescue with a commitment to match up to $2000 in contributions. Spurred on by this generous commitment, MBHS received almost $3000 between the beginning of December and the first week of January. MBHS was able to deposit $12,000 with Jackson County in January 2013.
The State of Oregon administers the grant and was able to proceed with qualifying engineering firms and then selecting the best qualified firm to design the repairs for the bridge. Late in January, the state selected Oregon Bridge Engineering Company (OBEC) to do the engineering work. A fee for the work will be negotiated with OBEC in February 2013. Now that the matching funds are in place, the federal government share of the funds will be sent to the state. It is expected that the design of the repair, review by environmental organizations and the Dept. of Fish and Game, will take most of 2013 to complete.
During 2013, MBHS will be working hard to raise the remaining $44,202. We hope to raise that amount of money by January 2014. If we do, the restoration project will go to bid in the spring of 2014 and the construction will take place during the summer of 2014. If we don’t raise that amount of money by then, the repair will be delayed until the matching funds are raised. The Board of Directors of MBHS will be asking a number of charitable foundations to help us with the needed funds. However, all friends of McKee Bridge will need to help also. Look for our fund raising thermometer next to the Ramsay Realty sign in Ruch and the one at the bridge.
Your contributions can be sent to MBHS, P.O. Box 854, Jacksonville, OR 97530 or through PayPal at our website – www.mckeehistoricalcoveredbridge.org. MBHS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. We would like to thank all of the generous persons who have already assisted in the raising the initial $12,000. Without your help we couldn’t start this phase of the restoration. If you have questions or comments, please call Bob at 541-899-2927 or email to rvanh2000@yahoo.com.
Robert E. Van Heuit, President, McKee Bridge Historical Society