A nonprofit group wants to lease property from Clark County for a camp that would provide a rustic retreat for military veterans.
Columbia River Veterans Association is seeking to build Camp Eagles Rest to provide a place where veterans could stay for a few days. The proposed site is on 30 acres of Bratton Canyon Park, a county-owned property north of La Center.
It would be a place for “relaxation, quiet camaraderie and healing,” according to organizers. Veterans would stay at Camp Eagles Rest for up to a week at no charge and participate in outdoor recreation, group discussions and other activities.
Clark County and Columbia River Veterans Organization will host an open house from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday at the La Center Community Center, 1000 E. Fourth St., La Center.
Before entering into a lease with the group, Clark County wants to ensure the community is aware of this proposal and has an opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback, Bill Bjerke, parks manager, said in a news release.
The veterans organization will make a short presentation at 5:30 p.m.
Larry Smith, vice chairman of the organization’s board of trustees, emphasized that the concept is not a homeless camp.
“It’s to help transitioning veterans as they navigate some difficulties and get on with their lives,” said Smith, a retired Army officer and former Vancouver city councilor.
The group has set a $3 million fundraising goal, an amount it believes will be sufficient to build and operate the project for the first five years. The group is planning to hold a fundraising event on Sept. 23 “to get the word out,” said Smith, who also is co-chairman of the Community Military Appreciation Committee.
Bratton Canyon Park is along the north side of Northwest 389th Street at Northwest Ninth Avenue. It was previously known as Woodland Campground; the Washington State Department of Natural Resources transferred the 80-acre property to Clark County in 2011.
According to a Clark County news release, the site is largely undeveloped, except for an 18-acre area with tent sites, a picnic shelter, picnic tables, barbecue grills, vault toilets and a paved basketball-volleyball court. Clark County allows parking for day use from April 15 through Oct. 15. Overnight camping is not allowed without a county-issued special use permit.
Camp Eagles Rest would be developed east of the existing campground. Columbia River Veterans Organization would be responsible for all aspects of developing and operating the retreat, including fundraising, planning, permitting, clearing and construction.
Preliminary plans call for eight cabins — four veterans per cabin — a restroom-shower-laundry building, an office-kitchen-mess hall and outbuildings for storage.
While the location about three miles east of the Woodland Airport offers a secluded retreat, “It is a ways away from (veterans’) services in Vancouver,” Smith said. “We’ll try to see what services need to be out there.”
