D River Welcome Center, Lincoln City: $2.547 million. D River Park is the most popular beach wayside in the state. It is also the first place that the 20 million people who drive through Lincoln City annually get a look at the ocean. Over one million visitors to pull in each year to watch the surf or enjoy the beach.

Lincoln City is finalizing the transfer of the Wayside from the State to the City. The plan is to transform the Park with a state-of-the-art welcome center, upgraded restrooms, landscaping and improved beach access. With the planned upgrades, D-River Wayside will become the most valuable tourism asset in Lincoln City.

Lincoln City Cultural Center: $1.8 million. The nonprofit Lincoln City Cultural Center has spent 13 years and $1.5 million to turn the historic Delake School (circa 1929) into a well-equipped center for arts, culture and community programs, hosting 350 events with an attendance of 45,000 in 2019. From the outside, however, the center still looks like an abandoned school surrounded by broken sidewalks, old fences, poor lighting and potholes.

The Lincoln City Cultural Plaza would transform these grounds with accessible pathways, gathering places, well-designed and expanded parking, public art and vendor amenities, and an artistic welcome mat to the 8.8 million cars that pass by on Hwy. 101 each year.

The State approved a $1.5M appropriation in the 2019-21 Budget. However, the appropriation was rescinded when Lottery Bond sales were cancelled due to COVID.  

Original News Bulletin from Representative Gomberg found here.