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Oregon Coast Beach Bill Party This Week Adds More Names; Son of Gov. McCall

Published 05/09/2017 at 5:03 AM PDT - Updated 05/09/2017 at 5:05 AM PDT
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff

Oregon Coast Beach Bill Party This Week Adds More Luminaries, Including Son of Gov. McCall

(Cannon Beach, Oregon) – This week's celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Oregon's Beach Bill just got bigger. 50 years after his father’s visit, Tad McCall, the son of former Oregon Governor Tom McCall, will visit Cannon Beach on Saturday, May 13 along with a growing list of dignitaries. Now, among the influential joining the north Oregon coast party will be Oregon State Parks Director Lisa Sumption, incoming Oregon Tourism Commission chairman Ryan Snyder and Oregon Coast Visitors Association Director Marcus Hinz.

It was on May 13, 1967 that Oregon Governor Tom McCall staged a dramatic media event in Cannon Beach, first by landing on the beach in Gleneden Beach by helicopter early that day and then moving to Cannon Beach with a team of surveyors and scientists. The flurry of attention created overwhelming support from the public for the Beach Bill, which was at the time threatened by political malaise and some resistance. In July of that year, the Oregon Legislature passed the law that assured Oregon beaches would remain public.

The daylong series of events and activities are the big kickoff to the celebrations around the Oregon coast that will keep things abuzz through the summer. Among the other events planned that day include the creation of a six-foot tall sandcastle on the beach, constructed by a professional sand sculpting team. Also that day, there will be a guided hiking tour on the beach from Haystack Rock to Silver Point with famed Oregon coast geologist Tom Horning. The Haystack Rock Awareness Program will present tide pool interpretive programs and have spotting scopes available to assist visitors in watching the Tufted Puffins that nest on Haystack Rock. Many other beach activities are planned throughout the day.


McCall, Sumption and other local and state dignitaries will offer remarks on the historic legislation on the beach in front of the Surfsand Resort near where one of the now iconic Associated Press photos of Governor McCall was taken on that historic day in 1967. Following the presentations, the design plan for a Cannon Beach public art project related to the Beach Bill will be unveiled at the Gower Street beach access. The beach access improvements will include automated lockers where beach accessible wheelchairs will be available for mobility-impaired visitors.

Saturday’s festivities also include a presentation and music by Slater Smith of the Portland band, The Weather Machine. The presentation will showcase the band’s collaboration with Oregon State Parks, a music video shot on location at nearly 200 Oregon State Parks.

Cannon Beach’s Beach Bill anniversary celebration will wrap up with a public bonfire and free s’mores on the beach in front of the Surfsand Resort. For more information or a schedule of activities, visit CannonBeach.org. Cannon Beach Hotels / Lodging for this event - Where to eat - Map and Virtual Tour








 

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