Archive for the ‘WCVA News’ Category
March 3rd, 2010 by Angie Marsh
The Washington County Visitors Association (WCVA) will be awarding up to $200,000 in funds for tourism projects in Washington County–and the deadline for proposals is April 5, 2010.
These funds are allocated annually for the purpose of tourism development, and are awarded to businesses, organizations and other groups for projects and programs that will potentially increase the number of overnight visitors to Washington County. Tourism groups, non-profit associations, government and business associations operating in Washington County are eligible to apply. Funds will be awarded to tourism projects and/or programs that will be completed during fiscal year July 1, 2010 – June 30, 2011.
Broadway Rose Theatre was a past recipient of a WCVA grant.
To be considered for funding, projects must have the potential to attract and draw tourists from at least 50 miles outside of Washington County and the Portland Metro area, thereby increasing visitor spending in the local economy. The grants are not intended to be an ongoing subsidy, and eligible programs and/or events must be open to the public.
All grant recipients are required to demonstrate how the awarded funds increased visitor spending in the County, as well as report a return on investment regarding these grants.
For applications, complete rules and guidelines, click here
To find out more information or to discuss if your proposal would be applicable, feel free to contact WCVA CEO Ruthie Reinert at 503-644-5555.
Applications must be received by the WCVA by 4 p.m., April 5, 2010. Late applications will not be accepted (no exceptions).
In 2009, the WCVA awarded more than $192,000 in grant funds to local businesses and organizations for the development or promotion of emerging events, activities and other tourism-related attractions in Washington County.
The creation of tourism development funds supports the initiatives that were set forth in the organization’s “Tourism 2015” plan, which was developed in 2005 and outlined strategies to strengthen the region’s tourism industry.
Tags: grant funding oregon, washington county oregon grant
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January 28th, 2010 by Angie Marsh
WCVA CEO Ruthie Reinert holds the prizewinning photo while congratulating winner Christopher Pokorny during the event.
WCVA staff, stakeholders and partners convened in late January at The Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge to network while discovering the natural wonders of the Refuge at sunset.
In addition, the grand prize winner of WCVA’s Vineyard and Valley Scenic Tour Route photo contest was recognized and awarded his prize money.
Taking top honors as the grand prize winner was Christopher Pokorny of Portland, Ore., for the photograph titled, “Tiller Curves,” which showcases a tractor tiller.
Pokorny took a moment to address attendees, expressing his thanks and enjoyment of driving the 50-mile Scenic Tour Route–which he has done seven times.
Pokorny also won the “History” category of the contest with his photograph titled, “Grossen.” This stunning photo is named after the family who owns the land along the Tour Route, where Pokorny had permission to enter their property to compose the perfect shot.
Overall, four photographers were selected as the winners of contest, and all were invited to attend this event. Winners, whose images best represent Washington County’s agricultural- and wine-focused scenic drive, will share a total of $3,000 in prize money.
Attendees were also treated to a raffle of prints of the award-winning photographs from Pokorny.
WCVA Board Members Norm Penner, Jonae Armsrong, Terry Goldman and Teri Koerner and CEO Ruthie Reinert congratulate contest winner Christopher Pokorny at the Refuge.
The Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge provides a variety of recreational and educational activities and an ever-changing panorama of wildlife viewing. Located on the “Pacific Flyway,” the Refuge is an important stopover where migrating waterfowl, songbirds, and shorebirds stop to rest, refuel, and raise their young. The Refuge is open daily, offering new exhibits, a non-profit nature store, and indoor and outdoor viewing areas.
WCVA’s Westside Spotlight is a program where stakeholders partner with the WCVA to host an open house at their businesses/venues to create industry-wide promotional and networking events. Westside Spotlight showcases Washington County’s diversity of unique attractions and venues, and is designed to familiarize partners in the area to increase the number of both leisure and business visitors to Washington County.
Thanks to It’s Party Time Catering for providing light refreshments at this Westside Spotlight event.
The Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge building.
View submitted photos >
View winning images >
Tags: Tualatin, Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge, Vineyard & Valley scenic tour route, washington county oregon, WCVA photo contest
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January 13th, 2010 by Angie Marsh
From wine grapes to winding roads, the WCVA received a whopping 272 entries in our Washington County, Oregon, Vineyard & Valley Scenic Tour Route Photo Contest, which showcase the many features of the tour route.
With so many breathtaking and expertly crafted photos, our panel of judges had a tough job of reviewing, critiquing and selecting winners, which were judged on originality, technical excellence, composition, overall impact and artistic merit.
After careful review by the judges (thank you, Citrus), the Grand Prize of $1,000 goes to (insert drumroll here):
“Tiller Curves” by Christopher Pokorny
Additional contest winners in each of the categories are:
* Wine: Including, but not limited to, vineyards, wineries, winemakers and tasting rooms. $500 prizewinner:
“Tualatin Estate” by Cailyn Andreasen
* Agriculture: Including, but not limited to, crops, nurseries, barns, farms, farmstands and livestock. $500 prizewinner:
“Here’s Looking at You” by Sandy Pokorny
* Nature: Including, but not limited to, protected wildlife areas, flora, fauna and vistas. $500 prizewinner:
“Washington County” by Joel Zak
* History: Including, but not limited to, towns, buildings, cemeteries and interpretive markers. $500 prizewinner:
“Grossen” by Christopher Pokorny
All photo entries are housed here on the WCVA website. Photos will also be featured in print and electronic marketing materials produced by Washington County Visitors Association to promote area tourism. Read the contest press release.
Thanks to all who entered photos; you made this a high-caliber photo competition.
Check our website for future photo contests!
Tags: photo contest, Scenic ByWay, Vineyard & Valley Tour Route, washington county oregon
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July 22nd, 2009 by Sunyi
The Grand Hotel - Almost Complete!
There’s a new game in town, and that name is “sustainable luxury”. The Grand Hotel at Bridgeport is an independent, new hotel, offering luxurious, business-class accommodations and amenities. The well-appointed property features 124 rooms, including eight Jacuzzi suites and a “Presidential” suite, an on-site, indoor pool and complimentary chef-prepared breakfast.
However, what sets this hotel apart is its commitment to sustainable practices. In addition to being “EarthWise” certified upon opening, the hotel will share its dedication to earth-friendly, sustainable practices with guests, including:
Using Earth friendly cleaning solutions
Installing earth-friendly drainage systems
Energy Star appliances throughout the hotel
Recycling in guest rooms and public areas
Using compact fluorescent light bulbs throughout the hotel
If sustainable luxury wasn’t enough, the location of The Grand at Bridgeport may be the icing on the cake. Within walking distance of the hotel is Bridgeport Village, the region’s premier shopping, dining and entertainment destination. With more than a dozen restaurants, shops and more located within steps of the hotel, guests’ options are limitless. Plus, wine country is just minutes away, so guests can shop and sip without breaking a sweat – or the bank.
The Grand Hotel at Bridgeport
(Targeted Grand Opening August 2009 – Reservations now being accepted.)
7265 SW Hazel Fern Rd., Tigard; (503)968-5757
www.grandhotelbridgeport.com
Tags: bridgeport village, green hotel, Hotel, sustainable hotel, washington county oregon
Posted in Events, WCVA News | 3 Comments »
June 26th, 2009 by Sunyi
Today we awarded winners from our first ever photo contest! The WCVA awarded prize money for their wonderful shots of the county. It was fun holding a photo contest. It’s not as easy as you might think though, definitely fun but it does require time and management. We plan on adding all the images that were submitted as entries to our photo library which we will in turn use for our many publications and online to promote tourism in Washington County.
Barbara Scoles, Grand Prize - $1,000
We all reap the benefits here. The WCVA gets fabulous pictures and locals and visitors get to enjoy the scenery, contribute to the greater good of our community and tourism.
Congratulation to our photos contest winners!!!
When are you taking some shots? See current photo contest.
From L: Mary Lane Anderson, Kevin Pastores, Bob Wayt, Barbara Scoles, Scott McDonald, Ruthie Reinert,CEO-WCVA (missing-Bob Streicher, Larry Andreasen)
Tags: washington county oregon, WCVA
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June 23rd, 2009 by Sylke Neal-Finnegan
Hikers discover the natural beauty of Cooper Mountain. The site is now home to the new Cooper Mountain Nature Park.
Amid the musical trill of the White-Crowned sparrow was the shrill call of a cicada, a sound I haven’t heard since I left the desert of Southern Nevada for the cooler, greener pastures of Northwestern Oregon. These insects, as naturalist James Davis pointed out, are not common west of the Cascade Range. So these desert dwellers, much like myself, found their way to the new Cooper Mountain Nature Park, which opens to the public June 27.
Washington County’s newest nature spot, located in Beaverton, features three miles of trails with varying difficulty through three distinct habitats – forest, prairie and oak woodlands. Our hour-long walk did not take us through all three miles, but what we didn’t cover trail-wise, we sure earned in newly-acquired knowledge.
Along the trail James pointed out many of the native plants and invasive species that lined the gravel trail. We were educated about the Willamette Valley Ponderosa Pine, which is being reintroduced to the area after virtually disappearing from years of logging and urban growth; spotted poison oak and learned how to identify it in the wild; saw a lone St. John’s Wort plant, which is used as an herbal treatment for depression; and discovered a couple of Bitter Cherry trees, which provide nourishment to various birds and wildlife.
Further evidence of wildlife living in the park included the discovery of mole holes and squirrel nests, while bird enthusiasts on the tour identified the songbirds behind the chorus of musical chirps.
For this desert girl, the guided walk through the park with a group of naturalists provided an eye-opening look into the wonders of nature. Although the loud sound of the cicadas made me a little homesick, the sweet singing of the birds made me realize that this is my home, and I wouldn’t trade it for, well , all the wine in the Willamette Valley.
For those who want to learn more about the wilds of Washington County, Cooper Mountain Nature Park will be hosting guided walks, star parties, garden demonstrations, wildlife talks and more throughout the summer. Check out our event calendar or visit the Tualatin Hills Park and Recreation District for more information
Tags: Cooper Mountain Nature Park, Tualatin, washington county, washington county oregon, Washington County parks, WCVA
Posted in Events, Nature, WCVA News | 2 Comments »
June 19th, 2009 by Sunyi
Recently, we’ve been promoting our newest Washington County attraction, the ‘Vineyard & Valley Scenic Tour’, which is a driving tour that is part of the Oregon Scenic Byways Program. It’s about 50-miles in length and uncovers a lot of Washington County’s rural areas. There has been a lot of work involved in making this happen, I won’t bore you with the details here. But many community leaders, agencies and committee members have been involved in making this attraction possible not only for out of town visitors but for in town visitors as well. After all, this scenic beauty is in our backyard. We should go explore it. One of the pieces coming to fruition now is crop signs! No, we don’t mean of the extra-terrestrial kind, but the agricultural kind!
The WCVA stirred up such excitement over these crop signs it was quite unbelievable to someone like myself who is unfamiliar with the world of farming and agriculture. The Oregon Agri-Business Council shared in the cost for these crop signs, while WCVA covered the rest. The hope is to have up to 30 crop signs posted by end of 2009. Our local participating farmers couldn’t be happier! Look for them on the Tour Route! More info on Vineyard & Valley Scenic Tour.
Tags: agriculture, Vineyard & Valley Scenic Tour, washington county oregon
Posted in Seasonal Fun, WCVA News | 4 Comments »
June 16th, 2009 by Sunyi
The results are in! The Washington County Visitors Association proudly announces the results of the inaugural photography contest. It was a difficult decision, as the WCVA staff reviewed submissions based on the following criteria:
- Originality
- Technical Excellence
- Composition
- Overall Impact
- Artistic Merit
- Relevance to Tourism
Thanks to all those who submited photos to our contest. And keep an eye out…you may just see one of YOUR Washington County photos in an advertisement or in our next Visitors Guide.
And the winners are (drum roll, please):
Grand prize: Swallow Squabble
Grand Prize Winner ($1,000) by ‘bescoles’, Barbara Scoles
Second Prize (x2): Henry Hagg Lake, Winter Sunrise
Second Prize ($500) by ‘moontan2008’, Bob Streicher
Second Prize: Springhill Rd, Harvest, Gaston
Second Prize ($500) by ‘mlaphoto’, Mary Lane Anderson
Third Prize (x4): Red Carpet
Third Prize ($250) by ‘Bobshots’, Larry Andreasen
Third Prize: Train Bridge
Third Prize ($250) by ‘kevinpastores’, Kevin Pastores
Third Prize: Jenkins-Estate, Cooper Mtn.
Third Prize ($250) by ‘yankeecam’, Bob Wayt
Third Prize: Scotch Church
Third Prize - ($250) 'scott.mcdonald1962', Scott McDonald
Tags: birding, Jenkins-Estate, Scotch Church, tourism, Tualatin, washington county oregon, WCVA
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June 9th, 2009 by Allison George
A tale of your average day at the WCVA? A few weeks ago, a group of fun visitors stopped by our office looking for local hotel information- but that’s not all there is to this story. These weren’t your ordinary leisure travelers- they were engineering graduates from the University of Utah and they were here to race an electric car they’d built to compete in an “Electrathon” event. You won’t believe it by the photo- because they look as fresh as daisies- but they had just pulled an 11 hour overnight road trip after playing a brutal softball game the previous evening in Salt Lake City, Utah! One of them was also going to be interviewing for a job with a company located in the same building as our WCVA office.
The boys from Salt Lake City, UT. Hope they made it back in one piece!
Hopefully, they will see this blog and update us as to how they did on the race track! Thanks for stopping in guys!
Why, this car is aerodynamic….
Tags: Electrathon, Events, Visitors, washington county oregon, WCVA
Posted in Events, WCVA News | 1 Comment »
June 3rd, 2009 by Sylke Neal-Finnegan
The Washington County Visitors Association (WCVA), awarded just under $200,000 in tourism grants to local organizations. The WCVA is a destination marketing organization charged with marketing the county as a tourism destination. Up to $200,000 are allocated to local organizations annually for tourism development.
Selected by the WCVA’s grant committee, which is comprised of members of its board of directors, the seven recipients will receive the funds beginning in July for projects designed to enhance Washington County’s tourism products.
Recipients of the WCVA’s 2009-10 tourism grants are:
Hornings Hideout
The sole purpose of the funds allocated is for the development or promotion of emerging events, activities and other tourism-related attractions in Washington County. To be considered for funding, projects must have the potential to attract and draw tourists from at least 50 miles outside of Washington County and the Portland Metro area, thereby increasing visitor spending in the local economy.
All grant recipients are required to demonstrate how the awarded funds increased visitor spending in Washington County from visitors who traveled from out of the Portland Metro area, as well as report a return on investment on these grants.
Congratulations to all of this year’s recipients!
Tags: Banks, Hornings Hideout, Hulaman Triathlon, LL Stub Stewart State Park, North Willamette Vintners, theater, tourism, Tualatin Riverkeepers, washington county, washington county oregon
Posted in WCVA News | 2 Comments »
