News Release
| Release Number: | 98-052 |
| Dated: | 6/30/1998 |
| Contact: | Public Affairs Office, 503-808-4510 |
Portland, Ore. -- One of Oregon's most visited sites-the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Bonneville Lock and Dam on the Columbia River-is making additional efforts to serve its customers by adding brochures in several languages and Braille.
Bonneville, which tallied nearly 630,000 visitors last year, serves an increasingly diverse audience. Records show that visitors from more than 50 countries tour the powerhouses, fish ladders, and navigation lock each year. To better serve these visitors, project brochures are now available in Chinese, French, Spanish, Japanese and German.
"We translated our Bonneville brochure into these languages because the majority of non-English speaking people who visit our facilities speak one or more of them," said Patrick Barry, visitor center manager. "We also have a small quantity of brochures in Braille available for loan."
The visitor center staff also has made many physical changes in recent years to make the facility more accessible for people with disabilities. Their aim is to make Bonneville visitor friendly for everyone, every day.
One special day for visitors of all ages is July 11, 1998, when the Corps celebrates the 60th anniversary of Bonneville Dam, which began operating on July 9, 1938. Visitors can enjoy exhibits of antique cars and yachts, military equipment, a dismantled turbine, live music by the Swingline Cubs, Steam Sternwheeler PORTLAND tours, films, project tours, visitor center exhibits and the fish viewing windows, the fish hatchery, displays and historic photographs, information and food booths. Special activities are scheduled from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Visitors are invited to picnic on the grounds until 8 p.m. Bonneville project staff invites everyone to come and enjoy a family day of fun.
For more information, contact the ranger staff by telephone at (541) 374-8820, by fax at (541) 374-4516, or by tty at (541) 374-8501.
Visitor facilities at Bonneville Lock and Dam are open seven days a week from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., every day of the year except Thanksgiving, Christmas and News Years Day.