Port Adds Security at Trestle Beach this Summer
COLUMBIA CITY, OREGON – June 30, 2022 – The Port of Columbia County has contracted with MetroWatch, a licensed security services provider, to monitor Trestle Beach and provide onsite security at the recreational area this summer. The port piloted the program during the summer of 2021 and saw a significant decline in the number of safety incidents at the beach.
“There are historically a lot of disturbances at Trestle Beach in the summer months when the weather warms up,” said Sean Clark, executive director for the port. “The most concerning are people ignoring the trespassing signs and climbing onto the shipping dock, pilings, and barges, and jumping into the river.”
“While it’s first and foremost a safety concern, it’s also disruptive to our industrial tenant who leases the dock and is conducting business there,” said Clark.
Trestle Beach is an industrial-zoned property the port opened to the public as a recreational river access point next to its Columbia City Industrial Park.
“We know Trestle Beach is one of the few places in St. Helens and Columbia County where citizens have beach access to the river, and the port intends on keeping it available for the public to enjoy,” said Clark. “We are just trying to find a way to do so safely. The port definitely thinks it is worth the extra expense.”
The private security contract will run from June through the end of September. The total cost for the security service is approximately $22,000, which the port will share with their industrial tenant, Clearwater Paper.
Summer hours at Trestle Beach are 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. The port has arrangements with a third party to open and close the gate to Columbia City Industrial Park parking area to provide the public with a safe place to park away from U.S. Highway 30.
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About the Port of Columbia County
The Port of Columbia County is a special district located along the Columbia River in northwest Oregon. The port’s mission is to foster local economic development opportunities to create and sustain jobs while maintaining the environmental assets of the port district. The port offers a variety of sites for industrial lease and development in its 2,400-acre portfolio. More information at www.portofcolumbiacounty.org.
