'Mt. Brushmore' cleanup to keep boat ramp closed at Hendricks Bridge County Park

Lane County officials announced plans this week to keep the boat ramp at Hendricks Bridge County Park closed, saying they need the time to remove a pile of leftover debris from January's ice storm that grew large enough to earn the nickname "Mt. Brushmore."

Cleanup of the debris could take another week to complete, according to Devon Ashbridge, the county's public information officer.

“These have been compacted by heavy machinery, so it’s very dense," Ashbridge said. "There’s a lot more than what it looks like, so that will affect how long it takes … but they’re going to be here all week. I know they’re working a full schedule and they’re really eager."

The debris has been sectioned off into two separate piles: one containing what the community brought on its own; the other being what Lane County crews have been able to haul.

Ethan Hibler of Lane County Public Works said Hendrick’s Bridge was the most popular dump site, but an even bigger pile of debris exists at the former Mohawk Elementary School at the corner of Marcola and Sunderman Road.

Lane Forest Products will begin removing the debris pile once the work at Hendricks Bridge is complete.

Hibler said he is eager to remove the debris from the park before the weather turns hot.

"We are appreciative that our friends in the Parks division were able to make this site available to us for storm clean up and now we're glad to be returning to its regular use in time for summer," Orin Schumacher, the county's road maintenance manager, said in a press release.

Day use at the rest of the park remains open to the public, but heavy machinery will block access to the boat ramp.

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Boat ramp stays closed at Lane County park as crews clean 'Mt. Brushmore'