Larger Events Now Possible at McCormick Park Thanks to CRPUD Grant

People with vendor rows at Citizens Day in the Park 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 5, 2024

St. Helens, Ore. - Significant electrical upgrades were recently completed at McCormick Park in St. Helens to support larger community events. These improvements were completed thanks to a $7,000 Columbia River PUD Economic Development Grant awarded to the City of St. Helens.

McCormick Park is the largest park in St. Helens but previously did not have sufficient electrical capacity to host large-scale events that required a large power supply. As part of the project, Columbia River PUD upgraded their electrical service line to the park. Peak Electric Group, LLC then installed a new meter service and breaker panels in addition to multiple receptacles for 50-amp and 120-volt connections.

These upgrades will help facilitate large community events where bands and vendors need significant power supply. The upgrades can also be used by people or groups who rent the park through a special use permit to host private or public events. To limit congestion in the St. Helens Riverfront District during Waterfront Redevelopment construction, the St. Helens City Council announced that the annual 13 Nights on the River summer concert series and Independence Day community events would be hosted in McCormick Park in 2024. Learn more about these events at https://discovercolumbiacounty.com/. Citizens Day in the Park also takes place at McCormick Park each year and is being hosted on Saturday, June 22, 2024. Learn more about this free community event hosted by the St. Helens City Council at https://www.sthelensoregon.gov/community/page/citizens-day-park.

Columbia River PUD offers its Economic Development Grant to local not-for-profit entities that are engaged in promoting economic development activities. The goal for the Economic Development Grant program is to create economic opportunities for our communities and various organizations to prosper. Additional information about this program may be found online at https://www.crpud.net/my-pud/in-our-community/economic-development-grant-program/.

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For further information regarding the electrical upgrades at McCormick Park, please contact Communications Officer Crystal King at cking@sthelensoregon.gov.