Permanent urban campground site could be built in the summer

MEDFORD, Ore. – Construction on a new permanent urban campground site in Medford could start soon.

Last June, the city bought a four-acre lot on West McAndrews Road for $1.5 million.

According to Rogue Retreat, it will be used for a new permanent low-barrier shelter with a capacity of 150 people.

The services provided there will include peer support, case management, as well as a safe place to live.

A temporary location on Biddle Road is operated by Rogue Retreat.

The organization said that they want to start the transition by the end of the year.

“We’re hoping to begin some of the initial work this summer and then looking to do a big push for transition towards the end of the year and fingers crossed we get to do the first phase of moving campgrounds one and two off of Biddle over to that West McAndrew site by the end of the year,” Rogue Retreat Executive Director Sam Engle said.

The city of Medford previously said that funding for the project will be taken care of by local and state ARPA funds.

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Ethan McReynolds is a reporter and weekend anchor for NBC5 News. He grew up in Bothell, Washington and graduated from Gonzaga University with a degree in Broadcasting and minors in Journalism and Sport Management. At Gonzaga, he started his own sports podcast. Ethan loves rooting for his hometown Seattle sports teams, especially the Mariners. He loves playing baseball, basketball, and soccer. He is also an avid Taylor Swift fan.
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