WHITE CITY, OREGON

Background and Impacts

White City is the largest unincorporated community in Oregon, home to approximately 6,000 residents, 29% of Hispanic origin. Of the Hispanic residents, 69% do not speak English. During peak pear harvesting season, over 8,000 additional migrant and seasonal farm workers swell White City's population.

White City began in 1941, when the U.S. Army constructed Camp White on 43,000 acres outside of Medford, Oregon as an army training camp for the 91st Infantry Division. Over four years, 40,000 troops shipped out of Camp White. During the war years, the surrounding plains sprouted temporary housing for many camp support services.

After the war, Camp White was declared surplus and many buildings were sold at public auction. After surplusing, little remained of Camp White except a military hospital and barracks, deeded to the Veterans Administration and reopened as a free-standing Domiciliary. The existing Camp White roads and facilities (and the absence of any type of standardized housing codes in this unincorporated portion of Jackson County) led to rapid, unplanned and haphazard growth over the next rocky thirty years.

Until the 1980s, over 30 mills flourished in the Rogue Valley. Residents worked in the timber and agriculture industry ­ over 6,400 jobs were regionally available during the 1970s economic peak.

With timber industry downturns, unemployment rose. The transient population, the lack of local elected officials, irregular policing, lack of coordinated social services, substandard housing, roads and sewers cast a net of seemingly unsolvable situations in a community with little local leadership structure.

Social problems multiplied: White City had the largest number of domestic violence and child abuse cases in Jackson County (with only 4% of the county's population). The infant mortality rate was double Oregon's statewide average. Illegal drug production became a significant crime problem in this community with no city government or police force.

In the early 1990s, several key County leaders worked to develop the Jackson County Urban Renewal Agency, whose focus is only on White City. In 2000, there is evidence of their efforts: new streets and storm sewers, a new public library, a new community service center, new park spaces, and a sculpture and public arts plan. The initial urban renewal plan is projected for completion in 2008.

County leadership could not, however, address the many needs. In November 1990, local residents came together and formed the White City Community Improvement Association. WCCIA built and continues to own and operate Cascade Bingo to fund shoes and clothing for youth, youth activities, Burn's Park, the local Boys and Girls Club and many local improvement projects.

Project Team and Partners

The Arts Council of Southern Oregon worked with Medford consultant Sue Densmore to develop the project and submit the Spirit grant. The White City Charitable Foundation (formed during the three years of the Spirit project) performed as the sponsor organization and leveraged additional funding and partnerships.

"It was a huge learning process that caused us all stress. The work will be easier next year."

Dan Mapes, Project Team

Under Densmore's leadership, the Charitable Foundation built their organization, developed a board, completed strategic planning and established community-building efforts.

"The White City Charitable Foundation really took the spirit and carried it forward...a whole new group of leaders emerged."

Loretta Livaudais-Mapes, Project Chair

A very broad base of community partners were involved with the Charitable Foundation's initial efforts: Jackson County Commissioners, Southern Oregon Historical Society, Jackson County Parks, Rogue Family Service Center, Jackson County Urban Renewal Agency, White City Elementary School, Mountainview Elementary School, the Cascade Pool and White City Community Improvement Association.

The primary outputs were the development of the Max W. Burns Scholarship Fund, the first-ever White City Memorial Day Parade and Celebration, and a three-day planning charette.

"Nobody made that parade happen but the people of White City. This was significant. No county leadership, no one but us."

White City resident

This planning charette, undertaken in partnership with White City Planning Commission and the Jackson County Urban Renewal Agency, addressed future community design efforts.

The partners at work on this project include: Oregon Department of Transportation, Jackson County Urban Renewal Association, Oregon Arts Commission, White City Planning Commission, Jackson County Parks, White City Domiciliary, Bear Creek Greenway, White City Community Improvement Association

Key Learnings

• It was critical to start with a core group, with an existing structure and a leader/organizer with project management experience to keep all the volunteers focused on desired outcomes.
  
  
• The first year of work on this sort of project is for education, gathering partners and brainstorming possible outcomes. Don't rush it.
  
  
• Having a new community organization with a non-profit status allows for the potential continuation of one-time projects.
  
  
• Encouraging diverse groups to be involved enlarged the community volunteer and resource base.
  
  
• Planning a good parade takes longer than nine months.
  
  
• When a non-resident consultant is hired to lead a substantial community project, it takes time and commitment to truly engage active local leadership.

Purpose

To celebrate and record White City history, make physical improvements and encourage community social and cultural activities.

To assure the continuation and sustainability of each event and organization after the Spirit funding ended.

To expand the leadership base, with new development of boards
and organizations.

To enhance community identity through successful partnerships
and joint efforts.

Project Outputs

• Leveraged $102,000 in cash project support from partner organizations.
  
  
• Established Max W. Burns Memorial Scholarship Fund. Recruited
  and trained first Board of Directors, made first distributions to college bound students.
  
  
• Established local White City Charitable Foundation as 501(C)(3), recruited and trained Board of Directors.
  
  
• Created first White City Charitable Foundation annual Memorial Day Parade and Celebration; 70 entries, 40 kids on bikes, and 500+ parade watchers, along with 30 community and art booths and 250 attendees
  at the Domiciliary.

  "One of our local veterans, who's 90, loved the parade and said he hopes he lives long enough to do it again next year."

  Diane Jacobsen, Parade Committee

• Sponsored outreach effort for White City Military Museum (during parade event), drawing largest one-day attendance ever (200 visitors) to the Museum.
  
  
• Planned and implemented community design charrette to engage the community in future community design.

Project Process

• Initial community application through regional local arts agency.
  
  
• Cultural assessment with team (rural development, folk arts, Community Development Director) from Oregon Arts Commission, including 20-plus interviews, site visits.
  
  
• Hired a local project manager (no local arts council, staff or structure) through Community Improvement Association.
  
  
• Brainstormed list of resources; identified fundraising opportunities and opportunity to use bingo revenue as seed money.
  
  
• Planned, developed and established local charitable foundation.
  
  
• Taught leadership skills and provided grantwriting.
  
  
• Set goals and implemented the first project: established long-term organizations that will support the community in educational and cultural pursuits - Max W. Burns Scholarship Foundation and the White City Charitable Foundation.
  
  
• Set goals and implemented the second project: celebrate past, present and future through first-annual White City Memorial Day parade, community celebration and Museum outreach.
  
  
• Set goals and implemented initial brainstorming for the third project: develop physical "entrances" on the highway to mark where White City begins and ends.
  
  
• Community charette including a presentation on Smart Development principles by an experienced public artist and community planner.
  
  
• Established vision committee to complete and implement the charette plans and undertake funding development through County, federal redevelopment funds, etc.

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The Spirit of the Northwest is a regional partnership project of the Idaho Commission on the Arts, the Oregon Arts Commission and the Washington State Arts Commission, funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal Agency. It is made available on the Web as a courtesy by the Community Arts Network. Questions or comments regarding this project can be addressed to Bitsy Bidwell, Community Arts Development Manager, Washington State Arts Commission, P.O. Box 42675, Olympia, WA, 98504-2675, (360) 586-2421 or email bitsyb@arts.wa.gov.