The point of land where Highway 20 meets the McKenzie Highway in Sisters may become a new "gateway" park and information center for the McKenzie Highway Scenic Byway.

The Sisters City Council is studying a proposal by the U. S. Forest Service that asks the city to help maintain a facility which would include an unmanned kiosk containing information on the McKenzie Pass-Santiam Pass Scenic Byway, plus items of interest to travelers in the Sisters country.

The facility would be constructed this summer.

Mike Hernandez of the Forest Service told the council in their February 8 meeting that the junction of Highway 20 and 242 is the site option favored by the Forest Service out of three options developed for the East Portal Scenic Byway project.

Access to the project would be from Highway 20 about 500 feet southeast of the entrance to the Three Winds Shopping Center. Turn lanes would be constructed. The facility would be located in the southwest portion of the triangle. Access also would be provided along Sentry Road, which would lead directly to Highway 242.

"The overall theme of the traveler orientation facility is to provide a modest `gateway' facility near the junction of Highways 20 and 240 at the west end of Sisters," Hernandez said. "The goal is to provide travelers of the Scenic Byway with information about attractions, facilities and services along the byway.

"This facility would also provide information about the Sisters Ranger District, services available in the Sisters area, as well as interpretive information about the history of Sisters," Hernandez said.

He added that studies have shown a need for a rest-stop type of facility. He said currently the only public restrooms available in Sisters are located at the city park. The proposed facility would have two "unisex" restrooms if the forest service can find a partner to maintain the restrooms.

If no partnership is formed, he said, no restrooms would be constructed because the forest service has no budget to maintain them.

Hernandez said that some trees would have to be removed, but he emphasized that natural vegetation would not be disturbed more than is necessary to prepare the site. A buffer area along Highway 20 would be left undisturbed.

In addition to a kiosk and restrooms, the facility would have parking for 15-20 cars and five recreational vehicles. The remaining open area would be kept natural, he said.

Richard and Linda Patterson, owners of the Patterson Llama ranch, nearby on Old McKenzie Highway objected in a letter to the selection of the site.

"It is very difficult to access the Old McKenzie Highway from Highway 20 going west due to all the increased traffic from the high school, churches, Barclay Logging and not to mention the future gravel mine with its seven round trips per hour," the Patterson letter stated.

"The second reason we are against this is that we understand the City of Sisters will be required to police the area and maintain the restrooms. We think this restroom and parking lot area in the trees will create a wonderful hangout for high school and middle school students to get into trouble.

"There are two other alternatives that the forest service has studied and we think they make more sense," the letter said.

There are two alternative sites in the forest service proposal. One is located on Pine Street next to the Sisters Ranger District office in an area currently used for RV and employee overflow parking. Access would be off Highway 20 at its intersection with Pine Street.

The third site is located approximately 1/2 mile northwest of Sisters along Highway 20 and Forest Service Road 070. Hernandez said the Santiam Wagon Road is located nearby, but would not be disturbed. He said there would be no direct access to the site from Highway 242.

According to Hernandez, as much as $250,000 in federal highway money has been authorized to pay for construction of the facility.

The amount to be spent will depend on the final site selection, whether restrooms will be included, preparation of a parking lot and other site work and on the creation of turn lanes off the highway.