Mixed news for Discovery Center after Rowena fire

Board members also credited staffers Juan Peña and Tom Spring, who used weed eaters to knock down grasses on the property.

Unfortunately, the water used to knock down the small spot on the building went through the floor and into Ragar’s office. Part of the wall had to be removed due to mold that developed in the week between the fire and the inspection.

Though the interior of the building was intact, insurance adjusters discovered everything was covered with a thin layer of ash and dust.

“The day we were evacuated, the doors were open because the air conditioning was out, and lots of smoke came in,” Ragar said. She said the insurer had hired ServPro, a company specializing in cleanup and restoration. “They told us that the light dust contained all the things that burned in the area: all the plastics, all of the metals, all the chemicals, and that it would have to be thoroughly cleaned before the center could reopen. Insurance is going to cover it, but they’re tossing around numbers like $500,000.”

In other good news, a decision to isolate the collections area from the rest of the building’s air circulation in order to control temperature and humidity paid off. “The generators stayed on the whole time,” Ragar said, “and it’s in good shape.” ServPro also said the kitchen was in good shape and the theater would need only a light cleaning.

But the grounds are a different story. The pump house for an unused well on the property was gone, some fencing was damaged and many trees were killed and have to be removed. Board of Directors for the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center Dan Harkenrider said that in some cases, the roots had burned, making them prime targets for Gorge winds to blow over. “The trails to the west of the building should be shut down until that happens,” he said.

Columbia Tree Service had put in a bid of $30,000  to remove the dead trees.

The large wooden sign by the freeway was scorched and needs to be replaced. Fortunately, the concrete posts were intact and will be reused.  This also comes at a time when signs in the Gorge are being redesigned, and the center  will have a chance to upgrade to the new design.

When questioned about insurance coverage, Ragar said that it should cover employees’ salaries and loss of income, because it had done so when the air conditioning went out a year ago.

Speaking of the air conditioner, she said, “The replacement for the unit was pushed back a little bit again, but not because of the fire. The electrician working with the AC company needed one more piece. As soon as that comes in, they can go ahead. They are saying by mid-July at this point. By the time we open, I think we’ll have air conditioning and a spotlessly clean brand new space.”

At the meeting, several board members commented that some posts on social media had accused firefighters of prioritizing protection of the Discovery Center while people’s homes were burning. It was explained that people could see fire trucks at the Discovery Center parking lot because it was used as a staging area and a place where firefighters could grab a short rest, a bite to eat and use the bathrooms, and that firefighters went everywhere they could go safely — fire trucks cannot go up any driveway where there is no turnaround or second exit.

In addition to the donation link on the Discovery Center’s main webpage, there is a link to the GoFundMe page for the Rowena residents who lost their homes.