YACHATS – Rangers with the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department began rehabilitating the popular viewing platform at Yachats State Park this week.
Work began Monday to replace the 20- by 20-foot platform’s dilapidated wood decking and railing, said ranger Hayden Sader, who finished removing the old material Tuesday.
The old deck and railing, which was built in 2007, will be replaced with Trex composite decking and a stainless steel railing. The old floor joists are still in good shape and will be re-used, Sader said. The new decking material will arrive later this week and a contractor will install the railing.
“We’re basically just trying to make this thing last longer,” Sader said. “Luckily it’s going exactly how it was supposed to. The guy who built it did a really good job.”
The overall cost of the project has not yet been tabulated but a deck that size made of Trex can cost anywhere from $13,000 to $22,000 when professionally installed.
Yachats State Park is a popular destination for visitors and one of several whale watching sites along the central Oregon coast.
“The central coast is our biggest draw as far as crowds,” Sader said. “And we have whale watching coming up. That’s why we are trying to get this all put together so people can come down for that.”
— Garret Jaros/YachatsNews
