05/28/2026
The Tribe held a groundbreaking ceremony for tumwata village in Oregon City Thursday, May 28. Tribal Council Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, Oregon City Mayor Denyse McGriff, Tribal Cultural Policy Analyst and Tribal Elder Greg Archuleta and Tribal Engineering & Community Development Department Manager Ryan Webb spoke before the groundbreaking. tumwata village is the long-planned redevelopment of the former Blue Heron Paper Company site along the Willamette River. The project marks a significant step forward in transforming a long-vacant industrial site into a mixed-use village centered on environmental restoration, public access and cultural space. The 23-acre property, acquired by the Tribe in 2019, sits at a historically and culturally significant location at Willamette Falls. The next phase of work will focus on constructing the infrastructure for the phase one development as well as continued site cleanup and ecological restoration. (Photos by Michelle Alaimo)
