Restore Oregon began working closely with Upward Bound Camp (UBC), a local non-profit owner of the Gates School shortly before the 2020 Labor Day fires. UBC, which provides recreational and educational camp experiences for persons with disabilities, asked for our assistance with historic designation and planning for critical repairs and rehabilitation needed in order for UBC, and the public, to use the building. To everyone’s astonishment, we were able to resume preservation planning work shortly after the fires, though the project is now much larger in scope. It became clear that designating Gates School as an Oregon Most Endangered Place was necessary for crystallizing the response to the building’s fire damage, to dedicate our time and resources to supporting fundraising efforts, and to provide ongoing technical assistance for rehabilitation.
Gates School
Gates (1923)