Officials tour new readiness center
Work on new facility nearly complete
By Pat Caldwell
Argus Observer
PatC@argusobserver.com
Friday, October 9, 2009 10:28 AM PDT
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| Pat Caldwell | Argus Observer
Oregon Military Department Project Manager Gary Van Drew (center) talks with Capt. Seth Musgrove, Maj. Marty Nelson and 1st Sgt. Wayne Chastain Wednesday afternoon in Ontario. The Guardsmen were part of an informational tour of the new Ontario Readiness Center on Southwest Fourth Street. |
Ontario —The Ontario Readiness Center is nearly into its final phase of construction, and Wednesday National Guard officials were on hand to tour the facility and secure an update on its progress.
The multi-million dollar, dual-use facility that will house Ontario’s Army Guard unit exceeded expectation in terms of construction time, and that can be traced right back to cooperation, Gary Oliver, project superintendent said.
“The nice thing about this is that it has been a team effort,” Oliver said. “I’m really proud of it.”
The new Ontario Readiness Center will be the centerpiece of an ambitious, multi-pronged construction effort in Eastern Oregon started by the Oregon National Guard more than a decade ago.
Along with a new armory in Hermiston, the Guard has overseen the construction of new readiness centers in La Grande and Baker City in the past 10 years.
The commander of Ontario’s Guard unit — Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, 116th Cavalry Regiment, Oregon Army National Guard — said he was impressed with the progress on the building so far.
“You are starting to see it come together,” Capt. Seth Musgrove said.
The 3rd Battalion consists of units from across Eastern Oregon, including citizen-soldier outfits from Hood River, The Dalles, Hermiston, Pendleton, La Grande, Baker City, Prineville and Ontario.
The commander of the 3rd battalion, Lt.Col. Kevin Sheehy, said he was also awed by the quality of the new structure.
“This is twice the building we have anyplace else, and we have some nice buildings in the Guard,” he said.
The facility, which includes a five-lane, 25-meter rifle range, could be completed by early December, though Guard officials said that timeline could be delayed if unexpected problems crop up.
Sheehy said the facility sets a firm foundation for the future of the Guard in Eastern Oregon.
“I get more excited every time I come down here. This is really an investment in the future, for the Guard and for the community,” he said.
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