Roseburg Will Be the “City of Wine” Regardless of its Name

By now you have no   doubt heard about the generous donation made by local attorney Danny Lang to the the Southern Oregon Wine Institute. The $800,000.00 donation was pledged and accepted and with the donation, The Danny Lang Teaching, Learning and Event Center will be the new name of the 24,000 square foot facility planned for the west side of the UCC campus.

I was there at the UCC board meeting when they announced the exciting news. To hear Mr. Lang talk about his humble beginnings and his commitment to affordable education for all, was truly inspiring. As a tireless supporter of learning and education for years Mr. Lang wanted to give back to his community in a way that would positively impact our area’s future.  The wine institute and the enology/viticulture program would allow for students to receive an education in a field where employment opportunities would be available to them right here allowing our youth to find meaningful jobs without having to leave their home town. While self admittedly not much of a wine drinker, Mr. Lang understood the wine industry’s bright future here and the new facility would be a great way for him to give back while moving our community forward.

This optimistic outlook on the wine industry comes from studying other wine regions like ours. Case in point is Walla Walla Washington which seems to mirror the Umpqua Valley in many ways. This area was an unknown, unheard of wine region better known for its growing of onions and wheat then with its growing of grapes and production of wine. With only a dozen or so wineries in the late 1990's the region now boasts over 100 wineries and growing. Much of this is attributed to the addition of the wine institute enology/ viticulture program at the community college there. The wine boom has been extremely good for the local economy  and Walla Walla Washington is now well known as a world class wine region.

So when I read exciting news about a possible revitalization plan for my fair city with attention to one of the most attractive yet inaccessible parts of Roseburg, the water front, it was surprising to hear that there is debate or consideration as to the appropriate “new identity” to our city.  One much touted idea is the city of waterfalls. And while I love our easy to find and easy to access waterfalls, the idea is out of touch and can I say a bit... absurd? The reason for assigning an identity to your city is to grow enthusiasm and interest in it and promoting something that resonates with people in a meaningful way. And while waterfalls and covered bridges are nice, they do not employ people and I don't know of anyone visiting Napa, Sonoma or Walla Walla for either of those things. Nor have I heard of the promotion of waterfalls contributing to the economic growth of any small town.

We are all well aware that secure jobs are essential to a healthy country and our county. Most of us know too that times are changing and timber is no longer an industry that will keep Douglas County economically healthy. We need to look to other industries.  The wine industry and the tourism resulting from wine IS the future for Roseburg. Just like it was for Walla Walla and Napa. The business of wine employs people and supports new business.  Wine can and will bring back economic health to our beloved county. But we have to embrace it. Those who can not see the forest for the trees and are blind to the obvious possibilities for our region that a healthy wine industry brings, will eventually see it all very clearly after it happens. But for now as we are making it happen and growing this industry, we need visionaries and those more in touch to be responsible for making important decisions that will affect every one of us living here. Roseburg will be the City of Wine. There is no doubt in my mind and there are wiser, smarter people then I who agree with this conclusion. So how could we even consider calling it something else?