MADRAS, OR -- About a dozen people camping in the Willow Creek area of Madras were moving Tuesday to the new Oak Street Authorized Camping Area.

“We are now enforcing our camping ordinance, which basically says you can camp at night. But in the morning, you need to pick your stuff up and leave and then you can come back that night if you want to come back and camp,” City Administrator Will Ibershof says pollution was a problem at the unsanctioned campsite, “The idea is we need to be able to control the amount of garbage. Basically, that's been generated because at this point, we've pulled 80,000 pounds of debris out of the creek area and we still have probably three times as much to go.”

He says the new camping area next to the homeless services center is about 500 feet from the Willow Creek site, “There is a shelter here that is open at night where you can grab a bite to eat, as well as spend the night. And you can store your stuff there,” adding there is full access to the amenities, “people can also use the kitchen, showers, and bathrooms… If they want to try to find a more permanent spot, want to look for help with a job, etc. All those resources exist.”

The long-term plan is to convert the Willow Creek area into a city park.