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be inconsistent with the adjacent park and school use. The remaining two properties are <br /> residential and are owned by willing sellers. The eastern most property was acquired by the <br /> City in December. It has 10 rental units that will continue to be managed as rental units until <br /> a future date. The remaining property has a single family home that is also a rental property. <br /> This property is expected to close in the next few months and will also continue to be <br /> managed as a rental property. <br /> o Thirteen neighborhood parks are identified for acquisition and none have been acquired to <br /> date. Staff worked closely with a developer in the Willow Creek area to secure a <br /> neighborhood park site as part of a new subdivision, however the developer decided it was <br /> more cost beneficial to develop the property than to sell to the City. <br /> Golden Gardens Park Acquisition and Development <br /> o In December, the City closed on 170 acres of property adjacent to Golden Gardens Park. <br /> Although the City's target acquisition was 100 acres, the property owners would not consider <br /> an offer unless it included their entire acreage. Interest from Lane County has been expressed <br /> in the remaining acres as a possible site to relocate the Fairgrounds. The County has an <br /> option to purchase the remaining acres from the City, at City costs, until June of 2009. <br /> o Improvements to Golden Gardens Park are scheduled to begin construction in spring of <br /> 2008. The work will include re- grading of the pond banks to improve safety and natural <br /> resource values of the ponds. This work will also include substantial planting of native <br /> vegetation and the construction of a trail system. <br /> Natural Area Park Acquisition <br /> o No properties have been purchased along the Willamette River thus far. <br /> o To date, over 1 15 acres of Ridgeline Trail have been purchased. These properties provide <br /> key linkages along the Ridgeline corridor and also possess substantial natural resource and <br /> scenic value. Donations were received from two of the property owners totaling $1 million <br /> dollars. The acquisition of an additional 400 acres is pending, based on the results of two <br /> grant applications. Application results are expected to be known by mid -2008. Another 700 <br /> acres of acquisition is being negotiated with various property owners throughout the ridgeline <br /> corridor, including properties along the Amazon Creek Headwaters and property south of <br /> Lane Community College. <br /> o Staff have encountered an unwilling seller in its attempts to acquire property to improve access <br /> to Gillespie Butte Park. <br /> Synthetic Surface Athletic Fields <br /> o School District 4j has constructed two fields to date at Cal Young Middle School and Madison <br /> Middle School. Work is progressing for the construction of additional fields at Jefferson <br /> Middle School and Spencer Butte Middle School. It is unclear at this time if the City will be <br /> able to participate in the funding of all four 4j fields. Bethel School District is proposing two <br /> fields, one at Willamette High School and one at Meadowview School. All remaining fields <br /> are scheduled for construction in 2008. <br /> West Eugene Wetland Education Center <br /> o The construction of Phase 1 of the West Eugene Wetland Education Center is pending fund <br /> raising and partner funding from other entities. <br />