4J Stadium, October 1999 Forward

New Search

Bethel Community Park -- Volunteers working for the Willamette Babe Ruth Baseball organization have completed the grading, irrigation and seeding of the four -field basebal O complex. Staff has completed the design of the parking lot project and awarded the construction4fr contract to Eugene Sand & Gravel. Construction of the lot is under way and scheduled for completion by the end of November. Staff is working on the design of the remainder of the park and is coordinating City construction work with the volunteer efforts. Irwin Park -- The fourth in a series of public forums to present and discuss the concept plans for Irwin Park was held October 4. This represents the final stage of public involvement for the concept design phase of the park. The final concept plan was developed based on ideas and - issues generated by neighbors and interested parties during a series of workshops beginning last May, including two neighborhood workshops and one youth focus group workshop. Parks planning staff examined a series of alternative designs, and presented the proposed concept plan to the neighborhood in September. The plan includes concrete park paths, park -style pole lighting, irrigation, new lawn areas, a paved parking lot, an expanded play area that includes replacement of old play equipment, a renovated softball /soccer field combination, a picnic structure with grill, picnic tables, park benches, trash receptacles, wood chip paths, and many new trees. A comment sheet and reduced -scale plan of the proposed park design was also mailed out to local residents along with the invitation, asking them to respond by mail if they were unable to attend the workshop. Based upon comments submitted by mail and during the September workshop and the October presentation, the proposed concept plan will be modified to more closely match the needs and wishes of the neighborhood as it makes the transition to the engineering phase. Over the next few months, staff will be working on preliminary engineering and completing the required modification to the CUP. Hawkins View -- The first workshop for this newly acquired parcel has been tentatively scheduled for the first week in November. Recent efforts have involved researching the status of two parcels of federally delineated wetlands scheduled to be deeded to the city in conjunction with the park acquisition, investigating historical rumors of a stage stop near the site, and assessing the natural value of the site with local environmental experts. As the area surrounding the park develops, public interest is growing to get involved with the design of Hawkins View Park. Now that sufficient information has been gathered to at least help inform decisions regarding park design, the concept design process is poised to begin, and should continue for the next two months. Laurel Hill Park -- Neighborhood concern regarding the proposed relocation of the children's play area has postponed construction of park improvements until next spring. Staff conducted a neighborhood workshop on October 4 and mailed a questionnaire to 500 Laurel Hill Valley residents to gauge support for the proposed park improvements and try to reach consensus on the location of the play area. Alternate plans and budgets are being drawn up for a second neighborhood meeting on November 18. Construction drawings are well under way and should be completed based on the outcome of the neighborhood meeting by early spring. Construction is planned for the summer of 2000. Improvements will include regrading selected areas of the site, removing concrete spoils on the site, installing sidewalks, upgrading irrigation and drainage systems, and building a new playground. Staff is also working to form a relationship with the Northwest Youth Corps to participate in the construction and /or maintenance of park improvements.