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son.Thousands of Duck fans stream areas in the world that has a park 1974. A popular spot for ground- into a new boat ramp, boat trailer
<br /> through the park on their way to at its center that is managed for its nesting birds,it's a type of prairie parking lot and access road south of
<br /> and from Autzen. natural values," said Sonnichsen, habitat that's unique on the valley the former off-leash dog area.It re-
<br /> "With the stadium being larger, whose home on Judkins Point over- floor,Weiss said. places an informal gravel launch
<br /> there is a lot more potential for looks the east park area, and who "Much of the open space we site at the east end of the park that
<br /> people to see how nice of a park it runs in the park several times a have,if not wetlands,is forest,"she was closed in 1996.
<br /> is," said Andy Peara, executive di- week. said."This is upland prairie,a rare The 20-foot-wide concrete ramp
<br /> • rector of Nearby Nature,a nonprof- "As the value of open space con- ecotype." is scheduled to be finished by Oct.
<br /> it group that serves as the park's tinues to grow — whereas open It's also important that the east 31 and will be open year-round.It's
<br /> host and leads nature walks. space does not grow—we are going park area remain an attraction for expected to be used primarily for
<br /> As one of the largest metropoli- to be increasingly grateful to have residents to enjoy,Weiss said. drift boats and river canoes,
<br /> tan parks in the Northwest, Alton this open space refuge right in the "It's a place to be peaceful and Eugene parks planner John Weber
<br /> Baker Park stretches 21/4 miles from center of the metro area,"he said. next to the river, and enjoy some said.
<br /> the Ferry Street Bridge to The east end also serves as a unique space in the heart of The bond money also paid for
<br /> Springfield. It offers a little some- "green link" between Eugene and Eugene-Springfield,"she said. relocating the dog park and some
<br /> thing for everyone. On any given Springfield. Scores of bicycle com- Path upgrades are planned as riparian restoration work in the
<br /> day it caters to runners,bird watch- muters pedal the corridor daily. well as improved access to the river Whilamut Natural Area.
<br /> ers,picnickers,anglers,dog owners, The 1996 master plan for the at designated viewpoints. In turn, A little money will be left over
<br /> gardeners, music lovers, canoeists sprawling Whilamut area emphasiz- the city will limit river access in to start planning a playground,con-
<br /> or students learning about science es habitat rehabilitation, a return spots vulnerable to erosion and ceived as a regional attraction,that
<br /> and nature. to native vegetation and passive trampled vegetation. could span up to 2 acres and would
<br /> "This is a park that doesn't have recreation. To that end, officials New interpretive signs will help include water canons,umbrellas or
<br /> the immediate impact on you that and the 15-member planning corn- visitors learn about and appreciate other aquatic frills,Weber said.
<br /> some of the features in Golden Gate mittee have focused on removing the history of the site and its Designated for the east side of
<br /> Park might," said David invasive plants, including broad unique wildlife habitats. They will the main parking lot, the play-
<br /> Sonnichsen, vice chairman of the tangles of blackberries,and reintro- include a project dubbed "talking ground won't be built until 2004 or
<br /> citizen planning committee that ducing native vegetation. stones,"in which 11 basalt boulders later.The city hopes to tap private
<br /> oversees the east end of the park. "We're excited that there will be will be placed this fall throughout sources to make it a reality.
<br /> "But it is a place where the human more native habitat coming back," the Whilamut Natural Area and the Next year,dilapidated restrooms
<br /> scale and the natural scale can com- Peara said."We see more heron ev- 40-acre piece of park east of Inter- near the west park entrance will be
<br /> plement each other,and it grows on ery year,more osprey." state 5, known as the East Gate rebuilt, and next summer the city
<br /> you. And your appreciation of it County corrections crews have Woodlands. plans to move the community vege-
<br /> grows dramatically on repeated tackled most of the blackberry re- Each stone will be engraved table garden to a larger spot east of
<br /> visits." moval in recent years. Along the with a word based on the Kalapuya its present location.The city also is
<br /> Walk on the wild side water's edge,the tenacious invader language. One will say "illioo," exploring the possibility of estab-
<br /> . is being replaced with alder, big- which means"joyful."Another,"ga- lishing a native plant nursery next
<br /> Most visitors are familiar with leaf maple, Oregon ash and native ach-li," means "peaceful in to the new garden,Weber said.
<br /> More than-$4 million in projects,
<br /> have been outlined for the west end
<br /> of the park.
<br /> ALTON BAKER PARK Alton Baker Park is relatively natural,with high They range from a nature educa-
<br /> biodiversity.The number of species documented in the tion and volunteer center to an out-
<br /> Located in the center of the Eugene-Springfield park includes 35 mammals,117 birds,12 reptiles,nine door teaching pavilion to a
<br /> metropolitan area,Alton Baker Park sweeps across 400 amphibians,eight fish,17 butterflies,46 other friendship/cultural garden and hn-
<br /> acres of riverfront land and offers some of the best invertebrates,21 trees,24 shrubs,172 wildflowers proved wheelchair accessibility.
<br /> urban recreation opportunities around: and 43 grasses,sedges and rushes. The city will tackle the projects
<br /> PARK HISTORY ■The county operated its main landfill from 1963 to one by one as funds become
<br /> 1974 on 70 acres of what is now a large open area in available.
<br /> •According to the Kalapuya tribe,native people the east end of the park.Trash was dumped in pits "It's a work in progress,"Weber
<br /> used the area for centuries as a place to live,fish and where gravel had been mined for freeway and other said, "and will be for longer than
<br /> harvest camas root and sunflowers. construction projects.The dump was capped with a I'll be here."
<br /> •Most of the land was used for agricultural purposes layer of soil ranging from 6 inches to 2 feet.
<br /> through the late 19th and early 20th centuries,helping ti A wide variety of recreation occurs in the park,
<br /> preserve the open space and natural features. including fishing in the canal and pond,bicycle
<br /> ■It was identified as a desirable place for a motorcross on five acres leased along Leo Harris
<br /> metropolitan park in the 1950s.In 1959,Lane County, Parkway and running on miles of crisscrossing trails.
<br /> Eugene and Springfield officials agreed to set aside The University of Oregon uses land just north of the
<br /> land for North Bank Park.More than 500 acres had Autzen footbridge for a hammer throw practice field—
<br /> been acquired by 1963. a use slated to end in 2005.
<br /> •In 1967,the county park was renamed for Alton F. ■The biggest challenge'in managing park use,
<br /> Baker,the late editor and publisher of The officials say,is persuading owners to keep their dogs
<br /> Register-Guard,who died in 1961.Baker was a key on leashes.Dogs running loose intimidate children,
<br /> advocate for park development in Eugene. annoy runners and disturb wildlife habitat,especially
<br /> ■A series of park planning and development efforts during spring nesting season.
<br /> marked the 1970s.New features included the canoe •The new Hays Memorial Tree Garden covers two
<br /> canal and pond,two Willamette River bike bridges, acres but will grow to 14 acres in a crescent shape
<br /> riverbank bike paths,the Steve Prefontaine running from the Cuthbert Amphitheater to the west park
<br /> trail,Ken Nielsen Gardens,Cuthbert Amphitheater, entrance.It began with a$100,000 donation from
<br /> WISTEC and picnic shelters. former Eugene Mayor Ruth Bascom and will be
<br /> •Eugene took ownership of the west end of the park supported by private donations.As it grows,it will
<br /> in 1987. include a new,one-acre island cut from the canoe
<br /> •In November 1992,voters rejected a long-proposed canal by a meandering stream channel.
<br /> golf course on the east end of the park in favor of ■After WI Duck football games at Autzen Stadium,
<br /> passive recreation.The measure directed the county to the university now pays for litter cleanup along park
<br /> create a 15-member citizen planning committee to paths.The city contracts with county juvenile
<br /> design a plan for passive recreation in the park. offenders to do the work—part of a new program to
<br /> •The county transferred its remaining ownership of monitor wear and tear on the park.
<br /> the park to Eugene and Springfield.Springfield turned ■Lane Transit District and some city officials have
<br /> over its 40-acre piece on the east end to the discussed establishing a shuttle bus route across the
<br /> Willamalane Park and Recreation District. Autzen footbridge and through the park,linking the UO
<br /> •A new master plan for East Alton Baker Park was campus with the stadium,park-and-ride lots and
<br /> approved in 1996,followed by an updated plan for the apartment complexes on the north side of Centennial
<br /> west end in 1997. Boulevard.The bridge could be modified for a bus
<br /> lane,but the idea hasn't advanced far and doesn't
<br /> PARK FACTS appear in LTD's 20-year plan. •
<br /> •East Gate Woodlands,Willamalane's east entrance
<br /> •It's the largest single park in Eugene,but south to the park,recently used a$40,000 grant to improve
<br /> Eugene's Ridgeline Park-system now encompasses the trailhead near Aspen and West D streets,
<br /> about 920 acres,including the 300-acre Spencer Butte reconfigure a parking and boat landing area and add a
<br /> parcel.Larger than both of them is the county's kiosk about park history.The park district also
<br /> 2,363-acre Howard Buford Recreation Area,which developed a playground with the city of Springfield on
<br /> includes Mount Pisgah,south of Springfield. land just north of the woodlands.
<br /> •Compared to other urban parks,the east end of —The Register-Guard
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