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_. .. <br />the park is requested. <br />,The Oweri Rose Garden Park originated with the. donation of land and original plantings. by <br />Mr. and Mrs. George E. Owen in 1950. Mr. Owen also agreed to .match any. initial funds the <br />City might provide for development of the park. Ln 1951, with the passage of a voter- <br />approved tax levy, monies were earmarked for the park. The official ground-breaking <br />ceremony was held on March 28, 1951. <br />The Owen Rose Garden is one of 25 in the U.S. accredited by the All-American Rose <br />Society, giving it official status as a national test .garden for experimental roses. By 1976,. the <br />plantings, .many which are All-American Rose Society award winners, had been increased to <br />a total of 2,900 rose bushes, and continues to increase annually. The Eugene Rose Society, <br />which donated the initial collection of roses, continues to assist in the development of the <br />park.. <br />The Owen Rose Garden also contains a 130 year old cherry tree, the largest cherry tree in <br />Oregon, as well as one of the largest in the United States. <br />M~.The subject request is for an Owen Rose Garden Development Plan which results in a <br />'modification to.the development plan previously approved for the Willamette Greenway <br />Conditional Use. The applicant indicates. that this plan provides for. changes to the rose.. <br />garden's development. There,wll not be any removal of existing riparian vegetation and <br />.trees along the Willamette Rivera The major changes to the rose: garden are listed below: <br />a. Replacement o£the existing structure with a new structure to be used for group rental <br />. and community activities; <br />b. Relocation of the existing maintenance function from. the existing structure in .the <br />middle of the park to the southwest corner of the park; <br />. c. Construction of a large pergola for climbing roses; <br />d. Redesign and layout of new rose beds and lawn..area in the southwestern portion ofthe <br />park; <br />e. Addition of a fountain and pond feature; <br />f. Addition of a gazebo; <br />g. Construction of new viewing paths for the heritage rose beds; and the paving of main <br />walks to improve accessibility; <br />h. The construction of entrance gates to the garden and extending the perimeter trellis <br />along the western side of the park. -- <br />This development plan is intended to be a long range"document that. will guide. future <br />improvements in the park. No funding has been allocated or identified at this time for the <br />improvements, therefore it is impossible to predict any construction schedule for_ any of the <br />specific elements proposed in the park.. The only exception is .the 692 square foot <br />OWEN ROSE GARDEN (MD 97-6) (CU 84-23) <br />_ Page 2 <br />