BPRD discusses future of alcohol permits, Mirror Pond

The Bend Parks and Recreation District Board is discussing making changes to alcohol consumption rules in parks. That means more restrictive rules could be on the way.

As of now, the park district gives out free alcohol permits for specific function at parks.

The current policy, put into place back in 2011, allows for alcohol consumption for many different reasons such as gatherings, wedding or even just small groups.

Now the park district looking to change the way permits are issued.

Sasha Sulia, superintendent of park operations, said the idea is to make sure the rules are not being abused.

The future policy, discussed at Tuesday evening’s park board meeting, may only allow for alcohol permits when a park or shelter at the park is rented out and insurance is paid for, or for small groups only, as the park district believes being able to drink in a park is not a right but a privilege.

“They still want us to be able to give an opportunity to those small groups, and those small rental shelters that want to have small family picnics, to be able to still drink alcohol and do it right,” Sulia said.

“And so what we are going to do is make sure that the people that are going to the shelters they’re going for the permit, and we are going to require insurance in the future. And if you want to go to Drake Park, where there aren’t any shelters, your coming for a permit, you are going to have to prove proof of insurance to us.”

In the past year, 601 permits were issued.

Park stewards had more than 1,200 interactions with people who were consuming alcohol without a permit. Many of those people were not aware a permit was required to consume alcohol in a Bend park.

The board has decided to take another look at the alcohol permits proposal at an upcoming work session.

The future of Mirror Pond and funding for the long-debated dredging of silt also was discussed Tuesday night.

The park district is deciding just how involved financially it will be in the dredging project.

The board discussed contributing $300,000 to the project, along with money from Bend and community member contributions.

That money would then go into Bend’s general fund to be used toward the project.

Nothing’s set in stone yet. though, as the board will have to discuss where the money to fund the project will come from.

Board Chair Brady Fuller said he hopes they can work with the city to finally move forward with the project.

“The topic of dredging Mirror Pond has been floated around the community for many years,” Fuller said. “There has been lots of discussion, and we are at the point now where a lot of pieces are coming together and we will be able to move this part of it forward. And so the partnership with the community involves working with the city as a partner to make it happen.”

Brady said he hopes things will now be able to move forward on the project fairly quickly. But he also said its still too early to tell just how quickly the dredging will begin.

The park district will take part in a meeting Friday morning at City Hall to discuss how the project could be funded.