Renovations complete at NE Bend neighborhood park

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- A newly renovated park is now open for play in Northeast Bend. The Bend Park and Recreation District announced Thursday that renovations and accessibility improvements at Empire Crossing Park have been completed and the park is open to the public.

Located at 63145 NE Lancaster Street, the renovated park includes a new two-tiered play area designed to take advantage of the natural topography of the park, offering multiple opportunities for exploration by park users of all ages and abilities. A paved accessible path through the park provides connection to the playground and picnic areas. 

Other updates to the park include renovated seating and picnic table areas, refreshed landscaping and lawn areas, and modernized irrigation systems.

The project was funded by system development charges (SDCs), that provide funding support to serve community growth.

Empire Crossing Park was originally owned and maintained by the homeowner’s association for the Empire Crossing subdivision. The park district acquired the site as a transfer from the HOA in 2017 and worked with the association and neighbors in the area to create the plan for updating the park.

“This project has been a terrific collaboration between neighbors and the park district. The feedback we received during the planning stages of the project really influenced where we went with renovations and the choices made for the playground and park features,” shared Ian Isaacson, project manager for Bend Park and Rec.

“Thank you to the neighbors who were involved in the design of their neighborhood park. The result is a great park that the whole community can enjoy.”

More information about Empire Crossing Park is available here.