Bend Parks Trims Planned Nov. Bond Measure

The Bend Park and Recreation District is moving closer to putting a multi-million dollar bond measure on the upcoming November ballot.

District officials Tuesday night said they will present the board of directors with a resolution at their July 3rd meeting.

“The resolution will be to go for a bond measure in November,” said Don Horton, Park and Rec executive director, “The total amount we will ask for in the bond will be $29 million.”

The district had been considering a $31 million measure, but feedback from the community prompted them to trim that number.

A point of contention at Tuesday’s work session was whether or not funding to clean the silt from Mirror Pond should be a part of the measure.

Earlier studies showed people are split pretty even on whether the waterway should be dredged, left alone or another solution be looked for.

“The risk is, it’s a reason for people to vote no,” said board member Dallas Brown, “I’ve said before that a district should be formed (of Mirror Pond stakeholders), and a district should fund the study.”

Board members were also briefed about a recent study of comment cards and online activity about the proposed measure.

The findings showed that more people commented on the Colorado Dam spillway safety project, the extension of the Deschutes River trail and the Simpson Avenue ice rink.

For several Bend residents, the Colorado spillway renovation is key to keeping the river safe and preventing more accidents, some fatal.

“Over the past few years, we have seen a few accidents and a couple tragedies take place,” said Jayson Bowerman of the Bend Paddle Trail Alliance, “it really is at the forefront of the minds of a lot of people in the community that the passageway be improved for safe passage.”

Opponents of the bond measure say the park district has adequate money and resources.They also said timing is poor due to the economy.

A decision whether or not to go forward with the measure could come as early as July

Meanwhile Horton reiterated Tuesday that the park district will not be euthanizing any geese this year, one method to remove geese from riverfront parks, as they did two years ago, to loud opposition and national headlines. Hazing and oiling of eggs are the other methods the district has used for years, and there are plans this summer to relocate perhaps 100 of the younger geese (old enough to live on their own) to Summer Lake in southern Oregon.