Madras spray park gets $250,000 federal grant
Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley announced Friday that 11 local and state park projects in Oregon received nearly $2.9 million in Land and Water Conservation Fund grants this week, including $250,000 for the planned spray park at Sahalee Park in Madras.
Madras city officials say the the spray park will have about nine aquatic play features on a concrete surface, including a “touch and go” system to turn on the play features. It’s planned to be built next spring.
“These resources for Oregon parks prove once again the tremendous value that the Land and Water Conservation Fund has long provided across our state and country,” Wyden said. “These investments allow children and families to enjoy the outdoors right in their neighborhoods, and I will continue the fight to ensure the fund receives full funding so these parks can flourish for generations to come.”
“Oregon’s parks and public lands are part of what make our state great, and ensuring these resources are safe, up-to-date and accessible is important to all Oregonians’ quality of life,” Merkley said. “This investment in outdoor recreation across the state will help keep our public parks beautiful and accessible well into the future.”
The LWCF State & Local Assistance Program provides matching grants for local and state park projects outside national park boundaries. LWCF grants are locally determined and competed at the state level.
The LWCF grant recipients in Oregon, amounts and the purpose of the grants are as follows:
Honeyman Bike Camp and Restroom, Oregon Department of Parks and Recreation, $665,000. Replace two 1960-era wood restroom facilities with one new, centrally located ADA-compliant facility including upgraded water, electrical and plumbing systems. Re-purpose original restroom sites for campground firewood services and expanded hiker/biker facilities. Silver Falls Water System Rehabilitation, Oregon Department of Parks and Recreation, $350,500, Upgrade a 58-year-old, 150,000-gallon wood water tank at to a steel plate water tank of equal size and rehabilitate plumbing and electrical systems. Crowell Woods Park, Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District, $389,092, Develop the new 7.5-acre Crowell Woods Park with traditional and nature play areas, community garden, trails, landscaping, a picnic shelter, and park roads. Commonwealth Lake Park Bridge Replacement. Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District, $60,554. Replace a deteriorated and inaccessible bridge and complete habitat improvements at Commonwealth Lake Park. River Forks Park, Douglas County, $310,375. Replace two obsolete restrooms at River Forks Park, which is the county’s most heavily used recreation area. Early Settlers Park, Sublimity, $126,000. Install permanent ADA restrooms and connecting sidewalks. Frances Street Park, Hillsboro, $90,317. Complete development of the nine-acre park including a picnic shelter, a sand volleyball court, and other ADA improvements. Central Park Playground, Corvallis, $286,442. Replace obsolete playground and gazebo, install turf, picnic tables, and park furnishings. Madras Spray Park, Madras, $250,000. Build a play area, renovate bathroom and complete site improvements. Whitehorse Park Renovation, Josephine County, $305,000. Completely renovate an old campground at and improve access to the adjacent Bureau of Land Management (BLM) owned water trailhead on the national Wild & Scenic Rogue River. Trail Head, Wetland and Natural Playground, Wood Village, $45,819. Develop a new trailhead with parking and road improvements; create wetland and natural playground; and install walkways and landscaping at the newly expanded Donald L. Robertson Park.
