Years in the making, Quartz Park will come to life in SW Redmond this year
(Update: Adding video and comments from parks planner)
Redmond residents are going to be getting their dream park very soon.
REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ)-- For 15 years, the city of Redmond has had its sights set on building a neighborhood park off SW Quartz Avenue, at the south end of the Dry Canyon. Finally, this spring, after several years of planning work, it will start to become a reality.
The city Parks Division is working with the contractor, Keeton-King of Sisters, after recent city council approval of the contract of about $2.2 million, with a total project cost of $2.65 million.
Quartz Park has been years in the making, waiting for funding to come through. Redmond has a really extensive park system where a lot of those funding and allocations were put toward, Parks Planner and Project Manager Maria Ramirez said Tuesday.
The first dirt will be turned in early May, and the project is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
"This location has been identified for several years as a prime location for a new neighborhood park to serve southern residents of Redmond, as well as South Canyon users," Ramirez said. "So, beginning with some of our parks master planning all the way back to 2008, this has been on our radar and project list for quite some time -- and now we are just ready to begin moving forward."
The new park will be about 8 acres. The Parks Division conducted an outreach campaign to determine what amenities the neighborhood and community want. There was a survey sent out to every resident within a half-mile of the park.
There will be two different types of playgrounds - a traditional and natural playground, as well as a picnic pavilion and mountain bike skills area.
Another exciting addition to the park will be a mountain bike area that will be coordinated by volunteers.
"We are partnering with Central Oregon Trails Alliance on a mountain bike skills area, which will encourage all mountain bikers of any skill," Ramirez said. "From a green-level entry to an expert-level black diamond, completely in the northwest section of the park," Ramirez said.
