By James Day
City of Silverton officials have called off their plans to host a public meeting to discuss the update of the parks master plan.
The meeting was scheduled for Oct. 3 at the Silverton High cafeteria. City officials said that the technical advisory committee working on the plan wanted a bit more time before hosting the public session. No new date has been set.
The committee has been meeting monthly since May, with further meetings set for October, November and December.
The parks and recreation update – the first since 2008 – is one of the six major goals of this City Council term. Key initiatives identified by councilors include finding space for disc golf and pickleball facilities as well as establishing trails at Pettit Lake along the Cascade Highway near the Rogers Wayside.
Councilors also are working to annex 40 acres of city property along Ike Mooney Road. At their Sept. 11 meeting councilors discussed the property acquisition. The heavily wooded land is projected for use as a park, with the possibility of a Silverton Fire District substation.
The urban growth boundary expansion and annexation of the 40 acres cannot be completed until approved by the Marion County Board of Commissioners.
The land was donated to the city by developer Larry Epping with the stipulation that it be used for recreational purposes.
Also in play for possible inclusion in the parks plan is the property south of the new Civic Center on the former Eugene Field School site, as well as the section north of the Civic Center past A Street. Opinions on what to do with the parcels range from splash fountains, sports courts (such as pickleball), space for the farmers’ market and some combination of park property and parking.
A 2018 city survey of more than 400 residents noted the community’s top preferences for the property as a) a gathering space; b) preservation of trees; c) room for festivals; and d) a splash pad.
