By Stephen Floyd
Trails, gathering spaces and family amenities were among priorities chosen by residents during a recent open house on proposed updates to Silverton’s Parks and Recreation Master Plan.
Held Dec. 5 at the Silverton Senior Center, the event allowed residents to express the priorities they believe should guide the planning and funding of city parks in the coming years.
The event was well attended and Mayor Jason Freilinger told Our Town he was impressed but not surprised by this show of civic engagement.
“I do feel, for the size of our town, we typically draw a larger crowd than a larger town,” he said.
Freilinger said the goal was to open a dialogue with local residents and “get a feel for what the people in town are thinking.”
The current Parks and Recreation Master Plan was last updated in 2008. The city has since developed numerous plans to improve local public spaces.
In the near term, the city is planning to build trails and other improvements at Pettit Reservoir, a new pickleball court near the Senior Center, and a park adjacent to the downtown Civic Center. Longer-term plans include a new baseball field at a yet-to-be-determined location, new parks in underserved neighborhoods north and east of downtown, and development of greenways.
At the open house residents could view posterboard displays of the proposed projects, as well as the city’s overall goals for park improvements. Residents were then asked to vote with stickers for specific project elements, as well as leave any specific feedback.
Resident Tom Newton said he liked this approach to gathering feedback, and enjoyed seeing all the information in one place. While considering where to place his stickers, Newton told Our Town that parks should above all be places all residents can enjoy.
“Having a park accessible is really key,” he said.
Some proposals had clear consensus such as a future park off Ike Mooney Road N.E., which saw residents favor walking trails, restrooms and a disc golf course. Less popular options included a play structure, picnic shelter and dog park.
Silverton is currently working with a disc golf group and mountain bike backers on development of the Ike Mooney park.
There was also strong support for lights and coverings at the proposed pickleball courts, while residents were less supportive of bleachers, trees and additional parking. There was also a strong consensus that the courts should be at the city’s current proposed location between the Senior Center parking lot and the skatepark.
Other proposals saw a mix of feedback, such as the Civic Center park which most residents believed should have a plaza/event space, performance stage and water features such as a splash pad. There was also moderate support for beautification such as streetlights and public art displays, as well as a playground made with natural features.
Pettit Reservoir development also saw a mix, with the strongest support for hiking and biking trails and water access. There was also interest in a nature playground, paddleboarding and kayaking opportunities, a fishing pier and picnic areas.
Resident Holly Byran came with her family to the open house and said she and her two kids were excited about the proposed trail around Pettit Reservoir.
“We do a lot of walking and biking downtown,” Byran told Our Town, adding local families would benefit from a trail connecting the reservoir to The Oregon Garden.
After looking at all the displays, former City Councilor Dana Smith said she was concerned some park proposals were financially unattainable. Not because the city could not afford them, but because she felt like it was better to see a greater number of projects completed rather than fewer, more costly improvements.
“If you really dedicated yourself and wanted that one to happen, it’s going to take away from other possible projects,” Smith told Our Town.
Community Development Director Jason Gottgetreu acknowledged not all of the projects featured that night would come to fruition. He told Our Town the goal of updating the master plan was to have guidelines for pursuing improvements as funding becomes available.
“There’s always more things that [people] want to be done than can be done,” he said.
Gottgetreu said the Parks and Recreation Master Plan Project Advisory Committee plans to discuss feedback gathered during the open house at its regular meeting Jan. 2, 2024. He said if the committee feels like they have clear direction from the community, they could begin drafting proposed updates, which would take roughly four months.
Alternatively the committee could choose to continue seeking information and community input.
Once the committee completes its draft proposal, the changes would then go before the Planning Commission and City Council before being adopted. Gottgetreu said these processes would include public hearings and other opportunities for citizen input throughout.
