By BENNETT HALL
Gazette-Times business editor | Posted: Wednesday, January 10, 2007 12:00 am
The city is making plans for a new park on the Willamette River just north of downtown with features to please everyone from kayakers to picnickers to music lovers.
A stakeholders committee has been meeting since July to discuss the design of the as-yet-unnamed park, planned for a 4.5-acre parcel that runs along the river from Tyler Avenue to the boat ramp below Michael's Landing Restaurant.
"The goal is to create a master plan for the site," said Julee Conway, director of the Corvallis Parks and Recreation Department.
Although the site is small, the preliminary design is packed with amenities.
In addition to improving the existing boat ramp, current plans call for adding a dock, restrooms, picnic facilities and an open-air amphitheater for use by the Corvallis Community Band and other performers. The biking/skating/jogging path that runs along the downtown riverfront would be extended into the new park, along with a sidewalk. Native plants would be restored, and access to the site's gravel river beach would be improved.
There are several wrinkles complicating the process.
One is that part of the property is owned by the Oregon Department of Transportation. Although ODOT has no current plans to use the parcel, it has been identified as a possible route for a future bypass extension to connect Oregon Highway 34 to U.S. Highway 20. For now, though, the state agency is letting the city proceed with the park project.
"ODOT owns a chunk of it," Conway said. "They agreed to work with us in developing a park plan for this site with the caveat that, if they should decide to put a bypass on that site, it might impact the park improvements."
Another has to do with the Willamette River Greenway, a state land-use overlay designed to protect land along the river.
The city has hired Walker Macy, a Portland firm that helped design Riverfront Commemorative Park downtown, to head up the new park's design and shepherd the proposal through the permitting process. The city has budgeted $95,000 for planning and consulting fees.
The master plan should be completed sometime in March, Conway said, but construction likely wouldn't start until 2008 or 2009. It's too early to estimate how much the project might cost, she added, and no money has been set aside for construction.
"I'm hoping we can get some grant money for this," Conway said. "I don't anticipate a bond measure for this, but that depends on how big a project it is."
Several issues have cropped up in the stakeholders' group discussions, Conway said.
At one point, a play structure was contemplated for the site, but there were safety concerns because it was so close to the river and that idea is now off the table. There was also talk of configuring the ramp to launch motorboats, but representatives of the Oregon Marine Board determined the site was unsuitable for that use. Now, Conway said, the city is considering improving the Crystal Lake boat ramp on the south end of town to better handle motorized watercraft.
Some fears have been expressed by people who currently use the north riverfront site for nonmotorized group boating activities. Their concerns center on whether the park development will mean eliminating the current loop-style vehicle access from First Street and Tyler Avenue, which they need to load and unload large rafts or multiple canoes or kayaks, in favor of a straight in-and-out approach. They're also worried that current parking space on the site might be eliminated.
Conway noted that the design is not final yet. After another meeting, the stakeholders' group will make its recommendation, which will be discussed by the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board in February or March.
David Livingston of Endex Engineering, who represents the Downtown Corvallis Association on the stakeholders' group, said the wide range of discussions and suggestions for the proposed park reflects a high level of community interest.
With its easy access to the Willamette, large trees and sloping lawn, Livingston said, the site is an ideal spot for a park. What the committee is trying to do is come up with the best way to use the land to maximize its potential in ways everyone can enjoy.
"It's the same issue we had with the rest of the riverfront," Livingston said. "It's so special and so precious that we all have to share it, and sometimes getting the right balance is a challenge."
Have your say
The North Riverfront Park Stakeholders Committee will accept public comment through Friday to be considered at its next meeting. Written comments can be delivered to Julee Conway at the city parks office, 1310 S.W. Avery Park Drive, or via e-mail at julee.conway@ci.corvallis.or.us. There will be additional opportunities to comment as the planning process continues.
Bennett Hall is the business editor for the Gazette-Times. He can be reached at 758-9529 or bennett.hall@lee.net.