Bond Measure Projects: Simpson Site
Community Recreation Center & Off-Site Improvements
Location: Southwest Simpson and Colorado at former Mt. Bachelor parking lot.
The concept for a community recreation facility is to construct a multi-purpose event center that can be used for a host of sporting and community activities. The approximately 25,000 sq. ft. facility would be a covered, open-air space that can easily be arranged for basketball, farmer’s markets, pickleball, and other sporting activities. Configuring the space as an ice rink in the winter will make the facility functional year around and help to defray cost. The district has been working in partnership with Bend Ice, a local not-for-profit entity, to consider the need for a covered ice facility. Bend Ice will serve as a docent organization to help the district by providing coaches, referees, and facility needs throughout the winter months.
The district board recently approved a memorandum of understanding with OSU-Cascades to jointly develop the Simpson Parking Lot. The development of this site is contingent on off-site improvements at several intersections with the most expensive being the $900,000 development of a roundabout at Simpson and Columbia. Other improvements include lane improvements at the Simpson and Colorado roundabout, traffic control upgrades at the Simpson fire station entrance, and improvements to the Simpson and 14th Street roundabout. Making these improvements now sets up OSU-Cascades and the district to move forward with their plans to develop the site into an education/recreation hub in Bend, and will expedite both projects resulting in new jobs and much needed amenities.
Timeline: Working with OSU Cascades; date to be determined
Aerial view of Simpson Site below:
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