Summary of July 2 board of directors meeting
July 3, 2024
The BPRD board of directors began the new fiscal year with several leadership transitions. The July 2 meeting marked the first meeting with new Executive Director Michelle Healy and the confirmation of a new slate of board leaders. A video recording of the meeting is available.
For the 2024-25 year, Jodie Barram was elected chairperson and Donna Owens will serve as vice-chair. Nathan Hovekamp was selected as a legislative liaison. The board also reconfirmed to meet on the first and third Tuesdays of each month, beginning at 5:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted.
North Unit Canal Trail
BPRD has a planned trail connection along the North Unit Irrigation’s existing canal maintenance road to connect Canal Row Park and Deschutes Market Road. This trail is already informally in use by the public, for decades. More than 100 daily users have been captured by a trail counter between 2021 and 2024, with some months reaching almost 150 average daily users.
With new residential development occurring in the area, use will continue to increase, and this route is part of the city’s plans for a “key route” to provide safe, low stress connections for non-motorized travel.
Design for a possible trail began in 2022 and property easements and/or acquisition must be completed before the district can proceed further with permitting and construction of the project. The board of directors adopted a resolution to authorize the executive director to take steps necessary to implement the resolution.
Pickleball courts
The district is currently planning for the next development phase at Pine Nursery Park, including the potential for eight (8) additional pickleball courts to provide both more drop-in play opportunities and club-organized play capacity.
The pickleball court complex at Pine Nursery Community Park consists of 16 courts developed in 2013 and 2015 by the district with support of donations spearheaded by the Bend Pickleball Club.
The board of directors authorized an agreement to continue a strong partnership with the Bend Pickleball Club to meet the needs for both drop-in plan opportunities and club-organized play in the community. The Bend Pickleball Club intended to raise $400,000 for the project.
McKay, Miller’s Landing and Columbia parks River Access Project
In March 2022, design services began on the McKay, Miller’s Landing and Columbia parks river access project. The board of directors approved an amendment to cover the final phase of design for the improvements at Miller’s Landing Park. The design consultant will provide professional services through final design development, city of Bend permitting, and bidding for river access improvements at Miller’s Landing. The scope includes project management, preparation of the Site Improvement Permit (SIMP), development of final design plans and specifications, and bid phase support.
The work is scheduled to begin in July 2024, with bid documents ready by early September 2024.
The next board meeting is July 16.