To the Bend Park & Recreation District Board of Directors:
The Old Bend Neighborhood Association recently reorganized and is meeting on a monthly basis. We have elected new board members. The OBNA will be using our new website (www.oldbend.org) and social media to inform the community on local issues and happenings. Our website will serve as an archive for related materials including articles, references, and editorials. We are currently focusing on Mirror Pond and have a large amount of information on its history, uses, and issues posted at www.oldbend.org. You can find us on Facebook at facebook.com/oldbend.
At our March meeting, we unanimously voted to support the concept of Bend Ice pursuing an ice skating rink at the old Mt Bachelor parking lot. While, technically, the proposed location is not in the boundaries of our neighborhood association, as the saying goes, “we can see the parking lot from our neighborhood.” We believe the ice rink is an unmet need in our city and appreciate the Bend Parks and Recreation board’s initial support of this project.
We understand that the board members are exploring the idea of a bond issue in order to meet some very important community needs. We appreciate that an undertaking of this magnitude necessitates a great deal of study and reflection on the part of the board of directors. Understandably, we cannot take a stand on a bond issue that does not exist; however, we support the basic tenets (as we understand them) of the recent survey. As one of the neighborhoods bordering the Deschutes River, we agree with the polling numbers supporting protection of this waterway. Parks, trails, and water purity, are all issues we support. In addition, we agree with the desire to create safe passage for canoers, kayakers, floaters, and fish at Colorado Avenue Dam and to maintain and improve hiking, biking, and walking trails and parks in the District.
As one of two neighborhoods that border Mirror Pond, we are also concerned that a bond issue could include a “fix” for Mirror Pond. We believe this would be premature. Specifically, we do not believe options for Mirror Pond has been sufficiently studied. In addition, it is our hope that the chosen path in dealing with this complex issue will include a long-term solution, and not a temporary fix.
Thank You,
Old Bend Neighborhood Association
Board of Directors