News & Updates

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Letter to Bend Parks & Rec Board

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

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Information was needed before public input on Mirror Pond

A number of recent articles in the local news media illustrate citizen concerns about the Mirror Pond sedimentation problem. Issues include lack of progress toward a solution, conflicting community values and lack of community involvement in the decision-making process. These concerns are valid, but the Mirror Pond Steering Committee would like to offer some clarification.

To begin, the river bottom at Mirror Pond is owned by different private individuals, Bend Park & Recreation District and Pacific Power. This information was not utilized in previous sediment management efforts, but ownership information is absolutely critical for determining key stakeholders and jurisdictional authority. Determining parcel ownership has required a significant investment of the committee’s resources.

Fragmented ownership and lack of clear jurisdictional authority for Mirror Pond complicate funding. The city of Bend does not have an ownership stake in the pond, nor is it responsible for the dams that regulate flows and sediment transport in the river. Similarly, while BPRD owns parcels that extend into the river, it does not operate dams. Both parties have committed funds and time to support the process, but those funds are not sufficient to “fix” Mirror Pond.

A recent letter to the editor suggested that Mirror Pond required a collaborative approach, something the MPSC has pursued from the beginning. Several committee members met with the Bureau of Reclamation, the federal agency responsible for management of Wickiup Dam, in an attempt to secure its participation. The BOR claims that Mirror Pond is outside its jurisdiction, citing a lack of scientific evidence linking management of the dam with increased sedimentation in the river. Without a federal legislative directive, BOR will not participate in the process.

The Pacific Power dam at the Newport Avenue Bridge is a barrier to downstream movement of sediment. Sediment transport is a normal function of rivers, and where there are dams, sedimentation will occur upstream. Advocates for a free-flowing river recommend dam removal and restoring the river to its natural course. I’m personally sympathetic to this idea, but reality in this situation is a bit more complicated.

Removing the Pacific Power dam eliminates Mirror Pond, but there is strong opposition to this idea. Additionally, dam removal shifts the sediment problem downstream to North Unit Dam, part of the federal Deschutes Project. Achieving an ecologically relevant, free-flowing river would entail removal of this dam as well, which would require federal legislation and addressing North Unit Irrigation District water rights. These options are theoretically possible but they greatly expand the complexity and expense of addressing the sedimentation issue.

There is some concern in the community that the MPSC has committed to a flawed process. To be clear, the MPSC has not made binding decisions — financial or otherwise — that restrict our approach to Mirror Pond. How the committee proceeds will largely be determined by the results of upcoming conversations with permitting agencies, specifically the Department of State Lands and Army Corps of Engineers, and by interactions with the community.

The committee has not pursued community engagement up to this point because there were substantial information gaps pertaining to permitting requirements, parcel ownership and costs for conducting appropriate studies to support the decision process. We now have that information.

The MPSC is committed to working with the community to determine the desired future condition for Mirror Pond, studying the alternative options for achieving that vision and developing funding mechanisms that will ensure long-term success. At this time the committee is shifting emphasis to community involvement, beginning with several questions pertaining to Mirror Pond on the upcoming BPRD survey. The MPSC will use information from the survey to develop a more comprehensive community outreach process that will inform the decision approach. We look forward to working with the community in the coming months.

— Matt Shinderman, on behalf of the Mirror Pond Steering Committee and Bend 2030.

Source: The Bulletin

 

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Local companies step up to landscape Bend roundabouts

Two prominent Bend companies are teaming up to help the City keep its signature roundabouts looking beautiful.

Brooks Resources Corporation and William Smith Properties, Inc. will donate their resources to landscape Bend’s 20 roundabouts that include public art. The Bend Foundation, established by Brooks-Scanlon, Brooks Resources and their shareholders, and Art in Public Places will also participate in funding the project. The City has cut back on landscaping expenses over the past several years due to budget reductions and has relied on a volunteer program to do the work.

“On behalf of the City, I want to thank Brooks Resources and William Smith Properties for their civic pride and dedication to the quality of life in Bend,” said City Manager Eric King. “This type of public/private partnership shows the tremendous community spirit that exists in this city.”

After landscaping work is completed, the two companies will create recommended maintenance requirements for the roundabouts that volunteers will be able to follow in the future.

Brooks Resources Corporation has created some of Central Oregon’s most recognizable real estate communities, including NorthWest Crossing, a joint venture with Tennant Developments, North Rim, RiverWild, Awbrey Butte, Awbrey Glen, and Mount Bachelor Village Resort.

William Smith Properties developed the Old Mill District and has provided support to more than 100 local and regional non-profit organizations since 2000.

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Bend drinking water wins best tasting award

Bend’s water was awarded first prize at the Annual Best Tasting Water Contest held by the Pacific Northwest’s Cascade to Coast subsection of the American Water Works Association.

The water sample from the City of Bend, taken from the City’s surface water source springs, won first place this year with a score of 95 out of 120 points. A number of factors contribute to the taste of tap water, including its source, treatment process, pipes and reservoirs. Judges, after a blind taste test, rated water samples based on odor, flavor, and aftertaste. Bend’s water was described as “clean, crisp, and grassy,” with a “nice aftertaste.”

The four judges included a brewery owner, a winemaker, a water analysis systems company official, and a former National Football League fullback. Thirteen water utilities submitted samples to compete for the title on Feb. 16, 2012, in Eugene. Contestants followed strict guidelines for collecting and storing water samples. This was the fifth year of the competition.

As winner of this year’s contest, the City of Bend is eligible to compete for the Pacific Northwest Section title of Best Tasting Water May 2-4 in Yakima, WA.

The Bend Public Works Department plans to improve the surface water infrastructure to provide continued access to cost effective, clean, and reliable drinking water for Bend residents and businesses now and for the future. More information about the Surface Water Improvement project is available online: www.bendoregon.gov/surfacewater.