Nature first
BPRD starts construction on Alpenglow Community Park
Construction officially started earlier this year on the Alpenglow Community Park, a 37-acre community park in southeast Bend at the intersection of SE 15th Street and Murphy Road. Renderings courtesy of Fieldwork Design & Architecture.
BY SHAYNA WIWIERSKI A new park is coming to the southeast
this property, it was planned out to be
from System Development Charges
corner of Bend.
a neighborhood full of homes. So the
(SDC) for the development of the park.
purchase of this property for the park is
SDCs are fees that are charged when new
allowing us to maintain a lot of the very
homes are built in Bend. The park SDCs
cool natural characteristics of the site.”
go directly to the park district to fund new
Bend at the intersection of SE 15th Street
The park, when it is completed in 2022,
development and park spaces, so there is
and Murphy Road. The project has been
will include an open lawn space, a
growth paying for growth.
years in the making after a 2012 bond
demonstration garden, one pedestrian
Planning for the park started four years
measure was passed by residents with
bridge, a bouldering area, a playground,
ago, beginning with a one-and-a-half
part of the money being used to purchase
a spray ground, an event space, an off-
year-long master planning process which
the park site.
leash dog area, natural trails, and multi-
included extensive public input on the
use pathways around the area. It will
types of things that the community
also have three parking lots, a full-flush
wanted to see. In 2017, they continued
restroom and shade structures.
into the design phase with their design
fastest-growing part of town,” says Ian
Overall project cost totals $13.3 million,
consultants, Environmental Science
Isaacson, project manager for the Bend
with that funding coming from two
Associates (ESA) out of Portland and
Parks and Recreation District (BPRD).
sources. $3.7 million for the purchase
an extensive team of subconsultants,
“Currently it’s an undeveloped lot; it’s
of the property is being funded through
including PBX member BECON Civil
wooded and has some rock outcroppings
a community-passed bond measure in
Engineering & Land Surveying (roadway
on it. Prior to the park district purchasing
2012, and the remaining funds coming
civil engineering).
Construction officially started earlier this year on the Alpenglow Community Park, a 37-acre community park in southeast
“This project came to be because we were deficient in park space in that part of town. Southeast Bend happens to be the
22
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