Westside Park
Parks District Gets Option on Westside Property
The Hood River Valley Parks and Recreation District has entered into a two-year option agreement to purchase 20 acres on Fairview Drive for a future park. For many years, we’ve considered the property Hood River’s last best hope for a sizable community park on the west side of town.The site is catty corner from Westside Elementary and bordered by the Westside Community Trail.
This has been a long time in coming! In 2015, Thrive got a team of graduate students from Portland State University’s Masters of Urban and Regional Planning to conduct a six-month long public outreach and park design process culminating with a Concept Plan and Technical Report. With input from over 800 Hood River residents, PSU’s work showed strong local support for Westside Park. Unfortunately, the the Parks District wasn’t ready to make a move then but four years later with several changes of Park board members, we’re delighted that the District has decided to make this investment in the future.
The site, which boasts views of Mt. Adams and Hood, is large enough to be a true community park with a range of facilities for all ages and abilities. “With the limited opportunities for large-acre parcels, as well as the rising costs of land in the area, we wanted to be forward thinking and secure a parcel before land becomes too scarce or becomes too expensive,” said Nan Noteboom, Parks District Board President.
During the option period, the Parks District will conduct an in-depth study (including applying for a permit) on the feasibility of building a park located in the National Scenic Area.
There’s still a lot of work to be done in planning and funding park purchase and development. But it’s important to celebrate life’s victories, and we are now one step closer to a much needed park. We want to extend our gratitude to the many, many people who advocated for this park over the years.
A Community Park for Future Generations?
As our city grows it’s important to preserve open space and parks close to our neighborhoods that people can safely reach by foot, bike or a short drive. We should create parks that people love, use frequently, and future generations will be thankful for. We think this 20-acre property located at the corner of Fairview and Belmont could be just such a park.
But how to make it a reality? First we had to investigate the feasibility of building a park on the property. In 2016 the Hood River Valley Parks and Recreation District and Thrive (called Hood River Valley Residents Committee at the time) were honored to have Agora Planning, a team of six graduate students from Portland State University’s Masters of Urban and Regional Planning conduct a six-month long public outreach and park design process culminating with a Concept Plan and Technical Report. The planning effort included technical analysis of geographic features and constraints, zoning regulations and public facility requirements. Agora Planning had a very community-driven process with lots of opportunities for input from stakeholders, neighbors and community members. The end result? The project identified the property as being well suited for a large multi-use park, indicated no zoning red flags, and showed that the community was strongly behind the park.
Unfortunately, after being presented with the positive report on the property in May 2016, the Parks District board decided not to move forward with it. However, since then several new board members have been elected and it is hoped that Westside Park will be back under consideration as the Parks District embarks on their multi-jurisdictional Parks Master Plan.
We still think the property is Hood River’s last best hope for a sizable to serve the City of Hood River’s growing population. If you want to help make it happen, contact info@thrivehoodriver.org.
Where is the proposed new park?
The property is a twenty-acre parcel at the northwest corner of Fairview Drive and Belmont Drive, catty corner to Westside Elementary School. The property is mostly flat, with spectacular views of Mount Adams and Mount Hood. It is adjacent to the City of Hood River’s fastest growing neighborhoods and the Urban Growth Area. Part of the site is already in recreational use—you might have walked on the Westside Trail which runs along the east and north edges of the property.
Why is this a good location?
The City of Hood River is slated to grow by 4,500 people in the next twenty years, most of that growth will be on the west side of town, within easy walking distance of the new park. It makes sense to develop parks near where people live and where growth is occurring. Parks have a vital role in making our urban areas more vibrant and livable. They are social places where people connect with each other in morning playground sessions, pick up games after school and weekend strolls. Distance from a park is a profoundly important number. We need a park close to our neighborhoods that people can safely reach by foot, bike or a short drive. There are greater health benefits—and they get used more! —when parks are located near where people live. A close-to-home park offers kids independent access to recreational facilities rather than needing to rely on an adult to drive them. The park’s proximity to Westside School will allow Hood River to host tournaments and be a fun place for kids and their families to go after school. At twenty-acres, this property will be much more than a neighborhood park; it will be a gathering place for the whole community. The park will draw people from all over the valley to use its sports fields, picnic shelters and walking trails.
We live in a recreational paradise. Do we really need another park?
Hood River is famous for natural resource based recreation like windsurfing, kiting, hiking and mountain biking but finding space for organized sports and multi-use parks has proved extremely challenging. For the last 20 years, County residents have expressed a desire for a year round multi-use community park with sports fields and courts, picnics shelters, a dog park, trails, community gardens etc.
Who will develop and manage the new park?
The Hood River Valley Parks and Recreation District will develop and manage the new park. Hood River Valley Parks and Recreation District is a special district created in 1988 with a mission to provide recreational opportunities to the citizens of the Park District with a focus on the youth of our community. Current District facilities include the Hood River Aquatic Center, Culbertson Park, Barrett Flyer Field, Odell Community Park, Hazelview Park, Rotary Skatepark, Hood River Disc Golf Course, Golden Eagle Park, and two popular trails—Indian Creek Trail and Westside Community Trail—that comprise over 5 miles of trails through the City of Hood River and its environs. The District boundaries include all of Hood River County, except the incorporated area of Cascade Locks.
I have some ideas for the park. How can I let the right people know what I think?
- Contact the Parks District directly, attention Mark Hickok, Parks District Director, mark@hoodriverparksandrec.org
There are cows on this property. Is this zoned farmland?
No, it was rezoned a number of years ago to RR-10 (Rural Residential minimum 10 acre lot size) which means that one house could be built on each 10 acre parcel. A community park is an allowed use on RR-10.
Is this land in the National Scenic Area? Are community parks allowed?
Yes, community parks are allowed subject to meeting the standards of the General Management Area of the NSA including natural resource, cultural resource and sensitive wildlife reviews. The Parks District already has experience going through a NSA review. They went through the exact same process to get land-use approval for the Westside Trail.
Some people say a nearby park will have negative effect on their property values. Is this true?
No, it’s quite the opposite. Parks have been shown to increase nearby property values. According to the National Parks and Recreation Association, “the real estate market consistently demonstrates that many people are willing to pay a larger amount for property located close to a park than for a house that doesn’t offer this amenity.” Studies show a 20% property value increase for properties abutting or adjacent to a park and a 10% increase for properties several blocks away.
How does the Parks District pay for parkland and park development?
Hood River Valley Parks and Recreation District is Hood River’s only government agency with a dedicated source of funding for park development. With each new house built in the district, the Parks District collects a System Development Charge of about $3,500 to create new recreation facilities. About 85% of the Parks District’s $1,000,000+ SDC fund balance is money collected from development within the city limits. It makes sense that those SDCs would fund a park that would benefit city residents. The Parks District also has a strong track record of successful grant funding though the Oregon Department of Parks and Recreation. A park of this size and scale will require support from our community in the form of in-kind donations, volunteer labor and sponsorships. The hugely successful Waterfront Community Park also relied on a high degree of community support for its development.
How will park maintenance be paid for once it’s built?
Like most other local government entities, the Parks District collects property taxes to fund operations and maintenance. The District may also consider charging user fees for some of the park facilities.
How can I help encourage the development of this park? 
Find a way to make your voice heard. Join Thrive Hood River and find a volunteer role in bringing the park to reality. Write a letter to the Hood River News editorial board. This is our future. Together we can create a beautiful park that is a legacy for our children and their children.