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With Public Ideas in Hand, City Plans New Rec Center

Posted on: Friday, 17 March 2006, 21:00 CST

By Esmeralda Bermudez, The Oregonian, Portland, Ore.

Mar. 16--HILLSBORO -- Plans to build a public fitness hub with a community park are moving forward as city officials prepare to unveil the design the public picked for the project.

More than 100 residents gathered in the past two months to tell the city what they want to see in the planned recreation center. This month, residents critiqued several design options, and in April planners will begin discussing how to pay for the proposal.

"The group was positive and enthusiastic," said parks project manager Kevin Smith. "We've been very grateful of the feedback people have brought to the meetings."

The all-inclusive complex would be on a 41-acre site at Northeast 53rd Avenue and Hidden Creek Drive, about a quarter-mile south of the MAX light-rail line. It would give the growing Hillsboro community a centrally located indoor recreation center and park to swim, play basketball and tennis, run and gather for meetings.

The city bought the property for $6.7 million in three phases during the past few years. They say the complex will meet a demand for indoor recreation services in the city, which relies heavily on schools and churches for space.

Earlier this month, residents considered two designs for an indoor recreation center and three designs for a community park. Each layout features similar amenities arranged in varying configurations.

The indoor recreation center could include: a gymnasium with three or four basketball courts, three or four tennis courts, an aquatic center, a game room, party room, baby-sitting room, children's play area, fitness center, jogging track, wellness center, indoor golf area, multipurpose space, an indoor skate center, a rock climbing gym and parks maintenance storage area.

The community park could include: a group picnic area, four to six multipurpose fields, walking trails, community garden, outdoor basketball courts, rooftop tennis, a dog park, a play area, an area for lawn sports, a jogging path, a plaza, a green house and garden space for Washington County master gardeners.

Planners will use the public's input to put together a single design for the project that will be presented at the next public meeting April 5. Officials are looking at buying another parcel of land adjacent to the park, on the northwest portion of the site, to provide a connection to Dawson Creek.

Parks and Recreation officials say the project cost is not clear, but it could be at least $6 million. Part of the project will be paid with system development charges. Other funding sources will be discussed in April.

City councilors are tentatively slated to consider the proposal details May 2.

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Oregonian, Portland, Ore.

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Source: The Oregonian

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