Federal St. Plaza project moves forward

THE DALLES — The Dalles City Council voted 4-1 to approve a $3.4 million contract with Ajax Northwest LLC at its April 13 meeting, advancing the Federal Street Plaza project — water feature included — toward development.

The years-long planning process formally began in September 2024 after the council approved the formation of the Federal Street Ad Hoc Committee: a team of downtown business and property owners, residents, and city representatives tasked with guiding development while working with consultants from Portland-based landscape architecture firm Walker Macy, whom they helped select. 

The endeavor has been repeatedly identified as a “priority project” in recently adopted strategic plans, supporting goals related to downtown vitality, communal gathering spaces, and boosting economic development.

Throughout their partnership, Walker Macy and the committee have developed multiple design concepts, solicited and incorporated community feedback, and promoted the project through public meetings and social media to attract donors.

In April of last year, the city council approved a recommended site design for the plaza, clearing the way for detailed bid documents, the formal procurement process, and city staff’s current recommendation awarding the construction contract to Ajax Northwest LLC — the lowest bidder.

As City Manager Matthew Klebes described, it’s located at a nexus point in downtown, nestled between Second and First Street at the north end of Federal Street, which the council has already taken action to vacate. The pedestrian-focused plaza will include the area surrounding the existing Transportation Building.

Walker Macy representative Mike Zilis joined the council’s meeting via Zoom to walk through the design and intent of the plaza. Key elements include a splash pad/water feature, aiming to attract families and provide cooling in summer; porch swings; a shaded arbor; greenery; and a Gorge bike hub. The splash pad consumes about $925,000 of Ajax’s total bid. Mayor Rich Mays briefly inquired whether the water feature could be removed from plans without delay, to which City Attorney Jonathan Kara responded, legally, no — removing such a central element would require rebidding.

The Dalles resident and Lions Club Charitable Trust representative Jim Wilcox testified in favor of the project, zeroing in on the splash pad as an absolute necessity. The Lions have $20,000 already raised for the feature and are seeking up to $40,000 more in grants. “Without that water feature, you can have a big slab that nobody goes to,” Wilcox said. “With that much hard surface sucking up to 90 degrees of sunshine, nobody’s going to be outside unless there’s some way to cool off.”

Steve Light, owner of Freebridge Brewing and a former ad hoc committee member, also testified in favor and described the splash pad as “a family-friendly oasis in the grip of summer.”

“I couldn’t have been more proud to be part of this monumental community space development project,” he said. “We are building a space for generations to come, and The Dalles most certainly deserves this.”

Councilors Dan Richardson and Scott Randall expressed strong support for the plaza, citing the committee’s thorough work and the water feature’s long-term civic value. “I’m proud and excited about his opportunity,” said Richardson, also a member of the ad hoc committee. “Let’s get this across the finish line.”

“Think about our nation’s capital ... all the water features there, and how attractive that is to tourists,” Randall added. “I think this will help do the same thing for us.”

Councilors Timothy McGlothlin and Rod Runyon were cautious but ultimately supportive of the project, asking Zilis several questions about future maintenance efforts, security, potential chemical smells, and costs. “I can’t have a good conscience supporting the expenditures of taxpayer money without clear justification and responsible planning,” McGlothlin said. “I see that has been taken into consideration.”

“As much as I hate spending the money, it’s probably going to be okay,” Runyon added.

Councilor Wring, the only dissenting vote, agreed that the plaza is a good project but was uneasy about the steep cost of the water feature and unclear long-term maintenance projections. “There’s a lot of other things that we could be spending the money on,” he said. “I express my sincere appreciation to the city staff and our partners at Walker Macy for the hard work and dedication to the project ... That said, I have significant concerns that prevent me from voting yes right now.”

Following a 4-1 vote to approve the contract, the project will move forward promptly, with construction slated for completion this October.