PROPOSED park property on Guignard Road, just southeast of the transfer station property. This view looks south to Mt. Hood. At left is a building in neighboring property, formerly Italstone.
Kirby Neumann-ReaA new park for the south part of Hood River took one step closer to reality last week.
Negotiations are still in progress on the deal, but reception at last week’s meeting hosted by Hood River Valley Parks and Recreation District indicates broad public support for an 8.3 acre park on Guignard Road near the Hood River transfer station.
The property is currently zoned light industrial, which Parks District director Lori Stirn acknowledged could be an issue with development, though the property has been on the market for about five years, and the district has a willing seller in Joyce Reinig.
Stirn said Reinig, a charter member of the Gorge Scenic Area commission, looks upon establishment of the park as a legacy in memory of her husband, Don, who died in 2011.
Stirn and board members Glenna Mahurin and Art Carroll attended the meeting at Port of Hood River offices, where a dozen or so people expressed support for the main intended use, ball fields to be used for soccer, lacrosse, and potentially softball.
Six members of the new, and growing, Gorge Pickleball Association attended, and told district officials that they’d like to see four or more pickleball courts established there. Stirn presented a preliminary design of the property that incorporated such courts.
The land is mostly flat, though it contains a wetland that would likely be preserved and incorporated into the park, according to Stirn. Access would be from Guignard Road, and the preliminary design sets aside parking for about 40 cars. Stirn emphasized it would qualify as a community park, not a neighborhood park, meaning most users would travel there by car or other means.
The district has met with County Planning to discuss applying for a conditional use permit to develop the property.
The projected cost, including land acquisition, is $2 million. The key funding piece would be State Parks’ $494,000 “Local Government Grant” originally designated for the Barrett Park site. The district would also look at funds from systems development charges, which are utility-related fees used for public projects that are charged for new construction.
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