december13 2011
V E R N O N I A’ S
reflecting the spirit of our community
free
volume5 issue 24
School Presents Final New
Spencer Park Design
The Vernonia School District
unveiled their final plans for the New
Spencer Park at a Town Hall Meet-
ing on December 6, 2011. The new
park will be constructed at the site of
the current school campus. The new
park will contain two soccer fields and
a new baseball field. The final design
plans also call for a picnic shelter/pa-
vilion and community gathering space,
a new restroom facility, an enhanced
wetland feature, additional onsite
parking, a monument commemorat-
ing historic Washington Grade School,
connecting trails and walkways, and
space for some kind of skateboard fa-
cility.
The New Spencer Park design
was created by Lango Hansen Land-
scape Architects. Demolition of the
current school facilities is scheduled
to begin immediately after the school
year finishes in June 2012. Vernonia
School Superintendent Dr. Ken Cox
stated at the Town Hall Meeting that
the district expects new school con-
struction to be completed on June 8.
The Vernonia School Dis-
trict is required to replace ball fields
that were lost at the old Spencer Park
when the School District and City of
Vernonia exchanged properties for the
continued on page 6
The New Spencer Park will be built on
the site of the current school campus
once the Vernonia School District has
moved to the new school site. The final
concept for Phase I (top right) of the
New Spencer Park project includes
construction of replacement ball fields;
Phase II (below right) is designed to in-
clude pathways, a community gathering
space and picnic shelter, an additional
restroom facility, and other amenities.
Mackenzie Carr Wins Miss
Rodeo America Title
Mackenzie Carr was named 2012 Miss
Rodeo America at the MRA Pageant at the
MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas on December
11 th .
Carr, the 2011 Miss Rodeo Oregon,
swept the competition, winning the categories
of Appearance, Horsemanship, Personality and
Speech.
Carr
also won the
Spirit Award,
and earlier in
The Vernonia Grange
Community Photo Contest Winners
continued on
page 11
inside
3
spirit of
christmas
12
elk
refuge
18
macy’s
parade
and Vernonia’s Voice are pleased
to announce the winners of the
Community Photo Contest,
sponsored by the Vernonia
Grange. Photos were submitted
in four categories: Community
and Family, Nature and Wildlife,
Farming and Agriculture and
Simple Living and Sustainability.
The winners in each category are
as follows:
COMMUNITY AND FAMILY
1st
Connor & Lily by Kate
Talbott
2nd
2 Boys Throwing Stones
by Jo Zettler
3rd
Logging Show by Garry
Kinney
1st Place, Nature and Wildlife, Vernonia Lake 10 Blue Heron by Garry Kinney
NATURE AND WILDLIFE
1st
Vernonia Lake 10 Blue Heron by Garry Kinney
2nd
tie: Rock Creek by Garry Kinney and Backyard
Crimson Maple by Diana Peach
3rd
Leaf w/ Fruit Pod by Jo Zettler
FARMING AND AGRICULTURE
1st
Swarming Bees by Jim Buxton
2nd
Chicken by Audeen Wagner
3rd
tie: Tomatoes & Yellow Squash by Jo Zettler
and Fruit Blossoms by Audeen Wagner
SIMPLE LIVING AND SUSTAINABILITY
1st
Peas in My Garden by Randal Harvey
2nd
Russia Window, Curtain and Tomatoes by Jo
Zettler
3rd
Cat by Kate Talbott
To see more of the images from the Vernonia Grange
Community Photo Contest, please turn to page 27.
