PAGE A14, KEIZERTIMES, JUNE 19, 2015
Palma Ciea talked about again at Parks Board
By CRAIG MURPHY
Of the Keizertimes
For a park that hasn’t had
much attention over the years,
Palma Ciea Park has sure got-
ten a lot of notice recently.
After neighbors talked
about the issue at the June 1
Keizer City Council meeting,
the same people brought up
the topic again at the June 9
Keizer Parks and Recreation
Advisory Board meeting.
Gary Blake, a former West
Keizer Neighborhood Associ-
ation board member, noted he
had talked to neighbors about
the possibility of the park be-
ing sold. Parks Board members
discussed the topic in May and
ultimately the council decid-
ed to have an appraisal done
on the property, which Parks
Board members have empha-
sized would determine the di-
rection of future conversations
on the park.
“I have taken it upon my-
self, since I felt it’s impor-
tant to get in touch with as
many neighbors, to see what
they think of the park,” Blake
said. “What we’re really con-
cerned about now is this park
has been part of the city for
50 years now. A lot of people
bought their house knowing
the park is in the neighbor-
hood. Most people will go to
a park within a quarter mile.
I would submit Palma Ciea
needs to be developed so it
looks and feels more like a
park. Currently, people don’t
see anything except the sign.”
Blake feels the park could
be transformed with just a bit
of work.
“If we spend just a little
bit of time, we can make it
a destination,” he said. “The
usage would minimize those
that go down to hide and get
into trouble. I interviewed 20
residents, anyone that borders
the park. Without a doubt,
the reaction was, ‘What? They
might sell it? Why don’t we
fi x it up and make it a park?’
They want to see it built into
something more attractive. If
it was only just a park bench,
a swing set and a reason-
ably good access to the river,
it would make a tremendous
difference in the usability of
the park. People around it are
disturbed by the idea of it be-
ing sold. They are concerned
of something else being built
there. We want residents in the
area to have more input.”
David Louden, chair of the
Parks Board, noted asking for
the value of the park was the
start of a public process.
“When we get that infor-
mation, we will have public
hearings,” Louden said. “You
are welcome to come back
then. We’ll make a recom-
mendation to council (after
the hearings).”
Blake wasn’t quite satisfi ed.
“You’re asking for an ap-
praisal, not an estimate,” he
said. “Why get an appraisal if
you’re not wanting to sell it?
If you just want the value, you
can do it relatively inexpen-
sively.”
Louden pointed out coun-
cilors made the decision for
an appraisal and said he want-
ed to see what the interest of
neighbors would be.
Blake again stressed the
need for neighbors to get their
say.
“They should have a word
in what they’re going to do at
the property,” Blake said.
Louden said it “would be
a lot more effective” for the
neighbors to come to a hear-
ing for discussion.
Board member Tanya
Hamilton encouraged Blake
to continue talking with his
neighbors.
“We don’t want to just sell
parks,” Hamilton said. “The
more input we have, ideas for
what the park could look like
and what the goals would be,
it’s great to hear you are ral-
lying your neighbors around
the park.”
Blake said one neighbor
has offered to donate money
to the park for maintenance or
upgrades.
“There is interest,” he said.
“I realize this is an ongo-
ing process, I’m just a little
shocked we’ve gone this far
without input from the pub-
lic.”
Board member Richard
Walsh emphasized the issue
has been discussed once.
“We haven’t seen any real
movement on this,” Walsh
said. “We haven’t seen neigh-
bors come forward until now.
We’ve had one motion and
it went to council. You’re at
the inception. You’re at the
very birthplace. It was an idea
brought up at our last meet-
ing.”
Rhonda Rich, longtime
WKNA president, was hoping
there wouldn’t be an appraisal.
Music, free food and plenty
of exhibits.
That’s all on tap at Keizer
Rapids Park Tuesday, June 23
from noon to 5 p.m. at the an-
nual Public Services Fair.
The event, hosted by Keiz-
er Public Works, is free. There
will be events like equipment
demonstrations and backhoe
bowling, plus free hard hats
for children and free snow-
cones and popcorn. The fi rst
300 attenders will be able to
eat for free.
Organizations expected to
be on hand include Keizer
Fire District, Marion County
Fire District No. 1, Marion
County Public Works, Emer-
gency Management, Marine
Patrol and Environmental,
plus Oregon State Police, City
of Salem Environmental and
many others.
There will be music on the
amphitheater stage by Bobbi-
lynn Forbus, Surefi re Country
Tribune Band, The Ghetto
Band, JC and Prime Country,
Jimbo, Gr8tful Ted and South-
ern Accent.
For more information con-
tact Jenniffer Warner at 503-
856-3551 or warnerj@keizer.
org.
Public Services Fair on June 23
Antique Powerland
celebration in Brooks
on Saturday, June 20
The Brooks Historical Society will hold a celebration of the
infl uence of French families in the area on June 20 at Antique
Powerland.
The celebration, a potluck lunch, will review histories of
all settlers of French descent including the Moisan, LaPratte,
Belleque, Gobin, LaFlemme and LaFollette families.
The celebration will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Attendees are encouraged to bring photos, stories, histories
and memorabilia of French settlers to share.
We’ll transform your kitchen
or bath into what you’ve
always dreamed of
503.393.2875
remodelkeizer.com
CCB#155626
KEIZERTIMES fi le/Craig Murphy
Members of the Keizer Parks and Recreation Advisory Board
lead Keizer City Councilors on a tour of Palma Ciea Park last
fall. The park was discussed at the June 9 Parks Board meeting.
“I was hoping you would
not pursue the appraisal and
drop the idea of selling the
park,” Rich said. “I’m glad
Gary has taken charge of this.
I was hoping too you would
do some outreach.”
As he did last month, Walsh
emphasized the value of the
property would likely steer
the conversation.
“If the appraisal says we
could make $5 million by sell-
ing it, we might say what do
we do with it?” Walsh said.
“But it could be $20,000.
Where do we get the best
bang for the buck, not just for
the citizens right around it but
say within a quarter mile?”