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About Keizertimes. (Salem, Or.) 1979-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 19, 2016)
AUGUST 19, 2016, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A9 ECLIPSE, continued from Page A1 “A lot of what we’re hoping to do is still in the planning stages, but the goal is to raise money to put back into Keizer parks,” Ford said. Foundation members and volunteers are reserving open spaces in the park for dry camping, and hope to provide concerts, games, eclipse education, workshops for making pinhole projectors and selling eyewear designed for safe viewing. “We are looking forward to welcoming people from out of town, but people from the community will also be welcome to come and view the eclipse at the park,” said Bradley. Prices for camping and safety glasses are still being determined. While the paper shades the Parks Foundation will sell are suitable for viewing, Claysmith said welders’ goggles (with a rating of 14 or higher) will also do the trick for a more sustained experience. In addition to the actual eclipse viewing, one Keizer resident is hoping to ramp up the excitement the weekend before the event. Allen Barker is trying to work out the logistics of holding the fi rst ever Keizer Cribs Race, a bed race, to benefi t Keizer Parks. A bed race features teams of six racing modifi ed beds along a prescribed course. Barker would like to see a race route travel from near fl ips them over and jumps on them until they are fl attened,” he said. continued from Page A8 He prefers tables with galvanized metal legs that stand “I’d been getting a lot of calls up to the weather and the most from people asking if we had any punishing abuses. A cheaper, pickleball courts. I had no idea wooden table might last three what that even was, but I started to fi ve years with favorable doing some research and then weather, but the more costly got another call from a guy who metal-legged ones are expected said we could fi t two pickleball to last 20. courts on a tennis court if there Johnson is loathe to prioritize was enough room. We came one park over another, but down here and measured and pressed he said Meadows Park then added the stripes to the in north Keizer and Witham court refurb,” Johnson said. Park in east Keizer are ones he While it can seem like an has his eyes on. unneeded expense, Johnson “Meadows needs a new play views it as precisely the opposite. structure, better pathways and “A lot of the calls about a sheltered picnic area. Witham pickleball were has a great from retired community people, people “ The bathrooms garden, but we don’t get nothing else for enough of are needed, I an area of the in our parks. community that want them, but Those courts is pretty densely are a way to I don’t have the p o p u l a t e d ,” draw new users he said. “We into the fold,” manpower to could easily put he said. maintain them.” some irrigation Bringing in, a shelter, — Robert Johnson horseshoe pits, new users into Parks supervisor the parks serves a small court two purposes. and you’d have Primarily, it a neat little park shows there is a need for the – if we had the money.” spaces Keizer is providing, but it Johnson isn’t looking for also increases safety. a monetary windfall as far as “If somebody comes to funding, he chose to stick in a park looking to vandalize Keizer because he enjoys the something and they fi nd people way the city gets things done. already there, they are going But the Keizer park system has to go somewhere else, or at reached critical mass and, as he least spend more time thinking said, he’s running out of tweaks. about what it is they planned to “It’s hard to talk about do and whether they should do adding new things when you it,” Johnson said. can’t maintain the things you’ve And there are more than already got, but I really think enough community-infl icted that most of the residents would wounds already. Cleaning be willing to pay a little more graffi ti is a daily chore for the if it meant they didn’t have to seasonal workers. Wooden volunteer their time to take care picnic tables are also a prime of a park. There’s still a lot of target. volunteers in this city, but they “The minute those tables plug in in different ways than show any signs of wear, someone they used to.” PARKS, Luc Viatour/www.Lucnix.be A total solar eclipse captured in France in 1999. “All you have to do is cross your fi ngers and hope for a clear day.” — Chris Claysmith Astronomy instructor Keizer Station all the way to Keizer Rapids Park, but he’s open to modifying it based on availability and traffi c needs. “The idea would be to not only bring in bed teams from around the region, but also some of the area drone teams to come and fi lm the races and parts of Keizer when the teams aren’t racing,” Barker said. A contest for the resulting fi lms would offer its own prizes while the fi lms themselves became property of the city to use for promotional purposes. With entry fees starting at about $1,500 per team, all of it going to Keizer parks, a tidy sum could be collected if the idea gains traction. “If we can pull it off, I really want it to be something that benefi ts the entire city,” Barker said. As the ideas continue to swirl, the eclipse is shaping up to be a major event, and possibly a major boon for the local economy. “The best part is you don’t have to go anywhere,” said Claysmith. “All you have to do is cross your fi ngers and hope for a clear day.” Salvation Army opens new store The Salvation Army has opened a new Family Store (Thrift Store) at 642 Lancaster Drive N.E. in Salem. Three days of festivities are planned to celebrate the opening that began with a ribbon-cutting Thursday, Aug. 18. Raffl e drawings will be held throughout the weekend. Those interested in registering can either stop by the store or enter on- line at The Salvation Army’s Facebook page, “Portland Family Stores.” No purchase necessary and participants need not be pres- ent to win. Prizes include an Xbox One console and televisions. puzzle answers