SINCE 1979 • VOLUME 38, NO. 40
SECTION A
SEPTEMBER 16, 2016
$1.00
Bunco
tourney
Oct. 1
PAGE A3
MURAL ACCOMPLISHED
By ERIC A. HOWALD
Of the Keizertimes
More than a year of work
on the Iris Festival Parade
mural – all 1,400 square feet of
it – was brought to conclusion
at a dedication ceremony
Saturday, Sept. 10.
“The great thing about it
is that (the mural) has history
already,” said Jill Hagen, the
project coordinator. “More
than 1,500 hours went into
the painting, 190 kids left
hand and footprints, and
we had some special things
happen like Lorna Sulgit,
a professional sign painter,
pulling up to the site one
day and offering to paint the
lettering on the banner. She
was a godsend.”
About 75 people attended
the dedication ceremony,
9/11
remembered
PAGE A5
some of whom have their
likenesses painted into the
mural itself. The mural features
27 identifi able likenesses
ranging from Keizer's mayors
to the owner of Town &
Country Lanes, Don Lebold,
and a special appearance by
Albert Einstein.
The mural was a joint
project of the Keizer Art
Please see MURAL, Page A9
Band Day
PAGE A8
KEIZERTIMES/Eric A. Howald
TOP: Project coordinator Jill Hagen pays tribute to the numerous artists who worked on the mural. LEFT: Lore Christopher and Don Lebold, owner of Town &
Country Lanes, tell the story of their part in the process. RIGHT: Keizer resident Carol Rakocy in front of her mural portrait.
By ERIC A. HOWALD
Of the Keizertimes
City leaders got a closer
look at four of Keizer's 19
parks during a city council
work session Monday, Sept.
12.
Conversation ran the
gamut of lowlights and
highlights, with one concern
repeated over and over again:
the longer the wait, the more
repairs are going to cost.
The fi rst stop on the city
council's tour of parks was
Chalmers Jones Park, behind
Keizer Civic Center, with a
focus on Carlson Skate Park.
“The
biggest
thing
to notice is the cracks.
Eventually, we are either
going to have to make the
repairs, or we will have to
close it down because it's a
liability,” said Richard Walsh,
a member of Keizer's Parks
Advisory Board. “It will cost
more if we keep deferring it
again and again.”
The park sees frequent if
sporadic use throughout the
year. While councilors were
inspecting the site, about
two dozen locals were out
on skateboards, scooters
and BMX bikes. However,
cracks are starting to appear
throughout
the
park,
Council
gets boot-
on-the-
ground
view of
park
troubles
KEIZERTIMES/Andrew Jackson
City Councilor Bruce Anderson surveys large potholes in the
south parking lot at Claggett Creek Park..
especially in the bowl.
Last year, a local man
approached the city about
taking on an overhaul of the
park. He was awarded a $5,000
matching grant to work with
another organization in hope
of tending to its needs, but
whatever plans were in the
works fell apart earlier this
year. The grant money has
been rolled over to this year's
grant-matching program.
Robert Johnson, Keizer's
Please see PARKS, Page A8
River Road safety
study committee’s
top priority
By ERIC A. HOWALD volume of crashes, the River
Of the Keizertimes
Road study should be a top
The Keizer Traffi c, Bicycle priority.
and Pedestrian Committee
“I think it rates high in
(TBP) set its priorities for terms of need,” Maurice said.
the coming
In addition
months last
to less disas-
week, and a
trous events,
“It’s going
safety study of
two pedestri-
River Road
ans - one of
to involve an
is topping the
them 8 years
list.
investment and old – have
R i v e r
already been
the city might killed on
Road North
safety was the
Road
be able to go River
easy favorite
this year.
of commit-
Commit-
after state or
tee members
tee
Chair
from a list of
Hersch
Sang-
federal money.” ster said re-
six
options
that included
ducing
in-
— Pat Fischer
installing
a
jury accidents
bike
repair
across
the
station; a speed study of Wheat- board should be the priority.
land Road; outreach to busi-
While the committee is
nesses for bike-friendly desig- far from determining details
nations; and others.
of what the study would
Committee member John
Please see SAFETY, Page A7
Maurice said, given the higher
Lady Celts
get big win
on pitch
PAGE A10