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About Keizertimes. (Salem, Or.) 1979-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 1, 2017)
SINCE 1979 • VOLUME 38, NO. 48 SECTION A SEPTEMBER 1, 2017 $1.00 Fall sports preview SPECIAL SECTION Church leads prep for Big Toy upgrade By ERIC A. HOWALD Of the Keizertimes Even as volunteers surrounded the Big Toy with 600 cubic yards of wood chips in 2015, it was never intended to be the permanent solution. Original plans called for a pour-in-place surface for added safety, but the idea was jettisoned to save money. When the opportunity to apply for an Oregon Parks and Recreation Local Board looki to prioritize in wake of parki fee paiiage By ERIC A. HOWALD Of the Keizertimes The Keizer Parks and Rec- reation Advisory Board is ask- ing supporters and skeptics to help shape the future of Keizer's parks at its meeting Tuesday, Sept. 12. During the meeting, the board will discuss the way forward now that the city will begin collecting a $4-per- month fee to create a dedi- cated parks fund. “We're looking for those individuals intimately famil- iar with their own park who can come in and bring up is- sues we haven't noticed. I'm also hoping for some nay- sayers because I think that will help make the process as transparent as possible,” said Matt Lawyer, a member of the parks board, in a presentation to the Keizer City Council Monday, Aug. 21. At the last meeting of the parks board, whether to have the meeting became a point of contention, but there is pressure to come up with a list of projects the city can an- nounce and deliver on in the coming months and years. “The fee is offi cial and we are moving forward, but we didn't have immediate mea- surable deliverables like Keiz- er police,” Lawyer said. “The parks plan was quite a bit less nuanced.” Lawyer didn't lay out Government Grant in 2016 arose, a new play surface for the Big Toy was added to the request along with pedestrian trails and an enclosed bathroom. The grant was approved, but now thousands of pounds of wood chips have to be removed to make way for the new surface. The city was lucky to fi nd a small army of volunteers in the Keizer Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. “In a lot of settings, people look at Mormons and — Dan Kohler, ABOVE: Ryan Evan puihei Lucy Golden and Lane Evani in a tire iwing at the Big Toy in Keizer Rapidi Park. About 600 cubic yardi of wood chipi need to be removed for a new pour-in-place iurface. Volunteeri are needed. LDS Church Repreientative KEIZERTIMES/Eric A. Howald “ Thii ii a community effort, not juit a Mormon effort. We want to work iide-by-iide by the community.” think we're off in our own world. This is a way to reach out beyond that perceived wall,” said Dan Kohler, the community engagement coordinator for the Keizer Stake. The Keizer Stake of the church includes several individual congregations between Salem and Woodburn, and Kohler is hoping, between the church and the community, to turn out about 300 volunteers and remove all the wood chips in a single day. Volunteers can sign up Pleaie iee REVAMP, Page A10 PAGE A2 for shifts at www.justserve. org. Type in the ZIP code “97303” and choose the Big Toy project. Volunteers are also welcome to show up at the the Big Toy on the day of the Pleaie iee UPGRADE, Page A10 Landscaping code revamp meets skepticism at council By ERIC A. HOWALD Of the Keizertimes A plan to amend the Keizer development code in regard to landscaping ran into pushback from members of the Keizer City Council at its meeting Monday, Aug. 21. Community Development Director Nate Brown and the city's planning department are hoping to add another tool to its arsenal when businesses re- model or develop new prop- erty. The issue came to light as a result of two recent major remodeling projects on River Road North: Taco Bell and Winco. Requests to bring landscap- ing up to code while remod- eling fell on deaf ears with both companies, and Winco Design meetings set for story poles New principals at two schools KEIZERTIMES/Eric A. Howald Deipite a multi-million dollar remodel, Winco refuied to make changei bring the parkling lot up to code. A plan to leverage future developmenti ii making iti way through city proceiiei. Fire tears through E. Keizer garage Submitted A fi re in the late evening of Tueiday, Aug. 29, left a family of four without a place to itay. The American Red Croii iupplied temporary houiing. By DEREK WILEY Of the Keizertimes Keizer Fire District responded to a garage fi re at a single family home in the 5000 block of Courtlyn St. on Tuesday, Aug. 29 at 11:04 p.m. While the fi re was contained in the garage, the doors were left open, causing smoke and heat damage throughout the house. KFD was on scene for more than two hours. Red Cross disaster response volunteers were also called to the fi re, providing resources to help address the immediate basic needs of those af- fected such as temporary housing, food, clothing, comfort kits, information about recovery services and health services. The family, which includes three adults, one child and a pet, spent Tuesday night in a hotel. Celts face off with North Salem on gridiron PAGE B1 FOR 12 MONTHS INTEREST FREE Pleaie iee PARKS, Page A10 r o b a l E L A S y a d T 7 THRU SEP IDS K R U O Y SEND O SCHOOL BACK T L O T H E S WITH C A NEW FROM ER! WASH