NOVEMBER 19, 2021, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A5
City reveals updated Parks Master Plan
Some of the specific improvements
listed include installing fishing platforms
at Keizer Rapids Park, three new trail cor-
ridors, picnic shelters and pavilions for
large group gathering and adding sport
courts for pickleball, basketball and vol-
leyball. There is also an emphasis on
improving ADA accessibility at all parks.
The Master Plan also identifies several
underserved areas in the community that
lack access to nearby parks. The 10-year
plan doesn’t recommend any current
land acquisitions to improve these under-
served areas but said the city should
The Big Toy at Keizer Rapids Park.
Submitted photo
of. That’s not new,
we just saw it again,”
said Public Works
Director Bill Lawyer.
Ad d i t i o n a l l y,
responses from a
pop-up event in
August showed that
a splash pad and
dog park were the
two top amenities
community
mem-
bers wanted built at
parks.
The city also con-
ducted their own
research to com-
pare their level of
service with cities
of similar popula-
tions. What they
found was that the city of Keizer’s Park
Department is underfunded and under-
staffed comparatively.
Currently, the department has four
full-time employees working in the
Park Department, which is seven times
less than the median for cities with
Keizer’s population. Additionally, the
department’s annual operating budget
is $660,300, while the median budget is
$2,885,847. Lawyer later said this annual
operating budget was incorrect and
would be amended in the master plan.
The department also reported that
while the city of Keizer provides no recre-
ation services, over 90% of other cities do.
“Up until 2018, when the council
enacted a parks fee, our budget was
about $350,000 a year. Now, it’s a little
more than a million so we are able to do
things throughout the park system that
I’d never imagined,” said Public Works
Director Bill Lawyer. “It’s still lower com-
pared to nationally but Keizer historically
hasn’t put a lot of emphasis on national
averages. We do what makes sense for
our community with the funding that we
have.”
The city used their own findings, in
addition to community responses, to
outline six areas of improvement. These
areas, which the department calls “guid-
ing principles” includes an increased
support of park maintenance, updating
worn park equipment, diversifying recre-
ational activities, improving river access,
using trails to connect parks and support-
ing expanded community gatherings and
events.
“consider any new opportunities that
may arise to better serve City residents.”
In total, the department estimates that
it will cost $25 million over 10 years to
build the suggested facilities and another
$4 million to repair worn and broken
equipment. They are also seeking an
increase of $112,000 to their annual oper-
ating budget.
The public can view the entire Parks
Master Plan on the city’s website. The
plan will also be discussed at a Nov. 29
Keizer City Council work session and the
Dec. 20 council regular session.
brainfood
I will say that the results
reinforced the public's
desire in maintaining
and taking care of what
we have. The main input
was we want our parks
taken care of.
— BILL LAWYER
Keizer Public Works Director
BY JOEY CAPPELLETTI
Of the Keizertimes
In 2008, one acre of parkland existed
in Keizer for every 1,000 residents. The
10 city parks totaled only 41 acres for the
nearly 35,000 residents in the city. That
same year, Keizer’s Parks Department
updated their parks master plan for the
first time in 15 years and planned to sub-
stantially increase the amount of parks in
the area.
Thirteen years later, the 19 parks in
Keizer total 246 acres of parkland — or
six acres per 1,000 residents. Keizer
Rapids and Wallace House parks have
been developed in that time as were three
other special use sites. When compared
to similarly-sized communities, however,
Keizer’s park system continues to fall
short. For cities with similar populations,
the median park acreage per 1,000 resi-
dents is 9.6 — one-third more than what
Keizer provides.
On Nov. 3, the city of Keizer released
their first updated Parks and Recreation
Master Plan since 2008. The 92-page plan
outlines $28 million in park improve-
ments and added amenities that they
hope to implement over the next 10 years.
The plan has been in the works since
December of last year when the city
first began conducting questionnaires,
surveys and interviews with local stake-
holders. Results showed that there was a
desire for an improved trail system and
more river access at parks.
“I will say that the results reinforced
the public’s desire in maintaining and
taking care of what we have. The main
input was we want our parks taken care
crossword
answers pg A22