Resident proposes Estacada Founders' Day; asks Parks Commission for letter to support Clackamas County grant

Beverly Nordstrom, a resident who said she recently moved to the Estacada area, presented a proposal to the Estacada Parks and Recreation Commission asking the body to support a Founders' Day acknowledgement and to provide a letter backing a Clackamas County grant application due April 17.

Nordstrom told commissioners she traces Estacada's founding to 1905 and suggested beginning with a modest celebration that could “wrap around an existing event like the Fourth of July parade” and grow into a larger observance by 2030. She proposed low-cost elements including a parade float, living-history portrayals of 1905 residents, a time capsule, and an arts component tied to the city’s centennial materials. “It would be minimal expense, and it would be different adults assuming a character that's represented in the 1905 time frame,” Nordstrom said.

The proposal included a draft budget Nordstrom described as “conjecture,” with an estimated out-of-pocket exposure of about $370 and suggestions that most elements be community-run. She said she has spoken with the Philip Foster Farm and the Old Time Fiddlers about participation and asked Parks and Recreation to join an ad hoc community committee and to “come alongside and help where we can.”

Commissioners discussed the request and the timeline. Commissioner Steven (last name not specified) volunteered to draft the letter of support and said he would work with Nordstrom and Parks Commission staff to finalize it promptly for the county grant deadline. Commissioner Ryan (last name not specified) offered to help with the draft if needed. The commission agreed to place the Parks and Recreation Commission name on the letter rather than adding individual signatures.

No formal vote was recorded on the record in the transcript; commissioners characterized the item as a request for a recommendation and a short turnaround on the letter to support the grant application.

The meeting record shows Nordstrom also sought help locating artifacts and oral histories from the former local museum; she reported contacting a repository in Oregon City and Philip Foster Farm about items that may still be held locally.

If Parks and Recreation drafts and signs the requested letter, the next steps described in the meeting are: Steven will prepare a draft, send it to the commission and to Nordstrom, and Parks staff will finalize it for submission with the Clackamas County grant application.

Nordstrom emphasized community-building as the core goal: “I think we're looking at, hopefully, in 2030 to have a larger celebration. But I just have in my heart that it's important to get started, to bring the community together.”