Junction City council reviews draft Parks and Open Spaces Master Plan, staff outlines roughly $14 million in possible projects

Superintendent Treacher and a consultant presented a draft Parks and Open Spaces Master Plan to the Junction City City Council on March 11, summarizing public outreach, a needs assessment and a 20‑year capital improvements program.

The draft, prepared by city staff and HPH Consulting, draws on three committee meetings, two community forums and an online survey that collected responses from about 104 residents; staff described the document as a first draft to solicit council feedback before a possible follow-up meeting and final approval.

The plan groups findings into an inventory of existing assets, a needs assessment and recommendations, with appendices that include the full survey results, candidate projects and a capital improvement program (CIP). Consultant Andrej Durnishov said the project list is high level and intended to guide future design and funding work: “that doesn’t mean that the city is obligated to to do any of this,” he said.

Key survey takeaways and priorities

- Outreach: staff reported roughly 104 survey respondents and about 34 additional park-specific comments from residents. Respondents reported walking/using trails most frequently and ranked trash receptacles, natural paths, playgrounds and family picnic spaces among top park priorities. - Desired new amenities: respondents most frequently said they would use additional walking/running trails and more outdoor events; public pool facilities and splash pads were also commonly cited as desired additions.

Draft CIP highlights and cost estimates

Staff and the consultant presented a multi-site CIP and high-level cost estimates intended to show scale rather than firm budgets: - Laurel Complex (combined improvements for Laurel Park, Duchess Field, MacStrauss Pool and related facilities): roughly $2.5 million in consultant estimates for redesigns, ADA improvements, new play structures and a field house. - Westside wetlands and trail network, including pedestrian bridges and boardwalks: consultant estimates presented in the range of several million dollars (the consultant group cited roughly $4 million for an expanded wetlands/trail package, with about $800,000 expected to be funded from wastewater-related funds for the parks portion). - Individual park examples (approximate, high-level): Aldendale Park ~$200,000; Bergstrom Park ~$1,000,000 (path and amenities, lighting, pump track, pickleball courts); Bailey Park ~$360,000; Flat Bay Park ~$1,800,000 (campground upgrades, utilities, shower/restroom facilities). The consultant presented an aggregated total for parks work across the plan in the $11 million to $14 million range, stressing the numbers are preliminary and will change as projects are designed.

Funding and next steps

The draft lists potential funding sources including the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department grant programs, Recreational Trail Program, Land and Water Conservation Fund and local System Development Charge (SDC) funds. Staff noted some projects could be built by developers as development occurs if they fit the master plan and meet applicable requirements.

Superintendent Treacher said staff, HPH and the Community Services and Development Committee will bring the draft back to council if the city wants another review prior to final adoption. Councilor Leach praised the outreach and the level of work: “I just really appreciate it,” Leach said. Council members also highlighted constraints tied to specific sites (for example, wells or environmental restrictions) and noted that some grants require a project to be included in a master plan to be eligible.

Why this matters

The draft master plan is intended to guide decisions about maintenance, upgrades and new park facilities for the next two decades. It ties community preferences to a prioritized CIP and outlines funding avenues; final adoption would make certain projects more competitive for state and federal grants and guide required developer contributions tied to the city’s SDC program.

Next steps

Staff requested council feedback and indicated one more meeting could be scheduled to finalize the plan for approval. If council requests changes, staff said they will update the draft and return with a revised recommendation for adoption.