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Lake Oswego unveils Parks Plan 2040 draft: 124 projects, ADA work and pickleball among near-term priorities
Summary
City planners presented a draft Parks Plan 2040 that lists 124 capital projects across reinvestment, access, nature and enhancement categories, and a near-term focus on ADA upgrades and new outdoor pickleball courts. Council and boards pressed for clearer cost breakdowns and implementation priorities.
City staff presented a draft Parks Plan 2040 to the Lake Oswego City Council on Jan. 21, laying out system-wide recommendations and a 124-item capital improvement program for the next 15 years.
The plan groups projects into reinvestment (maintaining existing assets), access (improving connections and accessibility), enhancement (adding or expanding facilities) and natural-area projects. Staff said 41 projects are reinvestment (replacement/maintenance), about 30 are near-term priorities, 46 midterm and 49 long-term, and that playground replacement and ADA access work are substantial near-term needs.
Staff highlighted several specific proposals: replacing aging playgrounds (10 of 15 playgrounds were built before 2010), ADA entry and access improvements at the Lake Oswego Swim Park, design and construction of 4–8 new outdoor pickleball courts in the near term, and larger projects such as Free Ponds Park renovations and a potential Foothills Park expansion in the long term. The plan also includes an athletic-field study (draft due to staff in early March) and a concurrent update to the system development charge (SDC) methodology.
Councilors pressed staff for clearer cost summaries and implementation sequencing. Several members asked for: a concise breakdown separating maintenance/repair work, ADA upgrades, enhancements and new facilities; more detail on which projects are SDC-eligible; and policies to manage public expectations given the plan—s aspirational 15-year scope.
Councilors generally supported using a mix of funding tools — SDCs, grants, sponsorships, a possible parks maintenance utility fee and targeted general-fund or bond funding — and asked staff to return with clearer cost buckets and an implementation priority for the next five years. Council also directed staff to continue coordination with the school district about shared athletic-field use and to pursue a business plan and site analysis for potential indoor pickleball facilities.
The Parks Plan 2040 will be revised based on feedback and returned to council after the CAC and parks board review and completion of the athletic-field study and SDC methodology update.
