Parks & Recreation advisory committee reviews 2025, recommends cemetery fee increase and outlines 2026 projects
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Summary
The Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee presented its 2025 annual report, recommending a 25% cemetery-fee increase (to be indexed) and outlining CIP priorities including a Westland dog park, Chapin Park playground improvements and early work on a new aquatics center in 2026.
Tim Lainhart, chair of the Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee, presented the committee’s 2025 annual report to the Oregon City Commission on Dec. 17, summarizing monthly work on fees, park projects and community outreach. “We voted unanimously to raise the cemetery rates by 25%,” Lainhart said, and recommended tying future fee adjustments to inflation with a biennial review.
The committee described three fee-increase options considered in January — a 25% increase, a 50% increase and doubling rates — and recommended the smallest of those so the city would not unduly burden users. Lainhart said the committee’s 25% recommendation would achieve about 65% cost recovery for cemetery services; commissioners later clarified the commission approved a higher recovery target (see Votes at a glance and communications). The committee also requested regular handouts and a presence at summer events to increase public outreach.
On capital planning, the committee reviewed a parks inventory and recommended reclassifying Abernathy Park as a natural area rather than a pocket park. The committee highlighted planned projects in the capital improvement plan, including River Crest Pathway, Westland Dog Park, Singer Creek annex trail work, Chapin Park playground renovation and a Pioneer Center roof replacement. Lainhart said the Wesley Lynn dog-park project is being pursued through Metro’s local share program, which could cover most costs, and that design choices were being weighed to protect wetlands and neighborhood access.
Commissioners asked about Chapin Park playground replacement, noting wear and wind-related issues at the shelter; Lainhart said renderings and detailed planning would come in 2026. The presentation closed with committee goals for 2026, including advancing an aquatic and recreation center concept and completing dog-park projects. The committee opened the report to questions and Lainhart thanked the commission for the opportunity to present.