Troutdale parks committee urges repairs for Imagination Station, pushes trail connectivity and a park‑ranger pilot

Members of Troutdale’s Parks Advisory Committee told the City Council that maintaining high‑use facilities and improving trail connectivity are top priorities for 2026, and they proposed exploring a park‑ranger or ambassador program for education and enforcement support.

Committee members said Columbia Park’s Imagination Station surface needs more than a temporary repair and should be prioritized in the five‑year capital improvement plan; they recommended pursuing grant and partnership opportunities because regional visitation data indicates many users travel from outside Troutdale. The committee also reported ongoing work on wildfire preparedness outreach in the Sandy Palisades area and described successful community tabling at events such as Movies in the Park and Halloween Dog events.

On trails, members noted an emphasis on interconnectivity and safe routes to school, including plans to pursue the Beaver Creek bridge and related trail work once materials and staging logistics are coordinated. The committee recommended focused outreach in underrepresented neighborhoods (for example, Edgefield) and suggested an outreach rotation or assignment of committee members to specific parks as a monitoring and stewardship practice.

Committee members and councilors discussed the idea of creating a park‑ranger or ambassador position to provide on‑the‑ground presence for safety, education and minor enforcement; committee members framed the role as complementary to public works staff (who currently act as first responders in parks) rather than as a substitute for police. The council asked staff about volunteer recruitment processes and about whether a council liaison to the committee would be feasible to improve two‑way communication.

Committee members also noted successes in volunteer recruitment and suggested improving the 'adopt‑a‑park' and volunteer programs to make them more accessible and effective.