Sisters Park and Recreation District reports community park near completion; local grants and donations financed most of $1.3M project

The Sisters Park and Recreation District reported at the Dec. 10 joint meeting that a new eight‑acre community park and community center are in the closing phases of construction and have already had a soft opening.

Jennifer Holland, executive director of the Sisters Park and Recreation District, said the project started in spring 2024 and was funded primarily through a local government grant of $756,000 with a required 40% match. The match came from a mix of City SDC allocations, a sizeable donation from Pineview Tennis Club (described in the meeting as a pickleball club contribution), donated labor from the local school district and a $50,000 field improvement gift raised by the SOAR Foundation. Holland said the full construction cost including design was about $1,300,000 and that the district’s draw on general tax dollars was minimal: “probably, like, $70,000 actually went to funding this on the general fund,” she said.

Amenities completed or near completion include paved walking paths, improved play areas, basketball and pickleball courts and a combined bathroom/pavilion structure. Holland noted delays on a few final items (door deliveries, picnic tables, benches and signage) but said doors were expected soon and a spring grand opening is planned when weather allows.

Council members praised SPRD’s partnerships that reduced the tax impact on the district, and asked staff to monitor usage after the spring opening to inform future planning for other parks such as Northwest Park.