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Parks advisory board urges council to reject placement of tugboat ‘Lady Bee’ in Willamette Park
Summary
The Parks & Recreation Advisory Board (co‑chair Vicky Handy) presented a unanimous recommendation that the council not accept or place the tugboat Lady Bee in Willamette Park citing flood‑plain permitting, lead‑paint risks, liability, maintenance costs and incomplete fundraising by advocates.
Vicky Handy, co‑chair of the Parks & Recreation Advisory Board, told the council on March 17 that the board has repeatedly recommended against placing the tugboat Lady Bee in Willamette Park after multiple in‑depth reviews dating to December 2022. The board cited regulatory and practical concerns: complex permitting for placing a vessel/structure in a floodplain, loss of scarce park space in an already highly programmed park, risk from lead‑based paint on a structure used by children, no clear exit or removal strategy, and inadequate fundraising and budgeting by project advocates.
"We anticipated much higher sums for meeting minimal levels of safety," Handy said, noting advocates had committed approximately $12,250 of a projected $200,000 need (advocate figures as presented to the board). The board also said the project would add ongoing maintenance obligations to an understaffed parks department. Council members acknowledged the thorough advisory work and said staff will factor the board’s concerns into upcoming work sessions; the mayor said the city will consider the board’s due diligence and that a joint meeting between the council and the parks board is likely before a final decision is made.
The presentation was framed as objective due diligence, not a comment on historical significance; the council welcomed further joint review and additional information from staff and the board before any formal city acceptance or acquisition.
