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West Linn council weighs $10 million parks acquisition fund, highlights Parker Road option
Summary
Councilors discussed a flexible parks-acquisition category staff estimated at $10,000,000 that could cover Oppenlander, Parker Road and other sites; councilors urged targeted scoping and community engagement before taking a ballot ask to voters.
Staff presented parks acquisition as a bundled priority and noted the figure used for discussion: "We listed $10,000,000 here." The city emphasized that the category can be scaled — it might fund one specific purchase such as Oppenlander or a set of smaller acquisitions and amenities. Councilors said they prefer clearer scoping before committing to a funding strategy.
Councilor Bennington described Parker Road as an "underutilized site" and suggested lower-cost interim uses such as a music-in-the-park venue with food carts and improved parking; a council speaker estimated a Parker Road upgrade could cost as little as $2,000,000. Staff recommended bonding as the primary funding tool for large acquisitions but flagged grants and targeted funding for some amenities. Members repeatedly urged early community engagement and polling to determine how much voters would support for a parks ask.
The council agreed staff should prioritize additional scoping for the sites they consider most likely — Oppenlander and Parker Road — and return with cost estimates, readiness assessments and proposed funding approaches. Staff also noted operations and ongoing maintenance implications if the city acquires additional parkland.
