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City of Columbia City 1840 Second Street, PO Box 189, Columbia City, OR 97018 (503) 397-4010 |
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Parks
Department
The Parks Maintenance Department is
responsible for the daily operation and maintenance of five City parks
consisting of more than eleven acres. The Department also oversees park
development projects.
The Park Maintenance Department is funded
primarily by state revenue sharing and miscellaneous revenue.
The Parks Department is currently staffed
by the Public Works Superintendent and two Utility Workers. The Public
Works Superintendent is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations and
the development of the City parks, and for supervising the park maintenance
staff. The department can be reached by calling (503) 366-0454, or faxing
to (503) 366-2870, and their mailing address is PO Box 189, Columbia City, OR
97018. The City Shop is located at 1755 Second Place.
The City has an active Parks Committee, and they
meet as needed. Parks Committee Meeting
Minutes are available on-line.
Park
Descriptions:
Harvard
Park (0.39 acres): This developed neighborhood park is located
on Sixth Street between Calvin and Penn Streets. It currently has playground equipment, an open green area for
field games, park benches, picnic tables, drinking fountain and a
restroom.
Columbia
City Bike Path (5.39 acres): This popular bike path is used by walkers,
bicyclists, joggers, and skaters. It
extends along the west side of Highway 30, and it is easily accessible from a
trail system that leads to the City of St. Helens.
McBride Meadows Trail System (2.09 acres): This
trail system extends from the paved City Bike Path at the north end of the City
in a westerly direction along the top of the bank along McBride Creek. It is accessible from Mattie Street in two
locations - at Tahoma Street and Park Drive.
Jim
Bundy Memorial Park (2.86 acres): This park is located at the corner of
"E" Street and Highway 30, adjacent to the Columbia City Bike
Path. This centrally located park is
heavily wooded and easily accessible to travelers. It features a beautiful display of trillium from April through
June. The park has a picnic shelter, picnic tables, park benches, walking
trails, and restroom.
Datis
Park (0.14 acres): This waterfront park is located on The
Strand and provides a scenic view of the river activity. The Parks Committee plans to add a fishing
dock.
Carolyn
King Park (0.06 acres): This viewpoint park provides spectacular
views of the Columbia River, Mt. St. Helens, and Mt. Adams. The park is located
at the corner of Ninth and "K" Streets, and has a covered picnic
table.
Columbia
City Elementary School (1.92 acres): This area is accessible to
the public during non-school hours, and includes playground equipment,
volleyball area, soccer and softball field, basketball court, picnic tables,
and benches with views of the Columbia River. The park is accessible from
Second, First and "F" Streets.
Pixie
Park (0.31 acres): This waterfront park is privately owned and
maintained by the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). This park is located at the corner of The
Strand and "I" Street. This
is a popular park for picnics and it provides breathtaking views of Columbia
River, Mt. Adams, Mt. Hood, and river traffic and activities. It has a well maintained grassy area for
lounging and picnics, picnic tables, and access to the river.
Ruth
Rose Richardson Memorial Park (0.46 acres): This
private park is also owned and maintained by the DAR, and is located on
"I" Street between First Street and The Strand. This well maintained
park is beautifully landscaped and provides a grassy area for picnics, and
benches with spectacular views of the Columbia River, Mt. Adams, and river
traffic and activities.
DEPARTMENT OBJECTIVES FOR 2009-10:
To develop detailed master plans for each of the
City's parks. Target date: December 2009.
To complete the development of Phase II of the
McBride Creek trail system, consisting of natural surface hiking trails down the
bank to the creek area. Target date:
June 2010.
To pursue the acquisition of easements and/or land
along the length of McBride Creek, including the Trestle Beach area, for the
development of a linear park and beachfront park in accordance with City Council
Goal No. 3F and the City's Park Master Plan.
Target date: Ongoing.
To pursue alternative funding through grants for
the acquisition of additional park property. Target date: Ongoing.
To continue to develop Datis Park with the
assistance of volunteers and donated materials, and seek grant funding for the
development of a fishing dock. Target
date: June 2010.
To continue to develop Harvard Park by installing
park benches and a water fountain with an animal water bowl. Target date: July 2009.
To complete the development of the adopt-a-highway
area by adding a Welcome to Columbia City sign and landscaping according to a
landscaping plan. Target date: September 2009.
To keep all City park lawns groomed and green,
trees and shrubs properly trimmed and maintained, and refuse removed
daily. Target date: Ongoing.
To communicate to the City Council through a
monthly activities report and to the public through the City's newsletter. Target date: Ongoing.
To develop fitness stations along the linear bike
path. Target date: June 2010.
PRIOR YEAR ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
A focus was put on completing the development of
Jim Bundy Memorial Park. A drip
irrigation system was installed to maintain the landscaping. Barbeques and a drinking fountain with an
animal water bowl were added near the picnic shelter. A handicapped- accessible path was installed to connect the
parking lot, picnic shelter, restroom facilities, and bicycle path
together. The trees in the forested
area were trimmed, and dead trees were removed. The Columbia County Corrections work crew assisted with the
cleanup. Volunteers continued to work
to clear the park of weeds, blackberry bushes, ivy and other unwanted
vegetation and woody debris. The ninth
annual SOLV sponsored "Down By the Riverside" cleanup day was
coordinated, and two public waterside areas were cleaned by a group of
volunteers and City staff. The
Department assumed the routine maintenance responsibilities for DAR-owned
parks.