Welcome Friends of
Ewing Young Park

We're glad you're here! Our parks can't speak for themselves. They need your voice. If you value our parks and trails, we hope you'll help us to Speak Up to Save Ewing Young Park.

Speak Up to Save
Ewing Young Park

Monday, July 24, 2023 6:00 pm

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Thanks for Speaking Up!

CPRD Administrative Office

125 S. Elliott Rd. in Newberg, OR

Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89209572170 passcode: 313753

If you can't make it on July 24 at 6pm, Send an email to the board using this customizable email.

Send a Message to the Board!

Here's What's Happening

Please attend the public meeting on July 24, 2023 6pm to tell our elected officials we value access and improvements to Ewing Young Park!

The Chehalem Parks and Recreation District (CPRD) will be discussing indefinitely delaying or cancelling park improvements. In the crosshairs are a walking bridge across the creek and 0.5 miles of new trails to access 11 acres of land already owned by CPRD. The project is funded and "shovel ready". It's based on over 5 years of planning and gathering community input.

Also included in the Ewing Young Park Master Plan (and at risk) are: parking lot improvements, restrooms, a structure over the BMX track, youth pump track, accessible paved paths throughout the park, additional disc golf holes, remote control car track, nature playground improvements, a second playground, and more!

Unfortunately, a small group of homeowners on the other side of the creek (along with our county commissioners: Mary Starrett, Lindsay Berschauer, and Kit Johnson) are opposed to "We the People" accessing, improving, and enjoying our park. Worse yet, New CPRD Board Members endorsed by and aligned with county commissioners have voiced opposition to these improvements.

If we don’t speak up, they win!

YOUR Park Needs Your Voice

3 Ways to Speak Up:

1.

Attend the meeting in person.

Monday, July 24, 2023 6pm

CPRD Administrative Office

125 Elliott Rd. Newberg, OR

2.

Attend the meeting via ZOOM.

Monday, July 24, 2023 6pm

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89209572170

passcode: 313753

3.

Send an Email to Parks and Rec

Busy on July 24 at 6:00? Customize and send an email to the board before the meeting.

Send a Message to the Board!

Timeline

CPRD purchased the land for Ewing Young Park in 1972. The park includes 11 acres of land on the other side of the creek for future expansion of the park.
Newberg has grown since the 1970s and its parks need to grow with it. Ewing Young Park is past due for improvements.
CPRD staff have gathered community input and been planning a bridge, trail, and other improvements to the park for over 5 years. An environmental and resource assessment was completed in 2017.
The Master Plan includes a walking bridge over the creek to 11 acres of parkland that are inaccessible during most of the year due to high and fast water. It also includes 0.5 miles of additional trails and improvements to other facilities through out the park.
2023 - The project has funding NOW. It's "shovel ready".
CPRD applied to the county to start the improvements.
The county denied the application to build due to opposition by homeowners on the other side of the creek. They are using a loophole in our zoning laws to classify trails and a small walking bridge as "transportation facilities". County Commissioners declined CPRD's attempts to mediate the impasse. Read April 5, 2023 Newberg Graphic and April 21, 2023 Newberg Graphic and June 12, 2023 Newberg Graphic for more info.
CPRD is now appealing the county's decision to the state Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA). They believe they have a decent chance of winning and building the bridge in the summer of 2024. Read May 10, 2023 Newberg Graphic article and May 31, 2023 News-Register article for more info.
A new CPRD board was sworn into office on July 11, 2023. Many of them had the backing of county commissioners during the recent election. They sprung an un-announced motion to halt the LUBA appeal process and construction of the bridge. If successful, this would push the building of the bridge out at least 5 years and cost taxpayers an additional $100,000! Effectively cancelling it for another generation of kids. Read July 19, 2023 Newberg Graphic article.
If we can get enough vocal community support behind improving our park, we may be able to convince CPRD to move forward with the appeal to LUBA and build a bridge and more trails in our park in 2024. If you care about our park, we need you to Show Up and Speak Up at the July 24 6pm meeting.

Matt Smith

CPRD Board President

"My vision as a member of this board is to build bridges..."

~Matt Smith CPRD Board President

Shortly thereafter, Matt Smith introduced a motion to halt the building of a bridge in Ewing Young park for at least the next 5 years and increase the cost of building the bridge by $100,000!

"Bridge Builder", Indeed!

[Insert eye roll so big it hurts the back of our head!]

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