THPRD makes major progress on bond measure in 2014

The Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District continued to make headway on several bond-funded projects in 2014, and more are on the board for planning or completion in 2015. Funds from the 2008 voter-approved bond measure paid for park renovations, natural area restorations, trails expansion, land acquisitions and other work across the district.

“We’re two-thirds of the way through our bond projects list now,” said Doug Menke, THPRD general manager. “We’re managing taxpayer dollars efficiently, and the positive public response to all the new amenities we’ve provided has been gratifying. We look forward to continued progress in 2015.”

Park renovations last year included redevelopment of Cedar Mill Park, which reopened in November at 10385 NW Cornell Road. THPRD added new tennis courts, natural resource enhancements, play equipment (pictured) and two multipurpose sports fields. One of the fields is located at Cedar Mill Elementary School as part of a 2013 agreement with the Beaverton School District for shared use of the school property.

Another new amenity is a paved path from the five-acre park to 106th and 107th Avenues, which also improves access to the district’s Jackie Husen Park and Jordan Woods Natural Area.

A short distance away, at 965 NW 93rd Avenue, Roger Tilbury Memorial Park was completed and opened to the public in December. New amenities at the 13-acre park include a nature play area, play equipment, a paved and soft-surface trail network, and an open lawn area.

In addition, THPRD's Natural Resources staff have begun enhancement work in the park's natural area. Non-native weeds are being removed and replaced with native plants and shrubs. The project is scheduled for completion next winter.

At the 28-acre Lowami Hart Woods Natural Area (pictured) in south Beaverton, more than a half-mile of paved and soft-surface trails, on-site parking, and other amenities were added to enhance visitor enjoyment of the pristine forest environment. To improve bird and amphibian habitat at Lowami, non-native weeds are being removed and replaced with native plants and shrubs. This complements an earlier stream bank stabilization project in the center of the site.

Natural area restoration work was completed in several locations. At Hazeldale Park in Aloha, the district improved the creekside by removing non-native weeds and shrubs and replanting with native species. Woody material was added to areas along the creek to control erosion and enhance habitat for fish and other wildlife.

Additionally, the staff worked on habitat enhancement and trail improvements at the Hyland Woods Natural Area east of Murray Road. A nature play area was added there too.

At the Tualatin Hills Nature Park, THPRD enhanced the five tadpole ponds and surrounding areas by removing non-native growth and planting a variety of native plants and shrubs. This improves the habitat for a number of wildlife species, including the red-legged frog, Rana aurora, which is on the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Sensitive Species List.

In the category of trails expansion, the district finished three segments of the Waterhouse Trail. A nearly continuous paved trail now runs from TriMet’s Merlo Road MAX Station north to Bethany, where it connects with the Rock Creek Regional Trail.

Thanks to expansions of the Waterhouse Trail (and, in 2013, the Westside Regional Trail), THPRD is now close to its goal of a mostly continuous 10-mile, north-south trail backbone. The backbone will extend from the PCC Rock Creek Campus area to Barrows Road (south of Scholls Ferry Road).

THPRD also made several important land acquisitions for neighborhood parks, larger community parks, and natural areas. One purchase of 0.89 acres will become part of a 21-acre community park in Aloha the district plans to begin building next year. The park, incorporating shared-use facilities at Mountain View Middle School, will feature sports fields, play equipment, a perimeter trail, picnic facilities, and Oregon’s first sports field for athletes with disabilities.

Also in Aloha, three small, adjacent parcels were added to the THPRD inventory. The flat, partially wooded land totaling 2.56 acres will be developed as a neighborhood park.

In addition, the district purchased about 1.7 acres of land on the west side of William Walker Elementary School directly adjacent to THPRD’s Cedar Hills Park. The purchase will provide space for a host of new amenities when the park is redeveloped beginning in 2017.

Other acquisitions: 0.95 acres to expand Lilly K. Johnson Woods (near Farmington and 160th), 1.5 acres to enlarge Crowell Woods (near Baseline and 170th), and 1.54 acres to expand a natural area adjacent to the Bannister Creek Greenway (Washington-Multnomah County line).

THPRD completed natural resource interpretative art installations at four sites across the district that are designed to educate patrons about natural history and the environment and encourage them to connect with nature. Local residents can see the new installations at Jordan Woods Natural Area (pictured), Greenway Park, Raleigh Park and Hazeldale Park. A fifth installation, along the Rock Creek Greenway, is set for completion this spring.

At the park district’s main Howard M. Terpenning Recreation Complex, an ADA parking lot was created as part of a bond project that has continued into 2015. The parking lot makes the Tualatin Hills Athletic Center and Tualatin Hills Aquatic Center much more accessible to people with disabilities.

Menke said most bond-related construction has been completed. 2015 will largely be a year of continued planning as the district prepares for development of the community park in Aloha, the redevelopments of Cedar Hills Park and Somerset West Park off NW 185th Avenue, and a small but significant project connecting the Westside Regional Trail to the Waterhouse Trail just north of the Tualatin Hills Nature Park.