by Wayne Lee – Sports Editor
The Eagle Point City Council held a special session Feb. 2 to discuss goals for the local Neighborhood Enhancement Commission for 2026. The NEC has been tasked with moving forward on local city parks and their development. It was the NEC that made a dog park happen in Chamberlain Park and most recently laid out a plan for the buildout of Nova Park across from the city library which currently includes the splash park.
Each member of the council had ideas on where to move forward including City Council President Kevin Walruff, who was out of town but gave his recommendations to Mayor Kathy Sell to present at the meeting on his behalf. Every member of the council had input on what they would like to see regarding local parks. According to Sell, Walruff stated two priorities. The first is the long-sought skate park which is coming closer to finding a home and the second was an endorsement of the recommendation to decorate the covered bridge with lights during the holiday season. The mayor also reiterated her desire to hear music piped along Main St. during the holiday season.
Councilor Lena Beach also listed the skate park as a priority. Councilor Jessica Welch stated her support for a skate park in Nova Park. The original Park Master Plan had recommended Chamberlain Park as the preferred location due to available space and its proximity to Eagle Point Middle School. However, Welch noted Nova Park is not only adjacent to the 71Five youth center but would have a lesser neighborhood impact due to fewer nearby homes while being closer to city hall and law enforcement.
According to Public Works Director Bret Marshall, the city is already exploring various options to build a skate park that will be above ground using ramps which is not only more cost-effective but allows for better security. Speaking of security, Marshall also recommended adding security cameras at Mattie Brown Park to augment cameras in the area and reduce vandalism. Park restrooms throughout Eagle Point have been the primary target of local vandalism.
Councilor Brad Hewitt recommended the buildout of current projects before moving on to something new. He also asked about signage at Little Butte School, which is a city park on school district property. There has been some confusion, and community members have been contacting the school district about the new facilities which are owned and operated by the city, which has a 10-year lease on the EPSD 9 property at one dollar per year. There was also a question as to what to name the newest park. So far, the most popular suggestion is Schoolyard Park.
Councilor Kira Zavalla, who attended the meeting via Zoom, put forward the idea of public/private cooperation agreements similar to naming rights for a stadium such as the Harry and David Field for baseball and the U.S. Cellular softball diamonds in Medford. She noted T-Mobile has grants of up to $50,000 for smaller communities as opportunities the city should explore.
Eventually the discussion turned to the topic of the 10-acre plot of land slated to become Highlands Park. Marshall recommended to the council to not rely on possible grants to build out the park in a piecemeal fashion over the next 10 years. He stated a better alternative would be to attain a low-interest loan to build it all at once before costs continue to rise over the next decade.
Mayor Sell also resurrected the idea of some type of arch or monument as an entryway to the city. The intersection of Hwy. 62 and Linn Rd. would be the ideal location, however the Oregon Department of Transportation controls the portion of Linn from the highway to almost DeAnjou Ave. and won’t allow it. The other alternative is near the Harnish Wayside Center on Old Hwy. 62. Sell stated it didn’t need to be an arch. She mentioned that she has seen monuments in other cities that have featured eagles in a variety of ways.
In the end, the council voted to list their priorities as a skate park, covered bridge lights and some versions of local monuments that welcome visitors to Eagle Point.
