Sandy forges ahead with Community Campus ideas posted on 03/01/2023
A long-awaited revamp of the old Cedar Ridge Middle School
(CRMS) campus is finally underway. Through Thursday, March 9, the City of Sandy
will ask area residents to contribute input on developing a new park and
recreational facility in downtown Sandy through an online survey.
Sandy Parks and Recreation Director Rochelle
Anderholm-Parsch stressed the importance of getting feedback on what the public
wants out of the property.
“We would love to hear about how [community members] want to
get in there and use that space,” she said.
Following the relocation of CRMS to the campus of the old
Sandy High School building on Bluff Road, the city purchased the ten-acre
property from the Oregon Trail School District in 2016 with plans to convert it
into a hub for community and recreation. This vision is set to become a reality
in early 2025 when construction is anticipated to be complete.
Until March 9, Sandy’s Parks and Recreation department will
host an online survey where locals can contribute ideas for the property.
Previous feedback has sparked interest in developing a new skate park, bicycle
pump track, permanent restrooms and picnic shelters.
Anderholm-Parsch also clarified that the city hopes to see
more input from the younger demographic to cater the design of the campus
toward more people. Currently, the
campus is in the early stages of development and a concrete plan and budget
have not yet been created. The city’s 2022 Parks Master Plan did indicate a
need for a new park development in the northeast sector of Sandy – something
that was anticipated at the site’s purchase in 2016.
Funding for the project will be pulled from leftover funds
from the property purchase, a fund comprised of development fees paid to the
city that is earmarked for park development and an expected grant from the
Oregon Parks and Recreation Department.
As far as the rest of the CRMS property, the city won’t rush
to renovate. The Olin Y. Bignall Aquatic Center has been deemed too dilapidated
to feasibly repair and will require complete rebuilding in the event that the
community desires an aquatic center.
Other buildings on the property are being occupied by
SandyNet and are not currently on the docket for rebuilding.
As the city continues to finalize the plan for the community
campus, they will seek more feedback and publish information.
More details can be found on the city’s parks and recreation
website at www.ci.sandy.or.us/parks-rec.
By Ty Tilden/MT
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