Milwaukie community rallies to transform park after $2.4 million upgrade stalls

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Milwaukie community members are rallying to get a park upgraded before $2.4 million in grants becomes unavailable should Clackamas County fail to act fast.

The county is tied up in legal disputes preventing the planned upgrades for Milwaukie Bay Park from happening.

Right now the park sits mostly vacant along the Willamette River near downtown.

Community members want it transformed into the community asset that was promised.

"Hearing about all the great improvements coming to Milwaukie Bay Park was actually part of our reason for moving here and picking this neighborhood," said Dave Cadwallader, a community organizer.

The community completed the final design for Phase 3 of the park back in 2019. It called for restrooms and a splash pad, among other upgrades.

"We've got a whole lot of grass here but no playground," Cadwallader lamented.

The Clackamas County Board put a 90-day hold on the construction. That was two years ago.

Milwaukie Mayor Lisa Batey blames the hold-up on legal squabbles over the agreement with the county and fears about the city bailing on the parks district.

Batey said community members "don't care who builds the park, they just want their park built."

According to Clackamas County, there are concerns about limited funding, too, with commissioners taking up the issue this week.

"There's a lot of barriers right now. We're working, trying to work through, so we can get there," said Clackamas County Commissioner Ben West.

Time is crucial because the $2.4 million in grants for the park could expire if it isn't completed within two years.

"So finished two years from now that means we have to start by next spring," Batey said.

Delays could also cause the value of the grants to diminish due to inflation, putting the upgrades out of reach.

"What we're really trying to do is separate this legal issue from this park that is funded already, that has grant money that is about to expire," Cadwallader said. "We just want to see the park built."

Community members are worried that if the county doesn't act fast, the grant money could become unavailable and leave the park empty for years to come.

Below is a statement on behalf of the North Clackamas Parks and Recreation District Board of Directors:

The North Clackamas Parks and Recreation District (NCPRD) Board of Directors appreciates the community enthusiasm for adding amenities to this beautiful and regionally-beneficial park asset. Phase III remains a project on NCPRD’s capital improvement list. 

NCPRD has contributed substantial resources to each phase of Milwaukie Bay Park. NCPRD staff estimates that the District has expended over $1.1 million for the project since 2017. Clackamas County and Water Environment Services have both made investments as well. As you may know, NCPRD has the lowest tax rate of any large parks district in Oregon, and District resources are stretched thin. The NCPRD Board recently approved moving forward with the final phases of a district wide planning effort that will develop a 5-year capital improvement plan that prioritizes investments in areas where new and/or improved services are most needed.   

At this time, construction of Phase III of Milwaukie Bay Park is on pause because there has been no progress on updating the intergovernmental agreement between NCPRD and the City of Milwaukie. The current IGA is out of compliance with state law. It is our understanding the City is seeking to clarify an appropriate, legal route for their potential future withdrawal from the District. Before continuing construction, the District needs assurances that, should Milwaukie choose to depart, District investments are not removed from District ownership at the expense of the rest of the District’s taxpayers. 

While the NCPRD Board appreciates your advocacy, as this is a legal matter, further conversations are most appropriate between our attorneys and at the elected official level. I encourage you to share your support for construction of Milwaukie Bay Park with the Milwaukie City Council.