Author: OBNA Board

Posted on

Letter to OLCC on Riverside Market

Katie Siefkes
License Investigator
Oregon Liquor Control Commission
2146 NE 4th Street Suite 160
Bend, OR 97701

Re: The Riverside Market & Pub

The Riverside Market & Pub is located within the boundaries of the Old Bend Neighborhood Association (OBNA). Old Bend Neighborhood includes the Old Town and Drake Park Neighborhood Historic Districts, the Mill Addition, Mirror Pond, Drake Park and Miller’s Landing.

The Riverside Market and Pub is a long-existing commercial use in an otherwise densely populated neighborhood. The Riverside is a popular neighborhood establishment and we support owner Jonathon Gaipo’s request to the OLCC for an extension of their outdoor seating area. While supporting the request for approval, the OBNA urges the OLCC to advise the Riverside’s owner of our concerns about parking, noise, and on-site smoking.

Since the adjoining neighborhood is quite dense, with little off-street parking, we hope that the three parking spots that will be vacated by the enlargement of the outdoor area can be re-located. We strongly support the termination of the three spaces as presently they pose a hazard; we support a realignment of the parking area on the north side of the lot, along with the addition of a roadside parking spot that should become available when the southern parking is vacated and the egress is closed. We also support the owner’s suggestion to include additional bicycle parking.

We were pleased to see that the owner plans to continue closing no later than 10 pm. We request that he also encourages patrons to leave the premises at closing time. Again, due to the area’s density, any nighttime noise is amplified, especially during the summer when neighbors’ windows are open.

We appreciate the development of a specific smoking area and we hope that the owners will consider becoming a smoke free establishment. It is our belief that the outdoor changes being proposed should encourage more families to utilize this outdoor space. We further believe that a smoke free environment would add to their enjoyment.

Again, we support the owner’s request to the OLCC for an extension of their outdoor seating area. We believe this addition, along with other improvements to the existing outdoor area, can only add to our already vibrant neighborhood.

Thank you,

Old Bend Neighborhood Association

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Bend Park & Rec District 2012 Local Government Grant

March 31, 2012

Oregon Parks and Recreation Department
Local Government Grant Program
Attention:  Michele Scalise
725 Summer Street, NE, Suite C
Salem, OR 97301

Re:  Bend Park and Recreation District 2012 Local Government Grant Application

Dear Ms. Scalise,

The Old Bend Neighborhood Association supports the Bend Park and Recreation District’s 2012 Local Government Grant application to help fund the development of Miller’s Landing Park.

The grant will assist the district in providing close to home, recreational opportunities for residents of the Old Bend Neighborhood as well as satisfying expressed community demand for additional access to the Deschutes River and to the Deschutes River Trail.  Some of the features and benefits of the park development include:

  • An extension of the Deschutes River Trail that will provide an off-street trail connection  for walking, running and cycling and an enhanced route for community events
  • The provision of group and individual picnic sites that have consistently scored high in community surveys
  • Year-round restroom facilities that will provide a clean, safe option for park visitors and Deschutes River Trail users
  • A new beach/river access that will provide healthy, active recreation for  children and families and  additional access for kayakers, canoeists and other river users
  • Protected riparian areas and extensive native plantings that will enhance habitat for wildlife and facilitate nature observation

Developing the Miller Landing property as a park has been a priority of the Old Bend Neighborhood Association and we support the Bend Park and Recreation District’s effort to develop the Miller Landing property.

Sincerely,

The Old Bend Neighborhood Association

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Letter to Bend Parks & Rec Board

To the Bend Park & Recreation District Board of Directors:

The Old Bend Neighborhood Association recently reorganized and is meeting on a monthly basis. We have elected new board members. The OBNA will be using our new website (www.oldbend.org) and social media to inform the community on local issues and happenings.  Our website will serve as an archive for related materials including articles, references, and editorials.  We are currently focusing on Mirror Pond and have a large amount of information on its history, uses, and issues posted at www.oldbend.org.  You can find us on Facebook at facebook.com/oldbend.

At our March meeting, we unanimously voted to support the concept of Bend Ice pursuing an ice skating rink at the old Mt Bachelor parking lot. While, technically, the proposed location is not in the boundaries of our neighborhood association, as the saying goes, “we can see the parking lot from our neighborhood.”  We believe the ice rink is an unmet need in our city and appreciate the Bend Parks and Recreation board’s initial support of this project.

We understand that the board members are exploring the idea of a bond issue in order to meet some very important community needs.  We appreciate that an undertaking of this magnitude necessitates a great deal of study and reflection on the part of the board of directors.   Understandably, we cannot take a stand on a bond issue that does not exist; however, we support the basic tenets (as we understand them) of the recent survey.  As one of the neighborhoods bordering the Deschutes River, we agree with the polling numbers supporting protection of this waterway.  Parks, trails, and water purity, are all issues we support. In addition, we agree with the desire to create safe passage for canoers, kayakers, floaters, and fish at Colorado Avenue Dam and to maintain and improve hiking, biking, and walking trails and parks in the District.

As one of two neighborhoods that border Mirror Pond, we are also concerned that a bond issue could include a “fix” for Mirror Pond.  We believe this would be premature. Specifically, we do not believe options for Mirror Pond has been sufficiently studied.  In addition, it is our hope that the chosen path in dealing with this complex issue will include a long-term solution, and not a temporary fix.

Thank You,

Old Bend Neighborhood Association
Board of Directors