Lincoln City Parks & Recreation (LCP&R) is receiving $1 million from the Oregon Parks and Recreation Dept (OPRD) for the continued development of the new 6.71 acre Schooner Creek Discovery Park (SCDP) in Lincoln City. This funding was recently granted by the OPRD Commission, after a thorough vetting process with numerous Oregon agencies. This $1 million in funding follows a 2022 OPRD grant award of $750k to LCP&R, for a total of $1.75 million in support from OPRD for the new park construction.
Schooner Creek Discovery Park is the 1st community park to be built in Lincoln City in over two decades, while also being the first community park in the historic Taft District (southern area of Lincoln City) alone. The park is stated as the #1 goal of the 2016 Lincoln City Parks System Plan and will address a recreation gap in the southern part of Lincoln City. SCDP will offer many new amenities to residents and visitors including an accessible and inclusive playground, multi-sports courts and turfed fields, covered event stage, picnic areas, accessible walking paths and other gathering spaces.
Phase 1 construction of SCDP is currently occurring, with the creation of an inclusive and accessible playground. Plans are to finish the playground are weather dependent due to material specifications, including the surfacing of the playground. LCP&R’s goal is for playground completion this Fall or in early summer 2025 at the latest.
The OPRD funding of $1 million will assist in Phase 2 construction of SCDP, planned for 2025. Phase 2 construction will complete a covered outdoor stage, covered picnic areas, restrooms, promenade, lawn area and new parking spaces. Total square footage of stage and lawn is 27,767 ft with total capacity of 1,850 persons.
Lincoln City Mayor Susan Wahlke: “Thank you to OPRD for their continued support of our Schooner Creek Discovery Park, and for funding a total of $1.75 million for this park development. Their recent grant of $1 million to construct Phase 2 of the park is greatly appreciated, and will help to make this new community park in Lincoln City a reality for all to enjoy!”
Jeanne Sprague, LCP&R Director, comments on the recent new OPRD funding:
“We are thrilled! Thanks to OPRD for their continued dedication in funding park facilities for the public. Their goals align with ours in providing more accessible and varied outdoor recreation opportunities to all. We’re getting closer to our goal of completing this park, thanks to OPRD.”
This $1 million in funds come from a voter approved, State lottery funded grant program administrated by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. Typically, the program awards over $5 million annually to qualified projects, and has awarded over $80 million in grant funding since the program began in 1999. This year, OPRD allocated $31.6 million in grant funds for 50 proposals from cities, counties and parks districts from across Oregon.
For continued updates on the Schooner Creek Discovery Park in Lincoln City, see https://www.lincolncity.org/departments/parks-recreation/schooner-creek-discovery-park-development
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