Would funding be stabilized if East County cities combined economic forces?

The Springwater Parks and Community District is a group of citizens who want to explore those possibilities. We are dedicated to securing a feasibility study on whether a joint parks and recreation effort makes economic sense.  

The study, much like a business plan, would provide concrete data to determine the best course for East Multnomah County.  An informed decision about a parks district cannot be made without accurate information about the pros and cons of pursing one. For example, can services can be enhanced or provided more economically if the cities in East County work together? 

We don’t want a new layer of bureaucracy. We want services provided with the best value for taxpayers.  But that’s impossible to determine without a feasibility study.

  Lottery dollars through the State Parks and Recreation Department can help pay for a study, which is estimated to cost $40,000. A municipal government — like Gresham, Troutdale, Fairview or Wood Village — just has to apply for a grant to cover it. School districts, special districts such as Metro Regional Government and East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District, plus private foundations such as the Oregon Community Foundation, Meyer Memorial Trust, John L. Hurt Foundation also could help fund a study. 

Our growing community can’t afford not to explore the possibilities. Encourage your city councilors to explore them with us.