Groundbreaking set for June 20 at Schooner Creek Discovery Park

Lincoln City Parks & Recreation (LCP&R) has announced the official groundbreaking for construction of Schooner Creek Discovery Park at 5 p.m. Thursday, June 20.

This public celebration of the Phase 1 construction will highlight the first inclusive and accessible playground on the Oregon coast, including a public parking lot and ADA-access, according to LCP&R Director Jeanne Sprague.

The public is invited to view the groundbreaking, enjoy “new park” cookies, view design boards, purchase commemorative pavers, and meet Ollie the Octopus, the new LCP&R mascot.

Guests for the June 20 groundbreaking ceremony will include State Rep. David Gomberg, State Sen. Dick Anderson, Mayor Susan Wahlke and city council members, Parks and Recreation Advisory Board members, parks and recreation staff and others.

Schooner Creek Discovery Park is the first new Lincoln City community park in more than 20 years. The 6.71-acre park is located at 4815 SE 51st St., the former Taft Elementary School site.

Number one goal

The development and construction of the new park is stated as the number one goal of the 2016 Lincoln City Parks System Plan and will address a recreation gap in Lincoln City.

The park will also host many first public sites in Lincoln City, and on the coast, such as the first inclusive and accessible playground, first permanent pickleball courts, first covered multi-sports court, first public turfed multi-sport field, a special event stage and lawn, picnic shelters, open space trail, and more, according to Sprague.

Phase 1 construction of the park is expected to be completed by the end of this fall, with the new inclusive and accessible playground being opened to the public.

The development and construction of this park occurred through partnership with Lincoln City City Council, the Lincoln City Parks & Recreation Board, the Friends of Lincoln City Parks and Recreation 501c3, many community donors, and the Design/Build team led by LC Parks & Recreation, LC Public Works, K&E Excavating, DOWL, and Understory Landscape Architecture.

“Schooner Creek Discovery Park is being built for our Lincoln City community and for all of our visitors. Community engagement was a vital part of the design process for this park, and we continue to work with the public by fundraising for the park,” Sprague said. “Our community is getting the park they’ve asked for, (and) we couldn’t be more thrilled to break ground.”

Community engagement

In anticipation of park construction, generous donors are already contributing to the new park, including:

• $1 million from State Bill 5202, thanks to Rep. Gomberg and Sen. Anderson;

• $750k grant funding from Oregon Parks and Rec Department;

• $485k donation from the William Byrd Upjohn estate;

• $100k grant from Travel Oregon;

• Musical instruments donation from Christmas Cottage in Lincoln City;

• $25k grant from Ford Family Foundation;

• $15k grant from Lincoln County Community & Economic Development;

• $10k grant from Siletz Tribal Charitable Contribution Fund;

• and many other individual community donors.

“We have such solid support from our community, the Oregon Legislature, Oregon State Parks, Lincoln City City Council, and many others. Because of them, we are now building Phase 1 of the new park, which is our inclusive playground,” Sprague said. “We then look towards Phase 2 and 3 construction in 2025-26, when we can fully realize the opening of the entire new park.”

“I’m convinced the new community park in Lincoln City will become a staple of this community,” Gomberg said. “This is a visionary use of the space, and we’ll see the results for decades to come.”