As the Woodburn aquatic facility continues to age, local elected officials and community organizations are busy supporting efforts to bring it new life.
Voters will decide in November whether to approve a bond of 99 cents per $1,000 assessed property value — money that will go toward a “complete makeover” of the pool, gym facilities and outdoor amenities at Settlemier Park.
“Woodburn is shy of facilities; it always has been,” Mayor Frank Lonergan said. “It’s a great facility, but it’s old. We’ve got to do this to bring it into this century.”
If passed, the bond would allow for the development of an indoor walking and jogging track, weight and cardio exercise space, a warm-water pool, upgrades to the existing lap pool, a new multi-court gymnasium and a space for events and afterschool programs.
And the development wouldn’t stop there; Former Mayor Kathy Figley said the intention would be an entire remodel of Settlemier Park, complete with a new playground, new outdoor sport courts and walking paths.
Figley is one of the directors of the Heart of Woodburn political action committee seeking to support bond Measure 24-504, alongside Lonergan.
A space to gather
The leaders of Woodburn contend that the city is one of the largest, if not the largest, city in Oregon that does not have a community center.
For community auctions, large chamber gatherings and other big-name events that can draw a crowd, those in Woodburn must look toward neighboring cities for places to meet.
Woodburn has a population of 28,483, according to Portland State University’s estimates for 2023. By 2045, PSU estimates Woodburn will have a population of 29,681 — a 4% growth in just over two decades.
For more day-to-day use, the Woodburn Boys & Girls Club would be able to reap the benefits of an upgraded facility, providing “a safe harbor for kids after school and in the summer,” Lonergan said.
Lions chip in
To support the political action committee’s work to get the word out on the bond, the local Lions Club donated $2,000 to support the political action committee.
The local chapter of part of one of the largest service organizations in the world, which seeks to provide community support wherever possible, according to Lions President Pat Paradis.
“We’ve been accumulating money, and we have an interest in supporting Woodburn and increasing the significance of (the bond and its impacts),” he said.
And while the plan is for the amenities to benefit the Woodburn taxpayers most, many from around the region have something to gain from the massive additions.
“This isn’t just a Woodburn project,” Lonergan said. “People come from all over to use the pool. We are the center of North Marion for tourism and economic business development.”
According to Oregon Secretary of State’s campaign finance documents, the committee has also received $5,000 from Ruth DeSantis of Woodburn, $5,000 from SPW2 LCC, based in Metzger; $3,000 from Mountainview Land Company LLC, based in Boardman; and $1,000 from Council President Sharon Schaub.
The cost of a new center
The estimated cost of the new pool renovations is $60 million. In 2021, Woodburn received a $15 million pledge from Oregon lottery funds. Another $5 was squirreled away from the city’s general fund for the project.
Now, the city is looking to pass a $40 million bond, which comes out to about 99 cents per $1,000 assessed property value — about $15 per month for the average home in Woodburn, according to Lonergan.
The last bond the city of Woodburn had on the books was for a police station in the 2004. Before that, the city successfully passed a bond in 1994 to renovate the existing pool following the Spring Break Quake. The facility was first built as the War Memorial Pool in 1948, which was outdoors.
Lonergan said while previous generations were responsible for development and upkeep of the initial pool, “we see it as our duty to pass this on for the next generation, to redo the pool and add on to it for the community.”
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