A survey featuring the concepts is available for those unable to attend. The information will be used to create a better design for the final master plan. One more community meeting is planned, that date will be set for the future.
Airport Heights Park Update
The Coos Bay-North Bend Rotary held the second of three community meetings with its consultant in Airport Heights Park on Thursday, September 5th from 6 to 8 pm. The meeting was well attended with over 20 Rotarians, North Bend and Coos Bay officials, and a significant number of community members. The Rotary Club with the help of NW Natural and Salvation Army shared a Hamburger or Hot Dog meal with the district providing cookies. Overall, 100 to 120 meals were served, three park concepts were presented, and next steps were identified.
CCAD signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Rotary in 2023. It also established a Park Steering Committee to ensure the project moves forward. Since then, Rotary has hired Groundworkshop to gather community input and develop a master plan for the 13-acre park.
At a meeting in May, the community was invited to share their visions of the kind of park they would like to see in the future. From that low, medium, and heavy touch concepts were developed. The following three concepts were shown at the meeting and those in attendance had an opportunity to share their thoughts and ask questions.
The Runway is the lightest touch to the park area. It leaves the Baseball diamonds in the positions they’re in now. It includes a Teen Zone at the basketball court and a pump track**. There is some onsite parking and two linear plaza areas. The play areas are near the Senior Center and the basketball court is separated from the play area.
The Commons is a medium-touch proposal. It includes a regulation Little League field and one regulation Tee Ball Field. The play and sports courts are still located by the senior center. There is a single on-site parking lot. The concept includes two separate plaza areas, a medium-sized central lawn, and two pump tracks for beginners and advanced.
The Loop is the heaviest-touch proposal that reorientates the baseball fields. To do this would require the most movement of dirt to create the best topography for field construction. That would include building a retaining wall. There are three separate plazas (an athletic, community, and teen area).
There would be a large single pump track with two central lawns. This design has an accessible nature boardwalk, paved walking loops, and a pavilion with a lawn for community events.
The Meeting was an opportunity to talk about the concepts and get additional feedback. A survey featuring the concepts is available for those unable to attend. The information will be used to create a better design for the final master plan. One more community meeting is planned, that date will be set for the future.
Rotary Seeks Public Input on Park Master Plan Options
The Coos Bay-North Bend Rotary Club will host a second community meeting in September by hosting a “picnic in the park” to show park revitalization concepts for the first time since signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the Coos County Airport District. The meeting seeking additional input for the final design is open to all members of the public and will be held from 6pm to 8pm on Thursday, September 5, 2024.
The Rotary Club is developing a master plan for what is currently known as Airport Heights Park. While the plan was being developed, Rotary painted playground equipment and the district fixed the swings. The North Bend Independent Youth Baseball Program maintained and upgraded baseball fields. CCAD maintenance crews added playground equipment, cleaned trails, and removed trees. They also added paint details and installed pet waste stations.
Rotary hired Groundworkshop as the consultant to develop the master plan for the park. They held a meeting in May and invited community members to provide input on what they’d like to see in the park and share stories and other connections to the park. Following several meetings, the consultant will unveil options to the public on September 5, 2024, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Airport Heights Park. In addition, Northwest Natural and Rotary will provide free hotdog or hamburger meals to those in attendance.
The park has been a part of the Airport Heights Neighborhood since being developed by the City of North Bend. Before then the property was part of a military base established during World War II. It was part of the government’s development of airports all over the country. Following the war, the 619 acres were deeded to the city that operated a municipal airport before voters established a special airport district in 2002. The 13-acre park sits on the boundary line of the property currently owned by the Coos County Airport District. CCAD established a memorandum of understanding with the Rotary Club to revitalize the park in May of 2023. It currently includes a playground, two baseball fields, a basketball court, tennis court and sand volleyball court.
For more information on the park project visit the Coos Bay-North Bend Rotary Facebook Page or www.coosbaynorthbendrotary.com.
Playground Improvements Continue at Airport Heights Park
If you’ve been to the Airport Heights Park recently, you may have noticed some of the playground equipment has received a fresh coat of paint. Airport maintenance crews and volunteer organizations have been working on improvements to the park that is located inside the boundary of the Coos County Airport District. Most recently, maintenance workers added lines and painted backboards and rims in the enclosed basketball court. CCAD Maintenance employee Jon Wilson and project contractor Rick Skinner painted the vintage metal playground toys. CCAD has an agreement with the Coos Bay North Bend Rotary to create and implement a park master plan. The second meeting with three original designs has been scheduled for September 5, 2024 from 6 pm to 8 pm.
Other park improvements included work by volunteers of the North Bend Independent Youth Baseball program to extend therookie baseball field fence. The existing fence on the south field was at approximately 120’ and there was no fence on the north field. Volunteer and Park Steering Committee member, Tim Huntley says typical regulation Rookies outfield fences range from 140’ to 160’. NBIBP invested $3000 dollars to extend the fencing to 150 feet and added a fence to the second field. About 100 hours of volunteer labor was used. The work was done in time for the Ian Spaulding tournament. 27 teams played in the tournament, eight of them at Airport Heights. The tournament raises money for scholarships.
The North Bend Independent Youth Baseball Program provides all youth, ages four to 12, an opportunity to play baseball regardless of skill level. Players learn and grow from t-ball through majors. The program is part of the South coast Cal Ripken league and has around 200.
Lastly, dog waste stations were added at the playground and Baseball Field. It is a reminder if you take your pet into the park, please be sure to clean up after it. And with the new stations, it is easy to do and easy to discard.
Steve Schneiderman
Welcome to the online home of the Coos Bay – North Bend Rotary Club!
This year our theme is “Create Hope in the World” and under the leadership of Rotary International President Gordon McInally and District Governor Jim Polk, this is exactly what we’re doing.
The Coos Bay – North Bend Rotary Club has been active in our community for 102 years. A few of our many projects include the annual Bus Jam Toy and Food collection and distribution event, The Festival of Trees, Gift of Literacy, The Cruz the Coos and Show n Shine, and the Rotary Prefontaine Track Meet. Our newest project is a biggie. We are working with the Coos County Airport District to revitalize the Airport Heights Park. This multi-year project will make this park an awesome gathering point for the community.
Yours in Rotary Service,
Steven J Schneiderman
President
President
COMMUNITY INVITED TO PARK REVITALIZATION OPEN HOUSE
The Coos Bay-North Bend Rotary Club is inviting the community to the first open house to provide feedback about the revitalization and redesign of Airport Heights Park. Come and hear about the park, how the design will be developed, and share your ideas about what you would like to see for the future of Airport Heights. Bring your thoughts and memories of your favorite parks and help us look toward the future of what Airport Heights Park might become in this exciting process!
Event Details:
May 16, 2024, from 6-8pm
North Bend Senior Center
1470 Airport Lane, North Bend OR 97459
The park is located in the Airport Heights area of North Bend and is owned by the Coos County Airport District (CCAD). In 2022, CCAD signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Coos Bay-North Bend Rotary Club to revitalize the park that served the community for over 60 years. The park currently houses a playground, baseball field, sand volleyball, basketball, and tennis court. Rotary is working with a park consulting firm, Groundworkshop out of Portland, to develop a master plan
to guide the revitalization and redevelopment of the park for the next several years.
This first community meeting will be an opportunity for citizens to meet the Groundworkshop and Rotary Parks Committee teams as well as help guide the park’s future. For more information visit the Rotary website www.coosbaynorthbendrotary.org
or Coos Bay – North Bend Rotary on Facebook.
The Coos Bay-North Bend Rotary Club has served the Bay area for more than 100 years through community service projects. The organization has business leaders from the Coos Bay and North Bend areas. The Memorandum of Understanding for the park is a long-term commitment to continue the work on creating better livability through healthy, outdoor activities and recreation, and to do this by focusing on the future, which is our youth, while providing access for all abilities.
Donations can be made by scanning the Venmo QR Code or visiting the Coos Bay Oregon Pacific Bank Branch and asking that the donation go towards Airport Heights Park.
President Bill Grile
Welcome to the online home of the Coos Bay – North Bend Rotary Club!
This year our theme is “Create Hope in the World” and under the leadership of Rotary International President Gordon McInally and District Governor Jim Polk, this is exactly what we’re doing. As
Rotarians, we see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change – across the globe, in our communities and in ourselves. We are People of Action: Our priority is Service Above Self. We see differently: Our multidisciplinary perspective helps us see challenges in unique ways. We think differently: We apply leadership and expertise to social issues — and find unique
solutions. We act ethically and responsibly: Our passion and perseverance create lasting change. We make a difference at home and around the world: Coos Bay – North Bend Rotarians are
your friends, neighbors, community and business leaders uniting to advance solutions to problems at home and abroad. Want to learn more about how you could make a difference as a Coos Bay – North Bend Rotarian? Just let me hear from you!
Yours in Rotary Service,
President Bill Grile
Cruz the Coos
The Coos Bay-North Bend Rotary Club is proud to present that Annual Cruz the Coos and Show ‘n Shine as part of the Bay Area Fun Festival. Cruz the Coos is one of the longest-running and largest classic car cruises on the Oregon Coast. It runs through the streets of downtown Coos Bay and is enjoyed by thousands of spectators.
The Show ‘n Shine is an opportunity to see vintage cars and trucks that have been beautifully restored. Talk with the owners and visit restaurants and amenities offered at The Mill Casino Hotel and RV Park. Proceeds generated from entry fees are put to use by the Rotary club to fund projects throughout the area including scholarships, humanitarian efforts, and other non-profit organizations in the community.
While you’re in the area, enjoy the Bay Area Fun Festival, one of the largest festivals on the Oregon Coast. The festival not only features the Cruz and Show ‘n Shine but the Prefontaine Memorial 10K Run, Street Vendors, a parade, and much more.