FAQs
Where is Golden Gardens Park? What is the park’s history?
Golden Gardens is a 223-acre public park in the Bethel neighborhood of northwest Eugene between Clear Lake Road and Jessen Drive. Ponds at the park’s center were originally gravel pits used for Beltline Road construction in the 1950s. The City of Eugene acquired the park’s first 36 acres from Lane County in the 1970s to use for park and open space.
A series of drownings catalyzed efforts in the mid-2000s to increase safety, improve habitat, and promote more activity at the park. In 2007, the City acquired 170 more acres with funding from the 2006 Parks and Open Space bond measure. Much of the added acreage has been farmed under a lease agreement while the park awaits development.
When will development happen?
The City scheduled the first phase of construction for 2026, and this will likely involve park infrastructure, one or two fields, additional habitat restoration, and some park amenities.
The timing of future construction phases will depend on the success of capital fundraising efforts.
Why is a sports complex planned?
For over a decade, City staff have heard from local sports programs and providers that facility availability has not met demand for youth and adult play at all levels, informal to competitive.
The City lacks a facility with enough fields for tournaments, which is unusual compared to similar cities. Players and families currently travel to Portland, Bend, or Medford for tournaments if they are able.
A 2017 study confirmed market demand and identified this site as the only suitable City land for a sports complex. The closest comparable facility to what is proposed is in Medford, Oregon.
Will the ponds and conservation areas be affected?
The City highly values our natural resources and previous efforts at the park to enhance habitat and provide a unique experience for visitors. The planning process will look at habitat protection and enhancement as a part of the larger park development.
The intent is to establish a significant buffer between the natural area and the developed park amenities, and we are researching to understand what that buffer should look like. Our consultant team includes biologists and natural resource experts, as well as our in-house ecologists who are very familiar and invested in the natural resource values at Golden Gardens.
What is a concept plan? What is decided in this process?
The Golden Gardens Park Concept Plan will establish the design of the park’s future development. To create the plan, the City is engaging with key stakeholders and the broader community and working with designers and technical experts to identify, evaluate, and choose from preferred design concepts.
Key decisions in the process include how to allocate space to different land uses and activities and which amenities and features to include.
One of the outcomes will be a phasing plan and cost estimate. This will help us understand the budgetary requirements and lay out an orderly development plan that makes the best use of our limited resources. A development of this scale is likely to be built in phases over a period of 10-15 years or so.
Who is involved in the decision-making?
The concept plan process is guided by a City staff project team and advised by a Park Advisory Group. The advisory group comprises roughly 12 representatives of key stakeholder organizations and identities, including the Active Bethel Community (ABC) neighborhood association, Bethel School District, sports programs, habitat specialists and natural area advocates, and existing park users and neighbors.
Other community engagement strategies inform the advisory group and the project team’s final decision-making.
How will this development be paid for?
A combination of 2006 and 2018 Park bonds as well as System Development Charge (SDC) funds were budgeted to pay for the concept planning process and the first phase of construction.
Once the concept plan is finalized, the City will explore capital fundraising strategies for implementing future phases. Funding sources could include a voter-approved bond (temporary property tax increase) and private sponsorships and donations.
How would the park’s operation and maintenance, including the sports complex, be paid for?
Operations and maintenance of the first phase of construction would be supported by Park levy funding. The longer-term plan is to design and operate the sports complex in such a way that it generates revenue that partially covers the park’s operation and maintenance costs.