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At the September 18 work session, the Eugene City Council voted unanimously in favor of renaming Striker Field to “Umso Park,” pronounced oom-SO. Umso is the Kalapuya word for “it is good.”
This decision comes after community engagement and consultation with representatives of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians.
“We are proud to honor the heritage of the Kalapuya people and to celebrate this vibrant community space,” Parks and Open Space Director Craig Carnagey said. “The renaming of the park is a reflection of both the community’s values and the City’s commitment to acknowledging and respecting Indigenous cultures.”
BACKGROUND
The name “Striker Field” was associated with a community sports field concept originally planned for the undeveloped park in Northeast Eugene; however, the vision changed with the increase in residential development surrounding the park. Parks and Open Space planning staff determined that a park focused on the recreational needs of the immediate neighborhood was more appropriate for the site.
Throughout the public design process, the desire to rename Striker Field to something more suitable for the new vision was shared by neighbors and community members alike. In November 2020, Parks and Open Space opened the re-naming process by asking the community for ideas. There was strong public support for a name that honors local Native American groups and languages.
City staff engaged with the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians in the spring and summer of 2024 to seek input and guidance on the park naming. The name Umso Park was selected based on this input and the preferences of the community.
Striker Field Park opened in September 2023. The park development was was funded with a combination of System Development Charge Funds and the 2018 Parks and Recreation Bond. As new bond projects are completed and transition to park operations stewardship, levy funds from the 2023 Parks and Recreation Levy provide for their maintenance.
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Park names should meet the following guidelines that make them relevant to Eugene and/or the Northeast Neighborhood of Eugene. These guidelines are in part, based on the City of Eugene Park naming policy.
Suggested names should express timeless qualities likely to maintain appropriateness over time and fall into one of the three categories:
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Geography/Ecology - Incorporate a geographic, natural, historic or geological feature as part of the name to assist the public in recognizing the location. This could include:
- adjacent streets or neighborhoods associated with the area
- geographical, botanical or human-made features associated with the area
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Community/Culture/History - Choose a person, place, or thing that embodies Eugene and/or the Northeast Neighborhood.
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Inclusivity - A common theme in the community engagement process to design the park is the inclusivity that is valued and expressed as a priority for the park.
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The area surrounding the park has an agricultural history and pre-history. Traces of old drainageways and possible remnant oxbows of the McKenzie River can be seen traversing the site from southeast to northwest. Some of this site topography is evident in the larger site context of this area however it is not evident in the scale and size of the 8.23 acre park.
The park known as Striker Field was acquired by the city in 1983 as a combination of both purchased and donated lands from Edwin and June Cone. Later, the 8.23 acres site was identified in the 2006 PROS Priority Plan as a public park project that should be implemented in the next 15 years. At that time, it was initially considered for development as a lighted sports field complex in partnership with 4J School District. That led to the suggested naming of the park as Striker Field, in reference to its proposed sports field use.
However, as the neighborhood developed and became more densely populated in recent years, the need of a park that provides a wider range of amenities than sports fields was recognized. The 2018 Parks and Recreation System Plan gathered data and assessed community needs which resulted in a recommendation to prioritize this park for development as a community park and consider renaming it.
Thanks to voters, the 2018 Bond and Levy passed and funding became available to design, build, and maintain the park. A robust community design process began for Striker Field in early 2019 and resulted in an exciting and well-supported plan that is scheduled for construction in 2021 based on this design concept.
