By SUE RYAN
News staff writer

The City of Hood River and the Hood River Valley Parks and Recreation District received word earlier this week that they had been selected for several grants.

The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department awarded $500,000, the largest amount possible, to the city for the future Waterfront Park. They also announced two separate grants to the parks district.

“This is the first year we’ve been awarded one although it’s the third time we applied,” said Bob Francis, city manager for Hood River.

Francis said this year two strong points that put their application over the top were that the city is permit-ready for the development and the change in the waterfront with the November floods.

“That the swimming beach was lost became a factor in our favor,” Francis said.

He said an integral part that helped was the donation of Lot 6 by the Port of Hood River to the city for the park.

The first step and central part of the Waterfront Park design is a beach. The initial phase includes digging the beach and providing irrigation, pathways and restrooms. That is expected to cost $1.4 million. Francis said it’s now important that those who have promised in-kind services pull through on their contributions.

“It’s wonderful. This is what we have been waiting for,” said Mark Zanmiller. “Now is the exciting time: The community can work together and get the park built.”

He belongs to the Park Development Committee, formed by the Port of Hood River and the city to work on the project. Zanmiller said they are meeting with architects next week for the final construction documents.

“I would have to say it’s been long-sought and very, very exciting,” said Christine Knowles, who belongs to the board of the Waterfront Community Park Association.  She also co-chairs the PDC. “We’re off and running … it represents a lot of work by a lot of people.”

Knowles said city councilor Ann Frodel deserved a lot of credit for her work on the project.

The parks and recreation district won a $325,800 grant for purchase of the Barrett Property, which is a 31.4-acre orchard the district bought for future use. They closed on the property in January 2007 and qualified for a waiver of retroactivity from State Parks to submit the acquisition grant. The district plans to land bank the property. It is currently working on a conditional use permit for the property to put a trail adjacent to Indian Creek.

The district also received $30,000 for skate park improvements. That money will be used to install a 3-by-5-by-7 foot concrete bowl in the area that once had a wooden vertical ramp. Recreation director Lori Stirn said she was thrilled.

“The process is very competitive and there were many worthy projects,” she said.