- Exciting new features and upgrades are coming to Geer Park!
- The projects will include a new skatepark, dog park, and upgraded sports fields.
Salem, Ore. — Get ready for big changes at Geer Community Park in West Salem! Beginning in March, construction will start to add fun new features and make the existing facilities even better.
The projects will be funded by the 2022 Safety and Livability Bond, System Development Charge funds, and a grant. This funding will help meet various park needs across the City, says Rob Romanek, Parks Planning Manager.
“We have a huge need for fields in the City,” Romanek said. “We have high needs across the board. We’re long overdue for a second skatepark, and we have a lack of reservable picnic shelters throughout the City and in the northeast especially. And we can really use a second dog park.”
Skatepark
The first step is the Geer Park Skatepark and Pathway Improvements Project, designed to create a safe place for skating, biking, and scooting. The new state-of-the-art skatepark will be a major enhancement, the result of extensive public engagement in 2021 and 2022. The project supports goals for a more livable and inclusive community.
On January 27, Salem City Council approved the final budget, adding $1.44 million to cover higher construction costs. A $500,000 grant from the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department rounds out the $4.64 million budget, with no money from the City’s General Fund.
Bond-Funded Projects
Improvements with 2022 Safety and Livability Bond funds include:
- A new fenced dog park, with separate areas for energetic and timid dogs
- Reconstructed soccer fields
- Upgrades to two baseball fields with artificial turf, allowing for both baseball and softball play
Timing
These projects should conclude by October, but the soccer fields and the new dog park will be closed in the fall to allow new sod to become established. Soccer will be diverted to other locations, including fields at McKay Park, River Road Park, and Wallace Marine Park. When Geer Park fields reopen in 2026, McKay Park fields will get upgrades, making four great fields in total.
About Geer Park
Once finished, Geer Park will be one of five large community parks providing the entire city with a variety of activities and outdoor recreation facilities. The first part of the park, built in 2005, focused on sports fields, restrooms, and trails.
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