North Bend City Council finalizes parks master plan enhancing community collaboration

The Coos Bay Parks Commission meeting on December 19, 2024, highlighted a collaborative effort between Coos Bay and North Bend to enhance local parks and recreational facilities. Elise, representing Southwestern Oregon Community College, presented an ambitious plan to develop a trail system connecting the college campus to nearby parks, including Empire Lakes Park and John Toppock Park.

Elise shared that the master planning process involved significant community input, with around 280 comments received, a third of which came from Coos Bay residents. This underscores the shared interest in park facilities across both cities. The proposed trail system aims to include multimodal paths for walking and mountain biking, addressing the growing demand for outdoor recreational activities.

The plan also includes potential improvements to existing bridges and the introduction of new features like disc golf, which could further enrich the recreational offerings in the area. Elise emphasized the importance of collaboration between the two cities, suggesting that joint funding applications could benefit both communities and streamline costs.

In addition to the trail discussions, Jennifer Wierstein from the City of Coos Bay provided updates on the Front Street to Mingus Park bike facilities project. This initiative aims to improve bike access and safety, with estimated design costs around $100,000 and total construction costs projected at $325,000. ODOT is also exploring bike lane installations in key areas, which could enhance connectivity for cyclists in the region.

The meeting concluded with a strong sense of partnership and shared goals, as both cities recognize the value of their parks and recreational spaces to the community. The anticipated developments promise to foster greater outdoor engagement and improve the overall quality of life for residents in Coos Bay and North Bend.