Over 40 years of park history ...
We're Stepping Up to Save Oppenlander!
Oppenlander Fields is a flat 10-acre site on Rosemont Road near the top of the hills in West Linn. It contains three developed softball fields, including one that has artificial turf and is sized for senior youth and adults.
The West Linn-Wilsonville School District bought this property in the late 70’s with the intent to use the site for a future school and as athletic property for high school, other district, and community athletic programs over the past 40+ years. With two new schools built nearby, they recently declared it “surplus property” so they can sell it and roll the funds over into a school site for a future generation of students.
Since August, Friends of Oppenlander has honored the School District’s request to not engage with them until after the trial and appeals timelines were over. We’ve been reminding Board through public comments of our interest in raising the additional funds above and beyond the $3.5M bond measure was passed by a 2:1 margin to provide for an increased sales price.
The School District recently sued the City over “bad faith” interactions, yet the District is not being transparent, interactive, engaging, or acting in good faith by not just ignoring us, but also by cutting the community out of the process. Did you forget that this same community passed the Oppenlander Bond Measure by a 2:1 margin?
The School District recently sued the City over “bad faith” interactions, yet the District is not being transparent, interactive, engaging, or acting in good faith by not just ignoring us, but also by cutting the community out of the process. Did you forget that this same community passed the Oppenlander Bond Measure by a 2:1 margin?
The City and the School both call West Linn residents their constituents. Indeed we are not only constituents, we are the taxpayers that bought and pay for the buildings, equipment, resources, and staff that you manage to the benefit of the community. We support and trust you to serve us to the best of your abilities – Are you upholding that trust?
In 2021, the School District offered the City the first right to buy the property with a constraint it will be preserved as a park by the City. In 2022, West Linn taxpayers passed, by a 2:1 margin, a $3.5M bond measure to buy the property. After a New Year’s 180-degree about face, the School District is demanding (not negotiating) $7.9M, over twice the value of the bond measure, not caring that at that price that only developers can afford to buy the land, resulting in 90 more families in need of recreational resources, and the loss of a park forever!
In 2021, the School District offered the City the first right to buy the property with a constraint it will be preserved as a park by the City. In 2022, West Linn taxpayers passed, by a 2:1 margin, a $3.5M bond measure to buy the property. After a New Year’s 180-degree about face, the School District is demanding (not negotiating) $7.9M, over twice the value of the bond measure, not caring that at that price that only developers can afford to buy the land, resulting in 90 more families in need of recreational resources, and the loss of a park forever!
Land banking is a process by which the School District buys school-suitable property at “open space” prices well in advance of development in areas where they think future communities will be built. Usually they plan well, but with Oppenlander it has been declared “surplus property” so they can sell it (at a profit) and roll those funds into parcels for future schools 5, 10, or 15 years down the road. BUT WAIT, Superintendent Ludwig wants to use these funds as a reserve to cover today’s operating expenses .. shortchanging the future taxpayers and students by millions of dollars. We are the ones who will pay literally millions – both now and later – for this accounting exercise!
Friends of Oppenlander wants to "Fill the Gap"
With your help, we want to get the School District back to the table, help negotiate a more reasonable sales price recognizing the property is and will always be owned on behalf of the general public, and raise funds to fill the gap between the existing $3.5M bond measure and the final sales price.
Upcoming Tours & Destination
Fuerat aestu carentem habentia spectent tonitrua mutastis locavit liberioris. Sinistra possedit litora ut nabataeaque. Setucant coepyterunt perveniunt animal! Concordi aurea nabataeaque seductaque constaque cepit sublime flexi nullus.
