Happy about new ordinance
Thank you to the Redmond City Council for stepping up with the new ordinance, 2026-2, in prohibiting motorcycles in city parks. This will increase safety for many older and younger residents while they enjoy our parks and benefit from being outdoors, in nature, exercising and relaxing with family, friends or alone. Redmond needs to promote our parks as safe space to restore balance and connections with family and friends. In addition, the potential to learn about and be enriched by nature in the North Dry Canyon Natural Area has been largely untapped by the city. The enforcement of the new ordinance will keep motorized transportation off sensitive dirt hiking trails and lessen the impacts on critical soil structure and native plant habitats. The North Dry Canyon Natural Area provides recreational walking, hiking, strolling by all ages and needs a comprehensive, knowledgeable plan to articulate a vision for the future of our natural landscape. Is the city taking a next step in recognizing this unique asset in Redmond? I hope so.
—Jacqueline Gramann
Are Redmond city parks safe?
As a 21-year resident and taxpayer in Redmond I am concerned about safety in our city parks, especially the Dry Canyon Park which Redmond City officials refer to as the city’s jewel. Since retiring in 2019 I ride my bicycle and hike in the canyon nearly every day. I ride the entire length both on the paved and dirt trails. Unfortunately, the park is experiencing serious resource damage i.e., numerous unauthorized trails, high speed use of motorcycles on the paved and dirt trails, mostly by groups of young boys on electric motorcycles. They ride on the ball fields, children’s playgrounds and in the natural area. When I speak to these young boys about their behavior, they are extremely combative and use vulgar and threatening language towards me. I have been working with the Redmond Police for almost a year to identify these children so that the School Resource Officers (SRO) can reach out to the children and their parents to correct this illegal behavior. I appreciate the willingness of the Redmond Police SRO in their effort. To have safe city parks that members of our city can enjoy, our city officials need to get a handle on this behavior of youth gangs in our parks. With the changes the city has made with ordinance 2026-02 I am hoping the city will create much needed signage regarding the use of vehicles in our city parks and be willing to provide the necessary enforcement to protect all our citizens regardless of age and ability.
—Robin Estes
Data centers
Deschutes County is a beautiful area and there is no reason to start building data centers here in the shadow of the Cascades. These plants do nothing for average citizens. They only benefit the super-rich at our expense. We don’t need no stinking data centers.
— James Scott
Thank you!
I want to sincerely thank all the people who stopped to help me after a fall along the river trail just south of Tumalo Creek Kayaks on Tuesday morning, May 12. An extra shout-out to Lisa (hope I remembered your name correctly) who stayed with me while my wife brought our car around. Your kindness is truly appreciated. Even as the city grows, the small-town neighborly feeling continues! You all should know that I did go to Summit Urgent Care!
—Kathleen Desilets
Missing the goslings
Last week, I biked my two-year-old daughter to Drake Park, excited to show her the goslings that usually appear along Mirror Pond each spring. To my surprise, we didn’t see a single one.
At first, I assumed we had simply missed them. But after looking into it, I learned that since 2009, the Bend Park and Recreation District, working with wildlife officials, has conducted a goose egg oiling program throughout many Bend parks and along the Deschutes River corridor. Eggs are coated in corn oil so they do not hatch, while parent geese continue incubating nests that will never produce young.
Since then, I’ve returned multiple times and walked the river between Drake Park and the Old Mill. I saw dozens of goose pairs, but only one family with goslings. The absence is hard to ignore.
I understand that living alongside wildlife can be complicated. But what troubles me is the scale of the intervention. It no longer feels like coexistence but like we are systematically preventing new life in spaces we share.
Before learning about this, I had no idea it was happening at all. But once you’re aware, it becomes impossible not to notice what’s missing.
I suspect many Bend residents would feel similarly unsettled if they knew. I hope this sparks a broader conversation about the kind of relationship with nature our community wants to uphold.
—Heather Beem
Letter of the Week
I’m no expert on managing the balance between a park’s human visitors and wildlife usage, but I am fond of animals and share your heartfelt disappointment, Heather. As letter of the week, you can stop by the Source for a gift card to Palate coffee. —Managing Editor Nic Moye
This article appears in the Source May 28, 2026.
MAKE LOCAL JOURNALISM HAPPEN
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
