A petition is making the rounds online and in town asking the City of Bend to maintain Troy Field’s public facilities designation. Bend-La Pine Schools recently accepted a $1.9 million offer on the surplus property from Portland-based Brownstone, LLC, which is representing an unnamed out-of-state hotel developer.
The sale is contingent on removal of the public facilities designation because the developer intends to build the planned high-end hotel condos.
The petition, which was created online at Change.org six days ago and has so far received 222 e-signatures, reads:
Hello City Planning Department,
The purpose of this letter is to voice opposition to the removal of the current public facilities designation at Troy Field, and therefore preserve one of the few public gathering spaces in downtown Bend. Parks and public spaces are vital to the development and preservation of a healthy community.
Please consider my opinion as you vote on this measure.
A public meeting to discuss the possibility of changing the zoning to a commercial use is scheduled for 5:30 pm, August 26, in the BLPS administrative building (room 314).
A recent Source reader poll found strong support for maintaining Troy Field as a public space or turning it into a mixed use building with shops and rental housing.
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This article appears in Aug 5-12, 2015.
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I’m not sure I remember this correctly, but my Dad talked about the Troy Laundry field. It was a gift to the School District to be used as a park. There was a big fight over the kids from St Francis using the field to play on since it belonged to the school district. While it was owned by the school district, it was to be used as a public park, hence there was no problem with the St. Francis kids playing on the field. Small town politics in the 50’s.
I also believe the field was to be used as a park or it would revert to the original owner. It was in the paper, so if the Bulletin’s old newspapers are computerized it would be relatively easy to check. Maybe Janet C. might help.
If that does not work then someone could walk down to the county clerks office and look in the deed records. The problem is that I don’t know who the owner of the laundry was. However a reverse deed directory would show the School District as the grantee and the location of deeds having the school district as a named party. Might need someone what has a real estate background.So if we have a classmate who would be willing to do a little looking and the answer may be in the public records. The gift was a big deal at the time. The manager of the laundry became the chamber of commerce director. Marion (sp?) Cady became the director of the Chamber. I’m thinking mid-1950’s.
Maybe my memory is all wrong, but that is what I remember.
Hope all is going well.
Bob Cannon
Thanks for sharing!
On Mon, Feb 29, 2016, 11:15 PM Nunzie wrote:
These are great letters thank you!
Attached is a great Bend photo taken in 1920 with the street pole
located at the corner of NW Bond and NW Franklin.
Hence the carousel is on the site of the pizza joint now (SE corner
of NW Bond and NW Franklin) and the tents are where the McMenamins
St. Francis brick school building is set.
I didn’t have enough time to get this photo into the record, but I
thought it was a telling moment in our Bend history when we were in
1920 and where we are now all about outdoor civic gatherings, kids
carousel activities… and of course food courts and ticket booths !
Gotta love the dirt streets, wooden boardwalks (sidewalks) , 2 way
traffic on Bond, the awnings & transom lights of the Trivia Antiques
store on the NW corner of Bond and Minnesota ! and early cars…quite
the town in 1920
We know that Troy Field played a role even in 1907 which is 13 years
before this photo !
Bend has been a steward of Troy Field and I trust our leaders will
rise to the opportunity to preserve our open space for future
generations !
Best,
>
>
more on troy field. hope this pic comes thru
1920 Bend Carnival East of Bond Street, south of Franklin 2004.001.0562.3258.jpg 1920 Bend Carnival East of Bond Street, south of Franklin 2004.001.0562.3258.jpg