On Monday evening, the three candidates for the Director position for the Bend Park and Recreation District (BPRD) gathered at the Deschutes County Building, and on May 6, a second debate will be hosted at Deschutes Brewery Public House.
No wonder all the interest: Serving on the Board of Directors for BPRD is a critical position.
There are several major public park projects underway—a new water feature park in the Deschutes River, and a new ice skating rink, to name just two—and debate still simmers over the iconic Mirror Pond. All told, BPRD sits at the center of the debate over what livability means in Bend—and how it can be preserved. Not only charged with maintaining some of the city’s most alluring features and parks, BPRD also is debating whether to waive “system development charges” (SDCs) as a means to encourage more affordable housing, a move that some believe could help ease the housing crunch for many families.
Incumbent Dan Fishkin faces two challengers.
We are providing an unfiltered Q&A with each.
This article appears in Apr 29 – May 6, 2015.
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