Mirror Pond
Posted inNews

Adrift in a Sea of Speculation

City Club presents a one-year-later look at Mirror Pond; let’s hope we’re not in the same boat one year from now.
Avatar photo Phil Busse

Early Thursday morning, a crane appeared at the contested dam. It was the latest indicator that, in case anyone was questioning, the dam is broken. Large steel plates were placed, like giant bandaids, by Pacific Power over the leaks, in what increasingly seems like an uphill (downstream?) battle to patch up the aging dam, and […]

Posted inNews

Kicking the Tires

Bend officials toured the Newport Ave. dam, but questions remain
Avatar photo James Williams

Last Wednesday Pacific Power gave city and park district officials an exclusive tour of the beleaguered Newport Avenue Dam. A few media representatives were also allowed to tag along, but with a few caveats. First, we signed our lives away with a waiver and were required to wear steel-toed boots during the tour. Before entering […]

Posted inNews

99 Problems

If you’re trying to buy the dam, I feel bad for you, son
Avatar photo James Williams

Last Tuesday, Pacific Power announced that it intended to patch its leaking Newport Avenue dam and thus avert low flows and limited recreation on the Deschutes River this summer. The Mirror Pond Ad Hoc work group lauded the move a day later during a public meeting. “I think we really made some headway yesterday,” said […]

Posted inNews

Top Five City Council Decisions

Also, Bend’s top five unsolved mysteries
The Source Staff

(We’re not necessarily saying that we agree with them, but these were the five most important decisions by City Council this year.) 1. Noise Ordinance: In 2012, the question of when (as in how late) venues can host live music and how loud they could play their music had residents so hot under the collar […]

Posted inNews

Preserve the Pond?

Despite the cost and complexities, Mirror Pond ad hoc committee says “you betcha”
Avatar photo James Williams

After dancing around the issue for nearly two hours—and for years before Monday evening’s meeting inside the Bend Park & Recreation District office building—the Mirror Pond ad hoc committee casually called a vote: Should we keep Mirror Pond or not? Suddenly, at least a few of the roughly 50 community members in attendance sat up […]

Posted inOpinion

Process Poopers

The Source Staff

November has been a cruel month for public process in Bend. Last week, we reported on the continued drama surrounding the City of Bend’s major $69 million project to modernize Bend’s water delivery and treatment system. Namely, city council's Nov. 6, city council approval of a membrane filtration system to keep the city’s water safe. […]

Posted inNews

The Plot Thickens

Pacific Power says it’s done with the dam. Meanwhile, two businessmen try to dive into the pond’s future
Avatar photo James Williams

For the past several years, public debate has seesawed between keeping the Newport Avenue Dam and, with it, Bend's iconic Mirror Pond, or removing the structure and letting the Deschutes River run free. The city and park district have formed committees, conducted surveys, and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars as well as countless hours […]

Posted inNews

Pacific Power is Done with Dam

Avatar photo Brianna Brey

Huge news: Pacific Power, the utility company that owns the dam which creates Mirror Pond, is calling it quits on the leaky, 103-year-old dam. Here is an excerpt form PacifiCorp’s press release: PacifiCorp has determined that it would not be cost-effective for its customers to make the investments needed to continue long-term operations at the […]

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