When
a major decision must be made that involves one of Bend’s most cherished landmarks
it takes much discussion -- especially when those with a place at the table
include the city parks agency, private real estate developers, a major utility,
neighboring landowners, the City of Bend and conservation groups.
But
in the case of Bend’s “iconic,” as it’s often described, Mirror Pond the recent
outcome after all the meetings, newspaper editorials, letters to the editor and
community “outreach” the result was perhaps predictable.
The
decision appears to be once again to dredge the unnatural slackwater
impoundment of the Deschutes River for
the first time since 1984.
The
pond has existed adjacent to Drake Park since earlier the last century, created
by a small dam owned by Pacific Power on the north end at Newport Avenue. For
decades silt has been building in the pond as water slows in it’s journey
toward the dam.
This
time around as silt was reaching untenable levels a discussion of finding a way
for the river to flow more naturally entered the agenda.
But
standing in the way of that solution was the dam, and the fact that the land
under the river is owned by developer Bill Smith and Todd Taylor, head of a
leading heavy equipment contracting firm. They formed Mirror Pond Solutions, and
came out in favor of keeping the pond mostly as is, with dredging the linchpin
of that strategy.
Moreover,
Pacific Power was reluctant to commit to removing or substantially changing flows
through the dam, or the possiiblity of adding a fish passage.
In
a series of meetings and decisions last December the City of Bend, Parks and
Recreation district, and Pacific Power each agreed to kick in $300,000 for
dredging--to be combined with $300,000 in private donations obtained by Mirror
Pond Solutions.
The
estimated cost of the project is $6.7 million, leaving a $5.2 million balance.
To cover that Mirror Pond initially agreed to finance the remaining cost, which
in turn has resulted in the city proposing to raise the “franchise fee”
assessed to Pacific Power, currently at 5%, to carry the loan.
Some
Bend council members at first balked at the fee plan, arguing an additional
percentage would be passed on to ratepayers. However, a Pacific Power representative
said recently the company would negotiate with the city and hold the line on
customer increases.
