What is the Metro Local Share program?

Metro is the regional government for the Portland metropolitan area, serving 24 cities (including Lake Oswego) in Clackamas, Washington, and Multnomah Counties. In November 2019, Metro area voters approved Metro's Regional Parks and Nature Bond measure, which gave Lake Oswego Parks & Recreation access to $2,083,297 in funding for eligible local projects. The purpose of the Parks and Nature Bond is to further protect the region's clean water, restore fish and wildlife habitat, and provide opportunities for people to connect with nature close to home.

The bond also requires that local share investments prioritize serving people of color, Indigenous people, people with low incomes, people with varying abilities, and other historically marginalized groups that have not benefited equitably from past investments.

What types of projects are eligible for Local Share funding?

Five types of projects are eligible to receive Metro Local Share funding:

1. Natural area or park land acquisition
2. Fish and wildlife habitat restoration or habitat connectivity enhancements
3. Maintaining or developing public access facilities at public parks and natural areas
4. Design and construction of local or regional trails
5. Enhanced or new learning/ environmental education facilities

Play structure and sports facilities (such as basketball courts, racquetball courts, athletic fields, swimming pools, and ballfields) are not eligible for funding through this program. More information on project eligibility criteria is available in the Local Share Program Handbook.

Which projects are Lake Oswego considering for Local Share funding?

Lake Oswego Parks & Recreation has developed a list of seven local park and natural area projects that are eligible for Metro Local Share funding. Some of these are projects that have been on the City’s unfunded capital improvement plan project list for many years; others are new projects that have been identified as priorities by Lake Oswego community members.

1. George Rogers Park ADA River Access Trail: Construct an accessible 10-foot-wide multi-use path with switchbacks and handrails connecting the restrooms at George Rogers Park to the Willamette River at the bottom of the hill. ADA access to this area of the riverfront is currently limited by dense invasive brush and a steep bank. This path segment will eventually connect to the pathway extension at Roehr Park to the north, and will serve as an important link in the Willamette River Greenway Regional Trail, which follows the east and west banks of the Willamette River from Champoeg State Park to the river’s confluence with the Columbia in North Portland. Click here to view a map of this project.

2. Hallinan Woods Natural Area Expansion: Expand the Hallinan Woods natural area to include the adjacent property at 1107 Yates Street, which the City purchased in August 2021. The Yates property was previously occupied by a single residence but is now vacant. It is heavily wooded, and includes several sensitive wetland areas and Hallinan Creek. The intent of this project is to provide soft surface trails through the site connecting to the existing trail network, with a boardwalk across existing wetland areas and Hallinan Creek. These improvements would preserve the most sensitive habitat areas while providing increased access to nature. The existing trail is frequently used by schoolchildren accessing Hallinan Elementary School to the south from the surrounding neighborhood. Click here to view a map of this project.

3. Luscher Farm Access Improvements & Parking: Relocate the existing driveway at Luscher Farm from its historic entrance to a new location further east and develop a new parking lot with several ADA-accessible spaces. The current access location has limited sight distance when turning into or out of Luscher Farm due to the topography of Rosemont Road. This improvement would improve vehicle safety as well as bicycle and pedestrian access and safety by relocating the point at which vehicles cross the Stafford/Rosemont Trail to a location with increased visibility for both trail users and vehicles. It would also greatly improve the safety and accessibility for community members accessing Luscher Farm's community gardens, educational opportunities, programs, and events. Click here to view a map of this project.

4. Luscher Farm Community Garden Expansion: Expand the community garden and demonstration garden area to meet the demand for community garden plots and increase opportunities for hands-on learning, climate resilience, and access to fresh local food. This project would ideally be paired with the access improvements and ADA parking area to create approximately 55 new accessible community garden plots. Click here to view a map of this project.

5. Rassekh Park Multi-Use Path Improvement: Improve the existing 8-foot asphalt path that currently runs along the eastern Rassekh property line parallel to Stafford Road. The existing path is narrow and has damage from roots in several locations, causing tripping hazards for users. The rebuilt path would provide bicycle and pedestrian access to Lake Oswego’s future community park, Rassekh Park, which will soon include a skatepark, athletic field, playground with accessible play equipment and nature play area, picnic facilities, restrooms, a network of walking trails, and a protected sensitive natural area surrounding the Atherton tributary of Pecan Creek. The path also provides important connections to Lakeridge High School, the Stafford Retirement Community, and the Stafford/Rosemont Regional Trail. Click here to view a map of this project.

6. West Waluga Neighborhood Connector Trails: Design and build new trail and boardwalk connections through West Waluga Park, connecting Oakridge Road in the south to Royal Oaks Drive in the north, at a minimum. A significant portion of the trail would likely be designed as a boardwalk to minimize the impacts on the park’s natural habitat. These new trail connections would provide access to nature and recreation close to homes, and serve as an important active transportation connection for residents, as local streets connecting the neighborhoods north and south of the park currently lack pedestrian facilities. They would also provide access to the commercial services and shopping on Boones Ferry Road in the south. Click here to view a map of this project.

7. Sunnyslope Open Space Property Acquisition: Purchase the property at SW Barton Road and Hilltop Road. This 1.09-acre wooded property is adjacent to the existing Sunnyslope Open Space. Sunnyslope Open Space is currently developed with a network of soft-surface trails used for walking, hiking, and mountain biking. This new addition to the Sunnyslope Open Space property would provide a much safer point of access to the park, and could be developed with trailhead amenities to serve trail users throughout the park. Click here to view a map of this project.

How will Local Share projects be prioritized?

The project list will be prioritized through engagement with the Lake Oswego community, with a focus on prioritizing projects and needs identified by communities of color, Indigenous communities, low-income and other historically marginalized groups.

CLICK HERE to take the survey and share your input on which projects should be prioritized for Metro Local Share funding!

The Local Share program includes six criteria that will guide the community engagement process:

1. Meaningfully engage with communities of color, Indigenous communities, people with low incomes and other historically marginalized communities in planning, development and selection of projects
2. Prioritize projects and needs identified by communities of color, Indigenous communities, low-income and other historically marginalized groups
3. Demonstrate accountability for tracking outcomes and reporting impacts, particularly as they relate to communities of color, Indigenous communities, people with low incomes and other historically marginalized communities
4. Improve the accessibility and inclusiveness of developed parks
5. Include strategies to prevent or mitigate displacement and/or gentrification resulting from bond investments
6. Set aspirational goals for workforce diversity and use of COBID contractors and work to reduce barriers to achieving these goals; demonstrate accountability by tracking outcomes and reporting impacts

For more information on the community engagement criteria for the Metro Local Share program, see the the Metro Local Share Program Handbook.

What's next?

Lake Oswego Parks & Recreation will engage the community in conversations about project priorities throughout summer and fall 2022. In winter 2022 staff will submit the prioritized list of projects to City Council for approval, and finalize an intergovernmental agreement with Metro to submit application materials for each funded project. Depending on costs, not all projects may be funded by the 2019 Local Share dollars. However, this does not mean that they cannot be funded through future opportunities. For funded projects that require additional design work (such as trail alignments or access improvements) the community will be engaged again at the outset of each project's design process.

We will keep the community updated throughout the Metro Local Share prioritization and design process through community meetings, webpage updates, and social media updates as each project moves from design to construction to opening.