The Keizer Parks and Recreation Advisory Board is recommending that officials explore putting some sort of community facility in Keizer Rapids Park.

At the same time, the board is urging the city to preserve the largely natural state of the park, leaving at least 80% of the west Keizer park undeveloped.

The board on Tuesday, April 14, voted nearly unanimously on its recommendation, which now goes to the Keizer City Council.

The action comes after months of meetings, public sessions and debate about what has been referred to as a pavilion.

The board’s recommendation is limited, saying the formal master plan for the park should be amended to allow some sort of facility.

The 148-acre park at the west end of Chemawa Road opened in 2007, spanning open fields and forest along the Willamette River. Since then, trails, a dog park, pickleball courts and the Big Toy have been added.

The park also is now home to the annual KeizerFEST conducted by the Keizer Chamber of Commerce. That entails erecting a large tent to house activities such as entertainment and community meals. 

The idea of a more permanent structure unfolded as a way to spare the chamber the cost of the tent, estimated at about $20,000 a year.

Keizer city officials brought in consultants to evaluate the possibilities – and community sentiment.

MIG Inc. of Portland reported last month that work began in late 2024 to consider a “visionary concept for a future pavilion or permanent shelter at Keizer Rapids Park.”

The consultants said that based on community response, a facility could be used for a variety of purposes such as weddings and sports events. The report said it could also serve as an emergency evacuation center.

Commenters raised concerns that such development would increase traffic, impact the natural environment of the park, and block open park views.

The report identified two possible locations to erect the structure – at the park entrance where the dog park is now, or south of the Big Toy.

The parks board recommended that any indoor facility be put in the area of the dog park, but that the dog park be retained in another location.

The parks board didn’t consider what such a facility would look like, and the city otherwise has not yet proposed a design.

“We are not having any conversation about what this could look like, how it should be built,” said Matt Lawyer, parks board chair as he opened the discussion.

Ruth Ann Fry, who lives on the east side of the park, recounted the varied uses of the area, from hikers to drone operators to cyclists.

“There’s this one young man that can ride the whole strip on his back tire,” she said.

She said that “the majority of people like the grounds to be green.” 

She said if a facility has to be added, it should be at the park entrance off Chemawa Road.

Tammy Kunz, president of the West Keizer Neighborhood Association, said people were concerned about the cost and maintenance of a new facility.

“Loss of green spaces is one of the things we heard about the most,” she said.

Carolyn Homan noted that the type of facility hasn’t been defined, making comment a challenge.

“A picnic shelter type pavilion is one thing,” she said. “An events center is something completely different, and I am not in favor of that.”

Repeating a theme that came up throughout the meeting, Homan said that “Keizer Rapids is an absolute jewel and it needs to be treasured and protected.”

Councilor Lore Christopher noted that the city once had provision for an event facility in the park plan but took it out. That was to ensure the natural state of Keizer Rapids after it opened 20 years ago.

“The intent was that it would be green and clean,” she said.

She urged the parks board to endorse the original limit that no more than 20% of the park could be developed.

Concern emerged about the process that triggered the renewed consideration of a pavilion. 

“I just think that the consultants did us a misservice” in their presentations about the facility, said board member Tanya Hamilton.

Board member Lisa Cejka said “the community feels gaslit” over what’s been shared about a community facility. “I feel really, really strongly that we need to be extremely transparent.”

Lawyer said there had been stumbles in the public process.

“It’s adding an unfortunate amount of distrust in this process and distrust in what the ultimate product is going to be,” Lawyer said.

“What I believe is that if this goes back in the master plan, there will be a very robust process,” Lawyer said. “If there’s not a very robust process, I think people will throw a fit.”

SUBSCRIBE: Don’t miss any of the news of Keizer, produced by your professional local reporters. An online subscription is $10 a month, and takes just a moment when you go HERE.