News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sponsors of Sisters events including Saturday Markets, High Mountains Jazz at Sisters and the Sisters Folk Festival want to ensure that the events will continue to have good venues in Sisters.
Representatives of the festivals and the Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce met with the Sisters City Council on Thursday, October 11, to discuss use of the Village Green and a possible new site near the Sisters Industrial Park.
Saturday Markets and both major music festivals have used the Village Green in the center of town for several years. With plans afoot to create a month-long arts and entertainment series called "September in Sisters," the city council questions the heavy use of the green.
"One of the concerns that the council has had is that it will take the park away from residents for a whole month," said city administrator Barbara Warren.
Festival organizers say that isn't the case.
Gary Miller, who serves on the boards of both the Jazz Festival and the Chamber of Commerce, assured councilors that there is no intent to keep a tent up on the site for a full month. And, event sponsors noted, when a tent has been up for extended periods, the sides are rolled up and the area inside the tent is free for use between events.
Events don't "close off" the park for residents, folk festival director Dick Sandvik noted. In fact, he said, during the folk festival, the park was full of people, kids playing on equipment, lying in the sun, playing music Û and many were not ticket holders at the tent show.
"I don't like the impression that these events close off the park," Sandvik said. "They give people use of the park with enhanced features" like food vendors, crafters and live music.
Chamber director Clyde Stryker noted that folks from the local neighborhoods are as drawn to Saturday Markets on the green as are visitors to Sisters.
Mayor Steve Wilson acknowledged that he is unaware of any actual complaints about heavy use of the green. However, he said, the council is "trying to be proactive" and create another venue site to spread the use around.
Wilson assured the event sponsors that there is no intent to shut down use of the Village Green.
The event sponsors agreed to work with the city to plan the park that will be developed on land donated by Ted Eady on the site of the former Barclay Ranch at the north end of Sisters
The site offers some attractive possibilities, including substantial parking areas. Wilson noted that funding might be secured to build a pole barn type structure that could eliminate the need for events to spend thousands of dollars on tent rentals.
The council and Chamber of Commerce representatives also discussed plans for a park on Ash Street between Cascade and Hood avenues.
The park would eliminate traffic turning from Cascade Avenue onto Ash Street next to The Gallery Restaurant and turn the area into a pedestrian zone with public restrooms.
The alley that runs behind the restaurant, across Ash Street and behind a row of Cascade Avenue shops to Oak Street would have to remain in service.
"I don't want to lose the utility of that alley," said city planner Neil Thompson.
In fact, the city needs the cooperation of property owners Bill Reed, Jim Cheatham and Ted Eady to acquire right-of-way dedications in the area and Thompson said the owners are concerned about the alley.
"I'm sensing resistance from adjacent property owners if the utility of that alley isn't retained," Thompson said.
Plans for an Ash Street Park are in the very initial phases Û there are not even any conceptual drawings at this point. But chamber members are excited about the possibility of creating some amenities for strolling shoppers.
"It's changing our way of thinking," said Vaunelle Temple. "But the end result is a park downtown Û with bathrooms!"
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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