City names new park for Cliff Clemens

The future site of Cliff Clemens Park. photo by Jim Mitchell The Sisters City Council last week named Sisters' youngest city park after one of its senior citizens. "Cliff Clemens Park" is located on Larch Street on the south side of Tamarack Village.

The Kiwanis Club of Sisters proposed the name and has expressed an interest in participating in the future development of the park. Cliff Clemens, 98, was the founding president of that club in 1978 and is one of only three charter members still living.

Clemens resides at Bend Villa Court, an assisted living facility in Bend, where he has been since injuring his back a year ago, then re-injuring it recently.

When advised of the naming of the park, Clemens asked, "How did that come about?" After a long pause, he added, "Well that's something on the plus side. I'm pleased to hear the news."

Clemens and his family settled in Sisters in 1966.

"We got interested in Sisters through (his wife) Dorothy's cousin, Fred Arpke, one of the developers of Indian Ford," Clemens said. "(Son) David and I had just started flying, so we bought a piece of ground on the site of the airport. I started cleaning it up and in 1981 they gave me deeds to the airport.

Cliff Clemens. Nugget file photo

"There is the stipulation that if it ceases to be an airport, it goes back to the original owners. But, so as long as it is 'Sisters Airport,' it is 'Cliff Clemens Airport.'"

He concluded with a twinkle in his eye, "You've got to have your head examined to own an airport."

In talking about his back injury, Clemens reflected, "Sometimes you wonder if some of these things are sort of predestined. There is an answer, but I don't know what it is."

Clemens spent 16 years on the Sisters school board and several more on the planning commission. In recent years he spent much of his time cleaning up around the airport.

"That old John Deere tractor has done a lot of scratching for a livelihood around town," he said.

After a long pause, he said, "You never know what time will do, but if you live it honestly you don't have to worry. And that's what I have tried to do.

"I've had a very interesting life, trying to do what I thought was good for the community," he said.

"There are people that have done very well here," he noted He singled out Jean Wells, owner of The Stitchin' Post as having done an "outstanding job."

"The people that are busy doing things that are worthwhile are the backbone of a community," he said.

Clemens has talked for a long time about a senior retirement center in Sisters. Describing the project, he concluded, "All I want is for it to be there."

Attending a recent Kiwanis meeting a couple of years ago, Clemens was greeted by the club president, "It's nice to have you here."

Clemens returned with, "At my age, I'm happy to be anywhere."