News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
There are big changes afoot at Black Butte Ranch.
The Black Butte Ranch Association Board of Directors officially broke ground on the new Glaze Meadow Recreation Complex on Saturday, April 22.
Features of the new facility include a year-round indoor pool, steam room, multi-use exercise room, relaxation and rejuvenation spa with massage, facial and exfoliation rooms, snack bar and a new Glaze Meadow Sport Shop and Bike Shop.
Outdoors the facility will offer a multi-use pool, hot tub, toddler pool, a water sprinkler play area and a new playground area with swing sets, a pedal circuit and a bouldering area.
The new recreation complex is planned to open in May of 2007.
“These new facilities are a welcome addition to the Ranch and will provide year-round activities for our owners and guests, which is something we haven’t had before,” said Loy Helmly, General Manager. “We expect winter visitation to the Ranch to increase dramatically.”
Helmly said that homeowners last August approved a $12 million slate of projects including a new welcome center for guest registration and community center near the main Ranch entrance, with a meeting room for community events, Administrative Offices, Post Office, and Police Station. There will also be new maintenance and housekeeping facilities for Ranch operations at Section 5, off McAllister Road.
The vote was roughly 60 percent in favor versus 40 percent opposed. The projects are scheduled to run through 2008.
“Black Butte Ranch public facilities are aging,” Helmly said. “Many of them are 30 years old now.”
He said homeowners “just want to stay abreast with the changes in Central Oregon and (with) the other resorts.”
Helmly said the projects were included in long-range planning that included input from homeowners and a variety of subcommittees. The homeowners are footing the entire bill.
“Everything that is created on the Ranch is funded by homeowners since they own the Ranch completely,” Helmly said.
Helmly said support for the projects has been strong among the homeowners.
“It is a way to protect the Ranch for future generations and benefitting their own asset base,” he said.
Architect for the projects is Robertson/Sherwood Architects from Eugene and the general contractor is R&H Construction of Bend.
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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