News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sisters looks considerably different as 2015 dawns than it did a year ago. A major redevelopment of the downtown corridor went off remarkably smoothly, staying on schedule with a minimum of disruption.
The result was a Cascade Avenue corridor that features wider sidewalks, rejuvenated storefronts funded through City urban renewal grants, new street lights and landscaping.
Many locals appreciated the traffic signal installed during the project to control traffic at Barclay Drive and Highway 20. That signal was removed after the project's completion, and the intersection remains on track for a roundabout, which some locals like and some don't.
Sisters inaugurated Fir Street Park last summer, converting the former city hall site into a small park with a stage designed and built as an Eagle Scout project. The park features the work of several Sisters artists, and proved immediately popular for its splash pad.
Sisters athletes continue to shine on the state and national stage.
Miki McFadden, the Outlaws volleyball coach, was honored by USA Volleyball as an all-time great player. The Outlaws drove home the honor with a state championship trophy on the hardwood.
Sisters trainer Ryan Hudson continued to dominate state Olympic lifting standings, setting and smashing records.
Brandon Pollard turned in a state-championship track performance in the 800 meters.
Efforts to preserve and enhance Whychus Creek passed milestones with the removal of the last irrigation diversion dam on the creek, and the Deschutes Land Trust's campaign to acquire critical new habitat lands along the creek.
Mother Nature emphasized her dominance last February with a massive snowstorm that buried parts of Sisters Country under three feet of snow and claimed two lives.
As always, Sisters had a large share of political controversy. The Forest Service withdrew plans for paved trails in the forest after concluding that opponents of the projects could not be reconciled.
The public scotched plans for a city amphitheater, and considerable controversy erupted over plans to renovate Creekside Campground.
Plans by local promoters to stage events on a vacant lot at the corner of Cascade Avenue and Oak Street launched a battle over temporary-use permits. The City is still working on revisions to its code, an effort sparked by the TUP contretemps.
The political season in the City of Sisters climaxed with a November election that turned out Mayor Brad Boyd and installed Nancy Connolly as a new councilor.
The school district, too, found itself embroiled in political difficulties. Plagued by ongoing budget woes, the district briefly contemplated a plan to move to a four-day school week. That plan was shot down by the public, which also turned down a request for $14.5 million in bond funding for facilities.
However, regardless of the politics, Sisters schools continued to get exceptional marks on state "report cards." And parents and community members began to gather to work on ways to strengthen Sisters schools.
Sisters' signature events - the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show, the Sisters Rodeo and the Sisters Folk Festival among them - continued to draw thousands of people to Sisters, amid signs of an improving housing market and strengthening economy.
As 2015 rolled in, Sisters lay under a blanket of fresh snow, promising recreation in a winter wonderland.
And folks in Sisters looked forward to a new year of improved economic performance, an enhanced natural environment and a stronger and more vibrant community.
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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