Cliff Clemens Park is a gem

Despite the afternoon heat a few weeks ago, a demure elderly woman (older than I am but not by much) was knocking on doors in my neighborhood. She held a yellow, lined tablet she had repurposed into a petition to garner signatures. Her cause, she explained, was to stop the Sisters Community Garden from laying claim to a goodly portion of Cliff Clemens Park on Larch Street. I declined to sign it at the time because, well, this was the first I heard about it.

Today I now agree with that petitioner. The garden needs to find another place to go. I sympathize with their plight: the organization must vacate their acreage at the Sisters Eagle Airport. However, staging a land grab on an already established park is not the solution. Cliff Clemens Park is a gem of a green space located in a close-knit neighborhood.

Why is it a gem? If you seek quiet time, go to Clemens Park. It’s within easy walking or driving distance from Sisters’ bustling downtown. It is devoid of the activity routinely found at Village Green, Creekside, and Fir Street parks.

Locals and visitors of all ages and places enjoy the park’s expanse of green. There’s room for everyone who stops in. There is no stage, no gazebo, no splash pad, no covered barbecue areas. The open space is the main attraction. Families have picnics, children run and play, teens can catch some rays without feeling self-conscious, visitors toss balls for their dogs. Sometimes a casual soccer game forms. A Little Free Library greets you at the entrance. Residents from The Lodge in Sisters, the independent/assisted living center just across the street, can sit on a shaded bench and drink in the view of the Three Sisters mountains. This park emits tranquility — plus sunsets can be phenomenal.

There are days when dawn and dusk turn the place into a small wildlife viewing area. You may be lucky enough to see rabbits, deer, and quail. Woodpeckers, doves, blackbirds, and jays frequent the park bringing their cacophony of chirps and coos until the heat of the summer day requires everyone to take a break.

The City of Sisters master plan calls such a place an open space which is “left primarily in their natural state and managed to provide limited passive recreation opportunities.” That describes Clemens Park ‘to a T,’ as the saying goes. People from all over now enjoy full-time access to all of the park, but this garden would greatly limit that access with its fences, noise, and locked gates.

The organization’s deer fencing and accompanying tarps against the wind would obstruct views. The “fragrance” of compost and manure and the steady hum of greenhouse fans come along with such a project. Of course, any wildlife would now be unwelcome. In fact, so is anyone who hasn’t paid for a plot. You see, the title “Community Garden” is misleading. It’s more accurate to call it a paid membership garden located within the community (but that’s a long handle). Anyone is welcome to rent a plot but that “community” is limited to about 50 or so subscribers depending on how many plots are rented.

I agree that the Sisters Community Garden does great work and outreach. I honestly support the concept of a community garden, but typically such a project is placed somewhere not currently in use — like a vacant lot. Clemens Park is not a vacant lot. But there is a defunct garden at Sisters Middle School to consider. Maybe someone has an alternate suggestion?

If any case, let the Sisters City Council know how you feel. Personally, I feel the garden people and council can do better. Check out the city’s master plan online as well as the garden’s web pages. Make your opinion known either way.

In the meantime, I hope that lady with the petition returns. I’m ready to sign.