WUFC Sports Park Update
The board and staff of Willamette United would like to update our membership concerning the proposed fields at SouthLake Park. It has been a long and expensive process as we work to create our proposed sports park. While the process is moving slowly, it is absolutely moving forward. We appreciate everyone’s patience as we work to open this desperately needed facility.
Progress Report
In the last 18 months:
• We applied for a similar use decision for “sports fields” from Clackamas County. Before 2017 it was unclear if sports fields were considered an acceptable use for a conditional use permit. We asked for clarification about sports fields being an acceptable recreational use under parks within a conditional use permit application. This decision is NOT about any specific piece of land but for a county code clarification. Thanks to a positive decision, we can now apply for a conditional use permit to put sports fields in Clackamas County.
• We have done all of the studies, drawings and surveys needed to apply for a conditional use permit. This includes but is not limited to environmental, hydrological, traffic and soil testing. We also have a full set of 90 percent schematic design drawings for the entire park. This process took over 12 months and cost over $300,000. This work was paid for with the funds we raised from our four club auctions and profits from the Mt. Hood Challenge.
• We have identified the large pieces needed to pay for the $14.1 million park. The club will use a SNAP loan (a special loan for non-profit organizations), a large private investment, grants, existing revenue and new streams of revenue created by building the park. We will need to raise $1 million from donations and sponsorships in the coming months to complete the financing package.
• We have 17 verbal commitments from local youth sports organizations to rent field time at the park. These verbal commitments represent 65% of the available field time at the perk.
We are now waiting on one last task before we can apply for a conditional use permit. SouthLake Church and the National Foursquare denomination are working together to finalize an LLC which will own the land and lease it to Willamette United. Once we have the final land owner corporation in place we will apply for the CUP.
It takes approximately 90 days for a conditional use permit decision. If we get a positive decision we can break ground in 2019 and open the park in 2020.
As we move forward there are a number of steps we have to take before construction can begin. Many of these steps will be happening at the same time and this list is not in chronological order.
Next Steps:
• Once we get the land ownership structure from SouthLake Church and Foursquare we will apply for a conditional use permit from Clackamas County.
• Receive conditional use permit decision.
• Apply for the SNAP loan from our partner bank.
• Have our design firm complete all necessary drawings and plans in an effort to secure construction permits.
• Begin our capital campaign in an effort to raise the needed funds to complete the financing package.
• Close sponsorships