TO: Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Krishna Namburi, City Manager
FROM: Gretchen Bennett, Community Services Director
SUBJECT:
title
Fairview Park Development Grant Agreement with the Oregon Department of Administrative Services.
Ward(s): Ward 3
Councilor(s): Matthews
Neighborhood(s): Morningside
Result Area(s): Welcoming and Livable Community; Safe, Reliable and Efficient Infrastructure
end
SUMMARY:
summary
Fairview Park is an undeveloped community park in southeast Salem. Following City Council approval of the Fairview Park Development and Management Plan on March 10, 2025, the City is preparing to advance Phase 1 development of the park, focused on constructing several preliminary park improvements. These include, subject to availability of capital and operational funding, a dog park, central play area, pedestrian paths, off-street parking, landscape enhancements, utilities, and tree preservation. In the 2025 State of Oregon Legislative Session, Salem was named in the funding bill to receive $824,780 for interpretive improvements at Fairview. City staff request Council authorization for the City Manager to enter into Grant Agreement with the Oregon Department of Administrative Services related to the use of these state funds to support the construction of an interpretive space and related site improvements as part of the Phase 1 park development project.
end
ISSUE:
Shall City Council authorize the City Manager to enter into Grant Agreement with Oregon Department of Administrative Services to support improvements at Fairview Park?
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Authorize the City Manager to enter into Grant Agreement with Oregon Department of Administrative Services to support improvements at Fairview Park.
body
FACTS AND FINDINGS:
Interpretive Space Funding
The interpretive space at Fairview Park is a distinct component of the broader park development plan and has been identified as a potential additive element for the Phase 1 improvement project. In the 2025 State of Oregon Legislative Session, Salem was named in the funding bill to receive $824,780 for these interpretive improvements. The Oregon Department of Administrative Services (DAS) requires the City to enter into a grant agreement in order to access these funds.
The legislative allocation is sufficient to fully cover construction of the interpretive improvements. Planning, design, engineering, permitting, and pre-construction project management will be funded by the City using other park development funds already programmed for Phase 1. The proposed grant agreement to fund the interpretive space, Grant Agreement 107-2025-5006-31, is included as Attachment 1.
Site Context
Fairview Park is an undeveloped 28-acre park located at 2220 Strong Road SE, featuring rolling terrain that slopes toward the West Middle Fork of Pringle Creek. The site is part of the 275-acre former Fairview Training Center and is distinguished by a significant collection of mature trees, including Oregon white oak, Douglas fir, giant sequoia, and Western red cedar, which are foundational to both the park’s character and long-term ecological value.
The park occupies land within the traditional homelands of the Santiam bands of the Kalapuya people and later served as part of the Fairview Training Center campus from 1908 until its closure in 2000. The City acquired the property in 2016 with the intent, as reflected in the 2025 Fairview Park Development and Management Plan, to develop a public park that acknowledges and interprets this layered and complex history. The Council-approved park plan explicitly calls for place-based and interpretive design elements to foster understanding, reflection, and community connection. A summary graphic of the park development concept, showing a proposed interpretive space within the larger context of the park, is included as Attachment 2.
Public Engagement and Planning
Development of the 2025 park plan was informed by an extensive and inclusive public engagement process. Outreach efforts included stakeholder interviews, targeted engagement with youth and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, Spanish-language outreach, participation at community events, and two citywide surveys generating approximately 1,000 responses. Across these efforts, consistent community priorities emerged, including preservation of mature trees, accessible recreation opportunities, a balanced mix of passive and active uses, meaningful cultural interpretation, and flexible spaces for gathering and informal use.
On October 10, 2024, the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board was presented the draft park development and management plan. The Board endorsed the plan and forwarded a recommendation to Council for approval.
Phase 1 Development
Phase 1 of park development focuses on establishing core amenities and infrastructure to support immediate public use and future build-out. Improvements include:
• A dog park with two small shelters.
• A central play area with picnic shelters and restrooms.
• Landscape enhancements emphasizing tree preservation.
• Pathways, lighting, parking, and installation of utilities and stormwater infrastructure.
The park development phasing plan is included as Attachment 3.
Overall Funding Strategy
With the addition of the appropriated funds from the State Legislature, Phase 1 park development has a total budget of $5,557,120, with the remainder of funds coming from multiple sources:
• Project Number 725400
o $110,000 for the dog park as part of 2022 Safety and Livability Bond, allocated in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Budget.
o An additional $440,000 in general obligation bonds for the dog park forecasted in the FY 2026-30 Capital Improvement Plan.
• Project Number 719405
o $2,682,340 in System Development Charges (SDCs).
o $500,000 in Fairview District Development Fees.
o An additional $1,000,000 in SDCs forecasted in the FY 2026-30 Capital Improvement Plan.
Additionally, a future competitive grant opportunity through the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department may expand the budget available for delivering the proposed scope.
Implementation Timeline
Implementation of the Phase 1 park development project is sequenced to align with funding, permitting, and engagement needs:
• First quarter 2026: Issue design consultant contract and initiate project-level planning and design.
• 2026: Potential competitive grant application to the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department Local Government Grant Program, to expand the project budget by leveraging local resources to secure additional external funding.
• 2026-2027: Community engagement and detailed design for the interpretive space, including story identification and review by the Historic Landmarks Commission.
• Late 2027-early 2028: Construction of Phase 1 park improvements, including the interpretive space.
• End of 2028: Targeted project completion.
City staff will submit quarterly progress reports to DAS until grant funds are fully expended. While the proposed grant agreement term expires on June 30, 2027, one or more extension will likely be required to allow for full expenditure of funds, a common and routine occurrence for funding awards of this type.
BACKGROUND:
Fairview Park is designated as a community park in the City’s 2013 Comprehensive Park System Master Plan, reflecting its intended role in serving both nearby neighborhoods and the broader Salem community. Since adoption of the Fairview Plan-a master plan that establishes goals and policies to guide future development within the Fairview Mixed-Use Zone encompassing the 275-acre former Fairview Training Center site-the surrounding district has experienced rapid growth and redevelopment, increasing demand for accessible, high-quality recreational amenities and well-designed public open space.
The City is well positioned to deliver the development of this interpretive space as an additive component of the Phase 1 development project that is already scheduled through the City Capital Improvement Plan.
Rob Romanek
Parks Planning Manager
Attachments:
1. Attachment 1 - Grant Agreement 107-2025-5006-31
2. Attachment 2 - Fairview Park Conceptual Design Plan
3. Attachment 3 - Fairview Park Phasing Plan