As of April, the Santa Clara Community Park has officially broken ground.
A voter-approved 2018 parks and recreation bond and levy is funding the development of Phase One of the community park, located off of Wilkes Drive.
Phase One of construction will include a large playground, parking lot, outdoor community gathering space, picnic shelter and a multipurpose field.
According to Mark Kosmos, one of six landscape architects for Eugene, the first public meetings held for the park’s development were held before the pandemic. Kosmos explained how, while Santa Clara has a multitude of neighborhood parks, the need for a community park is what drove the project.
“Neighborhood parks are generally designed to serve people within a walking distance,” Kosmos said. “Community parks tend to be a draw for people all over Eugene, [they] typically have more amenities.”
Kosmos said that Phase One of the project was based on the need that the park was a priority for the neighborhood.
Compared to other neighborhoods in Eugene, Santa Clara is relatively underserved and underdeveloped. The absence of a community park can be attributed to property ownership in Santa Clara.
“Santa Clara is a mixture of county and city properties,” Kosmos said. “Streets are serviced by [Lane] County and not the city.”
Shawn Mogenson has lived in the greater Eugene-Springfield area for over 50 years. Mogenson cited the lack of a true community space as the reason that Santa Clara residents have to visit parks that are not within walking distance.
“It’s either Echo Hollow or Sheldon,” Mogenson said when speaking about the closest locations of a community park. “I just think [the community park] will give people other options, other places to take their kids.”
Kosmos said that city residents voting in favor of the bonds and levies are incredibly important in making these projects possible.
“We’re grateful that people in Eugene have supported our levies and bonds because without that support, we cannot build the parks,” Kosmos said.
After Phase One of the project wraps up in 2025, the next phase will focus on bringing a community center and pool. The park will open when Phase One is completed.
“The real big picture of this park is that [Santa Clara] needs a community center,” Kosmos said.
