2026 April Director Report

DIRECTOR REPORT DIRECTOR REPORT Lake Oswego Parks & Recreation’s mission is to Build Community, Enrich Lives, and Care for the Urban and Natural Environment. This report is a look back and summary of operations supporting our mission and promise of excellent services to the people of Lake Oswego.

April highlighted the creativity, collaboration, and community spirit that continue to define Lake Oswego Parks & Recreation.

One of the month’s standout moments was the Youth Action Council’s annual Outside the Art Room – Teen Art Showcase & Auction. The event featured more than 50 teen artists, interactive activities, and a silent auction that raised over $1,200 for the Children’s Healing Art Project (CHAP). Artwork from participants in the Farmers’ Market Young Entrepreneurs Program was also featured, showcasing the strong connections across programs and divisions.

Beyond the art showcase, April was filled with momentum across the department as staff prepared for the upcoming Farmers’ Market season, summer programs, Arbor Month activities, and a busy season of community events.

From recreation and enrichment programs to parks, natural areas, and facility operations, the month reflected our continued commitment to building community and enriching lives throughout Lake Oswego.

APRIL 1 - 30, 2026

Community Events Lake Oswego Farmers’ Market: April has been all about getting everything in place for the upcoming Lake Oswego Farmers’ Market season. We have secured several sponsors and have been finalizing vendor participation and schedules, working through booth layouts, and pulling together all the materials and equipment needed for opening day. A big part of the work was ongoing communication with vendors and sponsors…answering questions, adjusting schedules, and making sure we have a strong, well-balanced mix that reflects what our community looks for at the market. At the same time, we have been building momentum for the season through newsletters, social media, and vendor features as we head into our 25th year. We are also fortunate to have brought back Katelyn Andrade as our Assistant Market Manager for her second season, providing valuable continuity as we head into the year.

Young Entrepreneurs at the Market: We hosted workshops for our Young Entrepreneurs Program, focusing on practical skills like pricing, understanding costs, and preparing products for market. In addition, we’ve been busy planning and prepping all the Farm Fresh Kids activities for the season, getting materials and weekly programming ready for opening day. Volunteer coordination and preparation was another key focus, with continued recruitment, communication, and training to get everyone ready for the season. A lot of the work this month has been behind the scenes, but we have built a strong foundation that will allow the market to run smoothly and create a great experience for both vendors and the community once we open May 9th!

Outside the Art Room Teen Art Show & Auction: Community events partnered with the Enrichment Division’s Youth Action Council to host Outside the Art Room. Many of the market Young Entrepreneurs showcased their artwork as well. Check out the Enrichment section for additional details!

Lake Run: We are finalizing Lake Run details and safety plans. Northwest Housing Alternatives and events did a site walk of the site to plan locations of sponsors and vendors.

There is still time to sign up for the 10K, 5K, kids dash OR sign up to volunteer! This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the Lake Run. Event Volunteers: In preparation for the market we have hosted several volunteer opportunities for volunteers to help prep farmers market supplies and farm fresh kids’ activities for opening day.

Community Events Juneteenth: This year community events is partnering with the School District and the Black Student Unions to host Juneteenth. The event will have the theme Mafanikio (mahfah-NEE-kee-oh) Swahili for “Success” or “Achievement chosen by students to represent the journey from freedom to progress. The students are assembling a planning committee and assigning tasks. This is a great way for students to learn what it takes to run events! They are learning marketing, communication plans, organizing vendors and performers, budgeting and volunteering.

Judy Rossner Retirement: In April, we celebrated the retirement of long-time employee Judy Rossner. Judy started as volunteer in 2001 when the farmers’ market first opened. Judy provided information on healthy eating and cooking using market vegetables. Judy was hired as an event team member in 2006 where she helped plan events, ran traffic control, worked information booths, and park reservations. We will miss Judy dearly!

Luscher Farm Growing Minds had a blast in the April session!

Kiddos released lady bugs, met a baby duck, learned about birds and animals on a farm, and planted tomato and snap pea seeds to take home! Each session featured a different theme with a story, walk, and playtime.

Field trips are about halfway through for the season!

We have had visits from local schools, home school groups, and surrounding metro areas. Field trips teach about chickens, seeds, worms, machinery, organic gardening, and pollinators. Most field trip visitors are returning schools who enjoy coming back to the Farm every Spring.

Summer Camp counselor interviews were conducted to bring on 4 new summer staff. It was very competitive with 40 applicants and wonderful interviewees. They will be a great addition to the summer staff!

Sustainability Fair: Luscher Farm represented at the 5th annual Sustainability Fair! Izzy also sat on the planning committee this year while the Sustainability Program Manager role was filled in the City Manager's Office. It was a fun day spending time with other City divisions and interacting with the community.

Community Gardens: We have completed a total of 12 Community Gardener orientations. It was such a joy checking in with every single gardener, discussing property updates, and making new friends.

20 new gardeners entered the community garden program this season. Another 25 from the wait-list were offered spots but declined due to various reasons. We are excited to be moving through the wait-list and allowing more gardeners to enjoy the community gardens.

Neighborhood Days have started for community gardeners. These sessions focus on getting to know your neighbors, helping beautify the paths, and allow gardeners to ask questions 1:1 to farm staff.

Volunteering: We love our volunteers! Community Gardeners have participated in 2 work days this month and Moonstone Salon came out for a 2-hour work visit as well.

Adult Community Center Program Highlights: Lunch Trip: Enjoyed a delightful outing to Filberts Farmhouse.

Collaboration with the Library: Partnered with LO Reads, resulting in two sold-out trips for a Portland bridge tour.

End-of-Month Excursion: Concluded the month with a visit to Bauman Farm.

Ikebana Class: We held a Japanese flower arranging course.

Digital Dive Series: The ACC and Library collaborated on a program discussing the existence of misinformation. This four-part series in April covered topics such as AI, scams, influencers, fake information, and algorithms.

Human Services: Spring has arrived with our delightful Spring Luncheon!

Building: We are maintaining our HVAC system by replacing the worn and weathered insulation.

Nicolette Hume (staff) has designed and installed a beautiful fountain in the “Memorial Garden" she is creating. In May, we will hold a day of remembrance for our friends who have passed away.

Recreation Management Department Recreation Support Recruitment and Interviews A Recreation Support position is integral to the overall operations of Recreation Services. Rec Support staff are responsible for preparing spaces and equipment for programs and activities across ACC, CCP, LORAC, and park sites for special events. This role requires dependable individuals who are comfortable with physically demanding work, including lifting and transporting equipment, maintaining clean and safe facilities, and supporting a wide range of operational needs. Staff also serve as a key point of contact for customers, providing assistance and information related to Parks & Recreation services.

We recently interviewed three candidates for open Rec Support positions and are pleased to share that all three were selected and hired to fill current vacancies.

IRPA Learning Topic- Building a Learning Organization This month’s IRPA webinar was presented by Dean Heffta, a leadership development expert who specializes in helping individuals grow beyond technical competency into true leadership mastery. Through this engaging presentation, he provided actionable insights that help LOPR leaders learn to increase their impact, strengthen communication, and build more effective teams.

The webinar focused on how successful teams require an environment that accelerates competence. Dean introduced three key practices that organizational leaders can use immediately to create environments where learning happens faster, innovation is embraced, and communities feel better served.

These practices emphasized building conditions that support continuous development, strengthening team adaptability, and fostering a culture where improvement and collaboration are expected rather than exceptional. The discussion highlighted how intentional leadership behaviors can directly influence team performance and service outcomes.

Parks Board April’s Parks Board meeting was held jointly with the Sustainability Board and included a study session featuring a Tree Code amendment presentation by Planning Department Director Jessica Namanalu. The presentation covered the Tree Code Audit, highlighting key issues, outlining the evaluation framework, and introducing a draft of proposed code amendments for consideration

Summer Registration 2026 Summer registration opened to LO Residents on Saturday, April 4 at 10am. With 9317 transactions, total Gross receipts for the day came to $799,062.75. After merchant processing fees, Net receipts came to $767,259.53. Compared to 2025 Summer Registration opening day, 2026 Summer Net receipts increased by 19.65%.

The top 4 programs are: • Camps: $201,898.00 • Outdoor: $132,249.00 • Youth Tennis: $119,168.00 • Youth Sports: $83,170.00 Internet registration was the option of choice with 85% of participants registering on‐line.

Non‐resident registration opens Friday, April 10 at 10am.

A big Thank you to the registrar staff who worked on Saturday at the LORAC, ACC, and Tennis Center.

Recreation Management ADA Tech Team Meeting April’s quarterly Tech Team meeting included a focused discussion on key performance indicators (KPIs) for the 2027 ADA Annual Report. The City’s ADA Coordinator, Kelli Byrd, led the conversation, highlighting metrics relevant to Parks & Recreation, including Inclusion Support hours, activities specifically designed for people experiencing disabilities, and ADA improvements across park properties.

Parks & Recreation staff will refine data collection methods to ensure consistent tracking of Inclusion Support hours and Adaptive Activities across all programs and facilities. Teams will also conduct a systemwide review of existing ADA improvements to identify gaps, prioritize projects, and align efforts with the City’s ADA Transition Plan.

Coordination with facility supervisors and program staff will be essential to standardize reporting practices and ensure accurate, timely data. Additionally, staff will explore opportunities for training to increase awareness and understanding of ADA compliance and inclusive service delivery.

These efforts will result in more reliable and actionable data to inform decision-making, improved accessibility across park properties, and enhanced ability to measure progress over time. Increased clarity around Inclusion Support hours will help demonstrate the department’s commitment to equitable access, while prioritized ADA improvements will contribute to safer, more inclusive spaces for all community members. Ultimately, this work supports the City’s broader goals of accessibility, inclusion, and continuous improvement in service delivery.

Gold Medal Award We received a response from NRPA, and unfortunately, we were not chosen to advance for the award. We will make another attempt next year.

April Recreation and Management Services Program Meeting This meeting focused on program updates, operational improvements, communication efforts, and staff development opportunities across Parks & Recreation.

Key discussion areas included a Program and Activity Round Robin, where staff shared updates, milestones, and identified areas for growth across programs.

Under Administration & Management Updates, the group reviewed policy updates related to building and shelter rentals, as well as ongoing work on the Patron Trespass Policy and park rules addressing criminal behavior and noncompliance.

The Program Cost Recovery Model discussion centered on refining methods for estimating activity costs, including improved use and organization of supporting spreadsheets.

In Website and Promotional Updates, staff received progress updates on the Citywide website cleanup and communications project, along with planning efforts for Parks & Recreation Month in July. Additional coordination included poster and banner scheduling and production timelines. The meeting also included important information from City Employment Services, including updates on EAP services and upcoming requirements for employees enrolled in Regence insurance to verify dependents beginning in May. Finally, the group reviewed Leadership and Professional Development opportunities, including a reminder about the upcoming ORPA Conference.

LORAC Management Services April was a transitional month as we moved from winter operations toward spring and early summer planning. Focus areas included maintaining service levels, preparing for seasonal programming shifts, and addressing member feedback to improve overall experience.

Partnerships & Community Engagement We continue to collaborate with local organizations and user groups. While we are exploring additional partnership opportunities, current capacity and operational considerations require thoughtful planning before expanding offerings.

Operations: Facility operations remained steady throughout the month. Staff continued to monitor high-use areas, particularly during peak hours in the fitness and aquatic spaces. Minor maintenance items were addressed promptly to ensure minimal disruption to members. Planning also began for upcoming summer schedule adjustments, including staffing and space allocation.

Member Experience We continue to receive and review member feedback across all areas of the facility. Recent adjustments—including designated program times and clearer communication of shared spaces—are aimed at improving the overall member experience. Staff remain committed to providing responsive and consistent service.

Aquatics: Programming remained strong, with consistent participation in lap swim, lessons, and group activities. Adjustments were made to better balance lane space and accommodate a variety of user groups. Continued conversations around shared space usage and member expectations have helped guide scheduling decisions moving forward.

Staffing: Staffing levels remained stable in April.

Ongoing training and onboarding efforts continue to be a priority, particularly in preparation for increased summer demand.

Leadership staff have been focused on supporting team development and ensuring consistency in service delivery.

Looking Ahead: Key priorities for May include: Finalizing and implementing the summer schedule Continuing staff recruitment and training Monitoring program demand and adjusting where feasible Enhancing communication with members regarding schedules and expectations

LORAC Management Services & Aquatics Maintenance and Pool Recap Pool Updates Chlorine Room All chlorine feeders have now been replaced; completing the work started in March.

One pump was removed during the installation of the Competition pool feeder, so we now have a spare pump and more space in the room.

All the feeders now sit on spill containment platforms so in the event of a feeder leak, water does not go onto the floor or outside into the stormwater drain.

The room was thoroughly cleaned during installation as well.

Aquatics - Quick Overview We have trained two new Aqua Fitness instructors, increasing our total to five!

Most membership classes are now at capacity, each accommodating 35 participants.

Aqua Mat Yoga has surged in popularity, receiving excellent feedback and sustained interest from the community.

Thirteen new lifeguards have been certified within our community.

We have successfully hired eleven new lifeguards.

This month, we hosted our inaugural EGGstravaganza event, featuring three sessions and attracting 88 registrations. Everyone had a great time hunting for eggs in the pool with their baskets, going down the slides, enjoying the rec pool, and leaving with a prize.

LORAC Management Services & Aquatics Maintenance and Pool Recap Chlorine Feeder Booster Pumps Worked with electricians to interlock the chlorine feeder booster pumps with the pool system controls to prevent them from running when everything else is turned off.

Pool Automation Currently testing certain pool automation features.

Found and fixed programing and control wiring issues on 7 different pieces of equipment.

Emergency stop button now turns off all heaters.

Hot Water Pump Replaced the hot water recirculation pump that provides hot water to the SW corner of the building with one that is sized better to the plumbing.

After replacement, there has been an 80%+ reduction in wait time and water usage for hot water at the affected fixtures while only using the same amount of power as a light bulb.

The old pump was retained as a spare.

Flag Pole and Roof Top Ladders Trimmed excess cable out of the flag pool to prevent it from jamming while raising/lowering of the flags.

Repurposed excess cable to securely store a 4ft ladder with each dehumidifier on the roof for ease of access/maintenance.

Bathroom Updates Changed out all the manual soap dispensers in the building.

Trying out a new supplier for bathroom consumables.

Fixed the suit spinner and replaced an automatic soap dispenser in the women's locker room.

Enrichment & Teen Programs Teen Programs: Summer registration was a great success for Teen Programs! All activities have reached their minimum well before the start of the camp season and we have several full!

Staff attended the National Summer Learning Association’s 2026 Summer Planning Bootcamp webinar. Learned about various strategies for summer activity planning, partnerships, and ideas for camp improvements.

Lounge hosted a participant fav event, Everybody’s Birthday! Attendance is seeing some boosts as winter and spring activities and sports wind down.

The Lounge partnered with YAC to host a dog toy making event! All toys that were made were donated to the Oregon Dog Rescue.

The Youth Action Council hosted its annual Outside the Art Room – Teen Art Showcase and Auction on Friday, April 17.

The event, held at CCP, featured 50 teen artists as well as an art clinic and activities provided from sponsors One River Art School and Drawn2Art. The silent auction from the event raised over $1200 for the Children’s Healing Art Project (CHAP). This is the 9th year that YAC has hosted the art show in collaboration with local students, businesses and community members.

Applications are still open for the Jr. Camp Counselor program and the 2026-27 Youth Action Council.

YAC met in the Teen Lounge to help make dog toys for the Oregon Dog Rescue using leftover fleece from the Covers for Kids event they host in December.

Enrichment, Outdoor & Fitness Outdoor Programs: Summer registration was A HUGE success generating over $135,000 in program fees and enrolling over 400 participants in programs.

Hikes and Rambles is heating up along with the weather! They have began hiking three times a week. Volunteers recently got together and built and released the Summer 2026 hiking schedule.

Little Hikers started and concluded! This class is an exciting opportunity to visit a rotating series of parks for a fun and educational experience. This month’s group visited George Rogers park, Springbrook park, and concluded with a walk and worm bin look at Luscher Farm.

Some highlights include seeing a crawdad and a mini waterfall, as well as getting circled by a low flying osprey!

Spring is a time for learning! Over at the ACC staff hosted a Plant Identification for the Non-Botanists and a Mushroom Foraging for beginners lecture.

Fitness Programs: Summer registration generated almost $57,000 with 768 participants!

April ended our 2026 Winter/Spring season, fitness had over 200 more participants compared to Winter/Spring 2025.

The Fitness Department began using a new app, TeamBuildr, for personal and small group training. This app is streamlining the process of scheduling, communication and payments.

Added duplicate series for Better Bones & Balance and Chair Yoga to accommodate all participants.

Enrichment Programs: Summer camp registration was a resounding success – revenue generated (to date) is $241,425 and 1,071 participants.

Mr. Hoo gave his final performance of the school year at Indoor Play!

Parks Planning & Projects CAPITAL PROJECTS LORAC: Final warranty issues are being addressed

by Triplett Wellman.

Awaiting the submission of O&M documents from TW. The one-year walkthrough for buildings ‘B’ and ‘C’ with SEA and TW was completed last week, and the final punch list has been submitted.

The one-year walkthrough for building ‘A’ is scheduled for the end of May. A discussion regarding final closeout and liquidated damages with legal will be arranged.

Luscher Farm: Architects are currently working on the Design Development documents for the farmhouse and bunkhouse, with a review planned for next week.

Preliminary evaluations of the barn and Fir Lane house have commenced.

Survey documents were submitted last week.

Cemetery: The drainage report from the driving range is due in May. George Roger’s Park Footbridge: The architect and structural engineer conducted an inspection last week. The report is anticipated in May.

Rassekh Park Phase 2: The electrician is coordinating with PGE to finalize power to the building. Staff are coordinating with the LO Arts Council to form an art selection committee for a mural on the garage door facing the skatepark as part of the 1.5% for Art Program.

Willamette River Greenway Trail: The project team opened bids on April 28. 10 bids were received. Following evaluation, the apparent lowest responsible bidder was Daybreak Construction with a bid of $688,000.

A Notice of Intent to Award was sent to bidders on April 30. Following closure of the 7-day protest period on May 7, staff will move forward with awarding the contract to Daybreak Construction at the May 19 City Council meeting.

West Waluga Neighborhood Connector Trails: This project, which is anticipated to be funded through the Metro Local Share program, is planned to be initiated in 2026. The first step in the process will be to submit a funding request to Metro to fund a preliminary design and alternatives analysis, and work with park neighbors and community members to identify the preferred alignment. Following design, staff anticipate being able to fund construction of the top preferred pathway alignment with Local Share dollars.

Parks Planning & Projects PLANNING AND POLICY PROJECTS Luscher Area Master Plan Implementation: The application is nearly complete and is expected to be submitted in spring 2026.

Following a determination of application completeness by Clackamas County the application will be reviewed at a series of public hearings with the Clackamas County Planning Commission, Board of County Commissioners, and Historic Review Board.

Parks SDC Methodology Update: Parks & Recreation and Planning staff are coordinating to ensure consistency with other updates resulting from implementation of citywide housing production strategy implementation.

Tennis, Golf & Sports TENNIS CENTER Youth & Program Updates: April continued strong program engagement as the Winter/Spring session progressed toward its final phase.

• Youth and adult classes maintained consistent attendance, with participants continuing to build skills and confidence.

• Instructors emphasized structured progressions, reinforcing fundamentals while introducing more advanced concepts.

• Interest in upcoming summer programming began to increase, with early inquiries and planning conversations underway.

Facility & Operations: Operations remained steady and well-managed throughout the month.

• Court usage stayed high across leagues, programs, and private bookings.

• Front desk staff maintained strong performance in managing daily operations, customer service, and registrations.

• Continued emphasis on staff communication and accountability supported a consistent and positive experience for patrons.

GOLF Leagues & Team Play: League activity remained a major contributor to overall facility usage throughout April.

• USTA Winter 2026 league matches continued, keeping courts active during weekends.

• City League teams remained engaged with regular matches and practice schedules.

• Continued communication with captains supported scheduling coordination, match logistics, and facility expectations.

• Court utilization remained strong due to a combination of league play, practices, and seasonal reservations.

In April, the golf course had 2,037 rounds played, and a total of $20,178 in greens fees.

On the driving range, golfers hit 225,170 golf balls and brought in a total of $29,154.

The high school teams will soon be wrapping up their seasons in the next few weeks. This will make room for the ladies’ club and the Red Barn men’s group to use some evening tee times.

On April 26, we wrapped up our first complete year of operations. Our total revenue for the first year was $1,146,667. This included 32,342 rounds played and 2,291,410 balls hit on the driving range.

Looking ahead, the ladies’ club and the two men’s clubs will begin their seasons in April.

Planning & Preparation: April was a key month for finalizing summer logistics and preparing for increased seasonal demand.

• Summer 2026 program offerings were finalized, including youth camps & classes, and adult classes.

• Continued coordination of summer staffing, including hiring, onboarding, and scheduling.

• Marketing efforts and outreach were implemented to support strong summer enrollment.

Tennis, Golf & Sports SPORTS DIVISION Preschool & Youth Sports: We held 6 preschool programs, 3 youth programs, and 2 youth camps serving 90 kids between 10 different sports including rugby, lacrosse, flag football, soccer, skateboarding, and more.

Adult Sports: The 21st Spring season of Adult Soccer League kicked off with 171 players. The 1st Spring season of Adult Basketball League at LORAC began with 125 players. Between two adult leagues and multiple divisions we are providing about 15 hours of recreation each week to nearly 300 individuals. In addition to regular season players, we had 16 substitute players register to play between soccer and basketball.

Teen Sports: High School City League Basketball concluded with 5 total winning teams across 5 tournament brackets, separated into the winner’s bracket and a consolation bracket. This gave teams in the middle of the regular season standings a chance at a championship title. On championship day, there was an estimated total of over 200 spectators, as well as 100 players, across 5 games and 5 hours.

Pickelball: The first ever Pickleball Neon Nite at LORAC had 25 registered and featured blacklights, glow-in-the-dark tape, glowing balls, paddles, and nets, and fun glow-in-the-dark treasures for kids! This event was put on to celebrate National Pickleball Month and was a hit. We offered a beginner level adult pickleball class with 8 participants and an intermediate level adult pickleball class with 13 participants.

LORAC Gym: Open play sports saw about 500 participants in April with Sunday morning pickleball and Monday night volleyball being the popular choice to play.Between gym attendants and pickleball instructors, sports staff worked about 370 hours ensuring that programs were available, the facility was clean, organized and safe, and classes were enjoyable for all participants.

Parks, Natural Areas, Athletic Fields, Etc., Department Highlights: Staff kiddo toured the parks and learned about our electric mower during “Bring Your Kid to Work Day.”

In preparation for the Arbor month tree planting at Westlake Park, staff used a stump grinder to remove stumps from planting areas in the park, and other park areas.

Staff worked on the Foothills Veterans Memorial drainage project and asphalt pathway repair. New decomposed granite was added to pathway area of memorial.

Natural areas staff started the first month of Gnome and Polli hiding in Hallinan, GRP, and Pennington.

Staff Installed a new memorial bench at Rassekh skate park.

Parks, Natural Areas, Athletic Fields, Etc., Department Highlights Continued: Collaboration with Make-A-Wish Oregon Foundation The Make-A-Wish Oregon Foundation recently contacted us regarding Darcy, a Wish Ambassador from Lake Oswego, who expressed a desire to place a “star” at East Waluga Park.

She frequently visits this park to watch Little League games. April marks their World Wish Month celebration, commemorating the anniversary of the very first wish ever granted.

Darcy is dedicated to raising awareness and fulfilling wishes for other children in our community. The stars are part of a scavenger hunt scattered throughout Oregon and SW Washington at various locations where individuals are recognized as Wishmakers. Each star features a QR code, and participants can scan the code to enter for a chance to win a three-night stay at any WorldMark Resort in the United States.

A heartfelt message from the Foundation: “Thank you so much for helping to hide a star during our Star Seekers Scavenger Hunt for World Wish Month in April! We had a recordbreaking number of participants this year, and we are incredibly grateful for partners like you who helped us raise awareness and spread the message of renewed hope and joy that a wish can bring.”

Parks, Natural Areas, Athletic Fields, Etc., Parks: Park facilities are currently being cleaned with pressure washers to prepare for the upcoming busy reservation season.

The planters at Roehr Amphitheater have been transplanted as part of a beautification project.

To get ready for the Lake Oswego Farmers’ Market season, new electrical outlets are being installed in the “Bosque” area of Millennium Plaza Park.

Leaf mulch has been spread in various landscape areas throughout the parks to serve as a weed suppressant, fertilizer, and to support wildlife. Additionally, arborist chips have been applied in multiple park locations.

Staff have removed invasive plants, including blackberry, ivy, butterfly bush, and clematis, along the Headlee walkway.

New native landscaping has been introduced, and the walkway has been resurfaced with ¼ minus gravel.

Spring turf maintenance activities, such as fertilizing, seeding, and aerating, are actively ongoing in park turf areas.

Backflow systems have been activated across all parks.

Yellow jacket traps have been strategically placed throughout the parks.

Lime fertilizer has been applied to various lawns.

Seasonal tasks include weeding, integrated pest management (IPM), pruning, mowing, edging, mulching, and clearing pathways.

Natural Areas: On April 18, staff organized a Nature Scavenger Hunt in Hallinan Woods.

Staff participated in the Sustainability Fair, where they educated the public about the Emerald Ash Borer and its impact on Lake Oswego.

A meeting was held with a college student who is interested in starting a tiny forest project funded by a City Council grant as part of a capstone project.

The gravel pad for the entrance of the Iron Mountain Pollinator Garden has been completed.

The Crew has been actively spraying invasive weeds in several parks to manage spring growth.

We have begun mowing all our properties to accommodate the new spring growth.

The pavers at Luscher have been power washed.

Borders at East Waluga have been prepared for the Wildfire Management Workshop.

The irrigation systems in all our parks have been repaired.

Shrub beds at Iron Mountain have been mulched.

Wood chips have been added to the trail at East Waluga Park.

Urban Forester: April was a busy and productive month.

Work party on the 7th of March at The city celebrated another successful Springbrook Park to spread mulch in the Arbor Month and launched the Urban & nature play area with over 30 volunteers.

Community Forestry Workshop Series with Staff have been focusing on all our weed two events.

A tree planting at problem areas in the naturalworkshop areas.

Westlake Park provided participants with Some staff attended a workshop on tree hands-on for instruction from Parks staff on injections EAB. proper selection, planting techniques, Two newtree magnolia trees were planted in and Mountain site suitability.

Iron Park.At Foothills Park, a tree Mowing season hasled started in all arborist of our pruning workshop by a local parks. gave attendees practical guidance on Staff haspruning been fixing irrigation. proper methods to support longterm tree health and structure.

Staff met with the city’s contract consulting arborist, as well as GIS and asset management teams, to plan for the city’s first comprehensive public tree inventory. As a foundational effort, this inventory will establish a baseline understanding of the city’s urban forest, including species composition, age distribution, condition, and overall diversity. This data will be critical for informing future management decisions, such as prioritizing maintenance, guiding planting strategies, and improving canopy resilience. It will also help identify gaps in species and age diversity, allowing the city to proactively address vulnerabilities related to pests, disease, and climate impacts.

Staff are also preparing a presentation for a City Council study session in June, which will outline several funding scenarios for implementing actions identified in the city’s draft Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Readiness & Response Plan.

Finally, draft Tree Code amendments were presented to the Planning Commission, Parks & Recreation Board, and Sustainability Advisory Board to gather feedback. Input from these groups has been incorporated by consultants to further refine the proposed code updates.

Athletic Fields:

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Soccer goal inspections on all our athletic fields: East Waluga, Hazelia, George Rogers, and Westlake Parks.

Replacing some of the soccer nets at George Rodgers, and East Waluga.

Adding new home plate at Westlake baseball field and Softball field #2 at George Rodgers ensure player safety.

Installed durable and flexible marking whisker on all dirt athletic fields marking the location of the bases, pitching rubber, and batter boxes as it helps field marking staff to quickly locate the field line anchor from season the season.

Pressure washing bleachers, dugouts, and surface cleaners at Westlake and East Waluga.

Repaired two irrigation main lines at Foothills Park.

Aeration lip application on all natural grass fields to help improves safety and turf density in high traffic, compacted area.

Adding engineered soil to softball field at Westlake which provides a consistent, stable, and safe playing surface that manages water efficiently, reducing rainouts.

Added conditioner to all dirt fields at Westlake and Goerge Rodgers to help maintain moisture deep in the infield mix and to help remove excess moistures in wet conditions.

Urban Forester:

Routine Maintenance Edging and weed-eating at Westlake Athletic Field.

Grooming the softball and baseball fields at GRP and Westlake.

Ensuring safe and playable surfaces by applying putting conditioner to all dirt fields, keeping infields smooth, safe, and durable.

Mowing the Westlake infields twice a week to enhance safety and performance for our users, as well as maintaining Iron Mountain, Wood Mound Park, and small areas in all the parks once a week.

Blowing off dugouts, bleachers, and athletic fields.

Added crumb rubber to our synthetic fields at East Waluga, providing essential player safety through impact cushioning.

Athletic Fields:

Reservations: Requests for summer athletic field use (June 1 – August 31) from Category 1 & 2 users was due the first two weeks of the month. Field space has been allocated for the summer and online requests opened to Category 3 & 4 users. We have a full slate of camps every week throughout the summer at most fields from all users.

Currently working with the Sports Division to find field space for them to partner with an adult women’s fastpitch softball league out of Portland to help the sport grow.

The picnic shelter and premier park reservation season started April 1. We started taking reservations February 3. For the month of April we’ve received an additional 91 3hour block picnic shelter reservations and 5 premier park Urban (Foothills, Millennium Plaza, Forester: Roehr) reservations.

The first ever picnic shelter reservation at Rassekh Park was held April 19.

Special Event Permits have now been issued for the Lake Run on May 2 and Lion’s Club Pancake Breakfast on July 4. Pending permits still in review are Walk4Water on May 30, Pride Festival on June 7, Festival of the Arts on June 26-28, 4th of July Fireworks over the Lake on July 4, Make Public Art part of the Pints from the Past program on July 14 and Collector Car & Classic Boat Show on August 30. Applications are still being worked on for the Chamber’s Health and Wellness Fair on August 13, Oswego Lake Architectural Boat Tour on September 13 and DSNO Buddy Walk on September 20.

New this year Parks is working with the Lake Corp on utilization of Sundeleaf plaza for viewing of the Lake Oswego Open Water Invitational Water Polo Tournament. This tournament through Lake Oswego Water Polo Organization (LOWPO) is also hosted by the Lakeshore Inn and is held in Lakewood Bay in front of Sundeleaf Plaza.

Communication & Sponsorship Social Park &Media: Natural Area Projects In April, Parks & Recreation social media channels highlighted a wide range of programs, events, and initiatives, including Arbor Month and the Tree of the Week series, Lake Run, multiple park closures and maintenance projects, Farmers’ Market, summer concerts, Special Olympics, and more.

It was a strong month for engagement, with posts reaching more than 80,000 viewers.

LORAC Support Materials: Continued development of facility support materials to enhance the member experience and support daily operations at the Lake Oswego Recreation & Aquatics Center.

Materials included signage, brochures, digital assets, swim schedules, and print collateral.

Website Management: Maintained and updated the Parks & Recreation website with timely and accurate information, including park updates,closings, event promotions, and aquatic facility schedules.

Website Review Project: Continued collaboration with the City Manager’s Office on a comprehensive audit of Parks & Recreation website content.

Approximately 75 percent of assigned pages have been reviewed to determine whether content should be retained, archived, or removed. This work is ongoing.

LO Review and Special Olympics Worked with the LO Review to coordinate a feature article for their magazine highlighting the Special Olympics program hosted at the Tennis Center. It was a meaningful opportunity to get to know the athletes, coaches, and families involved in the program and help share their stories with the broader community. The feature also provided an opportunity to recognize and thank the sponsors and supporters who help make the program possible and continue to invest in inclusive recreation opportunities in Lake Oswego.

Scholarship Program: Scholarship demand continues to grow, with the highest need during summer programs and camps. In response, expanded outreach, sponsorship development, and community fundraising efforts are underway. A coordinated advertising, social media, and poster campaign has launched. Additional fundraising concepts in development include a Fourth of July dunk tank, lap swim and fitness challenges, and the Mayor’s Golf Tournament. Received a $1,000 contribution from Rotary to support the program. Also worked with Finance to create a new donation option on the City website to streamline giving outside of Active.

Comms Team Retreat & Outreach Participated in the Communications Team retreat on April 30. Also collaborated with the CMO and Fire Department to support Fireside Chats hosted at LORAC. Banner Program Currently coordinating the next round of summer event banners. Pending permitting approval, banners are anticipated to be installed throughout the community by the first week of June.

City Rebranding Project Participated in meetings with the communications team and the Turell Group to initiate the City rebranding project.

Publications & Outreach: Produced content for HelloLO and LO Down.

Outreach Communications Distributed multiple emails and push notifications to LORAC members highlighting programming, schedules, and facility updates.

Collaborated with the Library to promote participation in their strategic survey.