The K9 Keg Pull returns to The Village at Sunriver on Feb. 5
MASKS REQUIRED In Indoor Public Spaces – VACCINATED OR NOT – Sunriver thanks you!
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View movies themed in Oregon during an OEC-hosted Filmfest Page 8
S U N R I V E R
S C E N E A NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE SUNRIVER OWNERS ASSOCIATION
FEBRUARY 2022
VOLUME XLVIII • NUMBER 2
Labyrinth, leash proposals fail
Leash rule doesn’t pass The proposed rule requiring dogs to be leashed on pathways also failed at the Jan. 15 meeting of the SROA Board of Directors. The board vote was again split four to four. Those opposed to the proposed rule acknowledged that while there are more people, bicyclists, etc. on the pathways, due to the minimal number of dog-related incidents felt the rule was not needed as there really Turn to Fail, page 3
The proposed public safety building project includes the addition of a building to house the police department and other community spaces, shown in the center area of the above rendering. The existing firehouse is to the right and will be remodeled and also brought up to emergency requirements and standards.
SSD awarded $8M from county for public safety building The Deschutes County Commissioners have approved allocating $8 million in Transient Room Tax funds to the Sunriver Service District in support of and to help offset costs in the creation of a new public safety building in Sunriver. The Sunriver Service District (SSD) submitted a formal request to the county commissioners in January with an initial request of $10 million from unallocated Transient Room Tax (TRT) funds. In response, all three commis-
sioners voted in favor of committing $8 million to the project during their Jan 12 meeting. The funding will be allocated in three installments, with $4 million provided in fiscal year 2022/23 and $2 million more each year the following two years. “I feel we should proceed and be a partner in getting this built due to the growth of the area,” said commissioner Tony De Bone, who was first to suggest the $8 million allocation number. “We
are excited to be able to invest TRT funds locally for improvements that will benefit our residents and visitors.” Deschutes County collects 8% in TRT on short-term vacation rentals within the unincorporated parts of the county. Bend and other Central Oregon cities have the authority to levy their own room taxes. As an unincorporated community, Sunriver does not have Turn to Award, page 3
SHARC to offer additional swim days starting in February SROA NEWS – If all goes according to plan, two more Recreation Swim Session days and daily lap swim sessions will be added at SHARC starting in February. “A lot of this is still dependent on the number of lifeguards we can maintain,” said Leigh Anne Dennis, SROA’s Recreation Director. “We were able to change hours with some of our current lifeguards to make this work.” Swim Sessions will now be available on Currently available Saturday and Thursday and Friday. Recreation Swim Sunday only, afternoon Recreation is open to valid Member Preference
or Recreation Plus card holders, 2022 SROA Recreation Guest Passes and a limited number of general admissions. Lap swimming, which was available five days a week, will be offered daily to valid Member Preference or Recreation Plus cardholders and SROA Recreation Guest Passes only. Lap swim reservations are required, which can be done from SHARC’s website. Available swim offerings are posted on SHARC’s website calendar at www. sunriversharc.com
SUNRIVER SCENE SUNRIVER OWNERS ASSN. VOLUME XLVIII • NUMBER 2 P.O. BOX 3278 SUNRIVER, OR 97707
By Susan Berger, Sunriver Scene SROA NEWS – In a vote four to four by the SROA Board of Directors during their January meeting, the proposal by the Owner Enrichment Committee to create a labyrinth on SROA commons has failed. The proposal was to construct a low-key circular labyrinth about 80 feet in diameter on commons located west of a pathway and Beaver Drive on an expanse of commons between Circle 2 and Circle 11. While half of the board felt the labyrinth should move forward on a trial basis the other half were concerned with using commons in this manner – citing that it could set a precedent on how commons are utilized in the future. “The intent is well meant and thought out but it’s a slippery slope to go down,” said board director Tony De Alicante during the board’s Jan. 14 work session. Owners were also split about 50/50 for and against the proposed project. The opposition cited concerns for use of commons, impacts to nearby homes, parking and impacts on wildlife while others believe it would be a nice feature for use by both owners and visitors. The board asked that future consideration of a labyrinth be wrapped into the Parks Master Plan.
PRSRT STD. U.S. POSTAGE PAID BEND, OR PERMIT NO. 213