Sunriver
OWNERS ASSOCIATION
BE FIRE SAFE
Learn more about the candidates running for seats on the SROA Board
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The High Desert Museum welcomes new baby otter
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Thanks for Keeping Sunriver Safe!
S U N R I V E R
S C E N E A NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE SUNRIVER OWNERS ASSOCIATION
JULY 2022
VOLUME XLV • NUMBER 7
By Gerhard Beenen The SROA Board of Directors voted at their June meeting to put a bulk agreement with Bend-Broadband (now TDS) to a vote of the owners. Since all owners will have the opportunity to vote later this fall, I wanted to provide you with a bit of background prior to that vote. Many of you may be wondering: What is a bulk agreement and why is this agreement being put to a vote of the owners? Both are valid questions with answers that contain a bit of complexity. A bulk agreement is one in which all homes in Sunriver agree to sign up for a basic level of service from a single service supplier, TDS in this case. That is, if the bulk agreement is approved each home in Sunriver would be committed to pay for 300Mbps/300Mbps (downstream/ upstream) internet service at their home. This service will be delivered using a fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network, built out by TDS. Payment for this service would be added to your SROA owner’s maintenance fee. On the good news side, those who already subscribe to internet services from TDS will see a substantial reduction in the amount they pay ($35/month, $32 to TDS and $3 SROA processing fee, fixed for the next 10-years) and will experience significantly improved service quality (replacing buried coaxial cable with fiber will significantly reduce network interference, a major cause of poor service quality). In addition, TDS will provide an in-home WiFi router at no charge. TDS would re-main responsible for all network maintenance and customer support. For those who aren’t interested in internet service at their Sunriver home, Turn to Vote, page 3
Navigating river access in the Sunriver area By Susan Berger, Scene Staff As summer temperatures rise, thousands of visiting vacationers and residents in Sunriver will be seeking ways to cool off. Vehicles pour into the community hauling a variety of bicycles, sports equipment and watercraft. Wheth-er you have a kayak, canoe, tube, paddleboard, raft or boat you can float the Deschutes River or one of numerous nearby lakes. A float provides a leisurely adventure filled with forest views and ample opportunities to spot frolicking otters and grazing deer along with a variety of waterfowl and other birds. But access to the Deschutes River within the boundary of Sunriver “proper” does present its challenges. Limited access or launch points within the community are only available to Sunriver property owners, those vacationing here (for vacation homes participating in the Sunriver Owners Association’s Recreation Plus Program) or to those who have rented equipment from the Resort’s Marina. Since Sunriver is not an all-inclusive resort, and not all homes are vacation rentals, it is important for visitors to ed-
Exiting the river at the SROA Boat Launch is only for SROA property owners and homes participating in the Recreation Plus Program. The nearby Resort Marina is only for those who rent equipment from the Resort. All other river access is outside Sunriver ‘proper.’
ucate themselves on what is or what isn’t permitted here. For example, roadside parking is pro-hibited anywhere within the community and visitors should not trespass across private property when attempting to reach the river. You certainly don’t want a citation to spoil your
vacation fun. That being said, there are several public river access points around the Sunriver area. Floaters need to keep in mind that some sites may be special acTurn to River, page 9
Shell Station honored with DAR flag award
Theresa Pitman, DAR flag committee chair, presents the flag certificate to Shell Station management Kenny Martin, left, and GP Energy District Manager Russ Bowling, right.
By Susan Berger, Sunriver Scene The American flag is a long-standing and beloved symbol of our nation, but did you know that following proper “flag code” is an important part of displaying the flag honorably and correctly? Every year the Bend/Central Oregon Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) has a program that awards businesses for displaying the best flag. This year, the Shell Station/Circle K in the Sunriver Business Park was honored and presented The Flag of the United States of America Committee Certificate of Award for the “proper use, correct display and patriotic presentation of the flag of the United States of America.”
But the story of how this happened highlights the greater Sunriver community at its best – which took notice of the tattered condition of the flag and requested it be replaced. A campaign through the local NextDoor app got the ball rolling and it snowballed from there. With the collaboration of Shell management, the pieces came together to ensure a new flag was soon in place. Finding it a slow process through normal channels, the station’s manager and district manager, who both have military or law enforcement connections, stepped up to replace it themselves. “I’m a vet so this was important to me. I tried ordering a flag that would Turn to Award, page 3 SUNRIVER SCENE SUNRIVER OWNERS ASSN. VOLUME XLV • NUMBER 7 P.O. BOX 3278 SUNRIVER, OR 97707
Telecommunications: bulk agreement going to vote of the owners
PRSRT STD. U.S. POSTAGE PAID BEND, OR PERMIT NO. 213