Battle Ground Open House May 2024

Im in favor of a nature park. In addition to other concerns there are no setbacks in this plan. The soccer field would be 30 ft from our dining room. Having dinner and staring out at folks staring back. Furthermore, property owners would be exposed to liability from trespassers fetching stray soccerballs, baseballs, frisbees, etc.

Adding a skills section to the perimeter path for bikers on this trail would be a low-cost upgrade.

While in huge favor of revamping current fields after a season of battling over parking in the existing location. I don’t feel like moving it to a wet land is the best plan. Is there a reason this plan can’t just be remodeled in the existing location? Bringing the fields together a
Pictured and turning the extra grass area into a bigger parking lot?

The nature and 3environmental park is the only way to go on this property. I can not imagine all the damage a sports complex would do to this area that is ill suited, ...narrow roads, surrounded by houses, 5 acre minimum parcels,,,,, wildlife, dark night skies.. quiet...Besides the fact that this property was gifted to be a park, not a 30 million dollar monstrosity. My goodness...Silly and not appropriate, wasteful... build this mess in DT BG where the light and noise pollution is already present....30 million dollars, out of whose pocket?

This is alot of concrete for an area that was deeded for open nature space. I do wonder how the city will encourage its use, as for right now youngsters barely use their respective schools' facilities off hours.
The cost benefit would have to be proven. Perhaps studying other sports complexes in neighboring suburbs in order to garner a decision would be advisable (Ridgefield comes to mind).

If we’re worried about cost, a sports complex will bring in money for the town. More families will visit restaurants and come for tournaments and competitions. Adding this would be a big economic factor

I’m in favor of a sports complex. Our kids and community need activities and build a sense of “self.” What we have now doesn’t work and our kids are missing out. It will also provide equity and inclusion for all families. Is there a way to keep the trees and nature area with trails and also do a sports complex on 1/2 the property?

I think the best place for a sports complex would be downtown, in the city. Downtown BG can best support the strain of traffic and its parking demands. People need this kind of center to be centrally located, not down a 2 lane country road with one main artery in and out of town.

I thought this was suppose to go in next to Walmart? That was a great idea.

Plus this park was suppose to be a walking path park. Which would blend well with both the wild animals and the community that is out in our rural countryside.

This area is not a good location for a sports park. Much of the North section where softball fields are suggested floods during the rainy season and is in fact seasonal wetland. Several years ago, when the property was primarily a bare field, the county spent taxpayer dollars to plant the trees that now cover the park. That was consistent with the vision Durkee stipulated when donating the property. Nature trails would also be consistent with that agreement but removal of the trees we paid to have planted for development purposes is absolutely in violation. Maybe that's why the county passed it off to the city of Battle Ground, to muddy the legal waters and distance themselves from that liability.
As stated in other comments, the wildlife that currently inhabits the park would also be permanently displaced after effort and funds were spent to create that habitat.

NE 219th is a narrow country road. There are already accidents that take place each year on this road. The current road is not adequate for a sports complex with a 240+ car parking lot and could impede emergency vehicles from accessing the residential areas east of the park.

There is forest and meadow and abundant wildlife in this natural habitat that would be destroyed by this project. Why jam a sports complex on to a small hillside nature area when there already exists available space in the flat, commercial areas of Battle Ground?

Terrible location for a sports complex. Traffic congestion and safety are huge issues on this main road with blind spots due to hill. Durkee was envisioned as a nature park. What happened to the nature park???

The sports complex was not the intended use when the Durkee family donated the property. The Durkee family was very generous to donate this property for public benefit with the desire to keep it natural with minimal development.