Orenco Woods Nature Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Orenco Woods Nature Park |
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Arch bridge over Rock Creek, 2017
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| Type | Public, city |
| Location | Hillsboro, Oregon, United States |
| Area | 42 acres (17 ha) |
| Operated by | Hillsboro Parks & Recreation Department |
| Status | Open |
| Website | hillsboro-oregon.gov |
Orenco Woods Nature Park is a beautiful park located in Hillsboro, Oregon, United States. This special place used to be a golf course called Orenco Woods Golf Course. It was owned by the Hillsboro Elks club and is found in the Orenco neighborhood.
The park has clear boundaries: Cornelius Pass Road is on its eastern side, and the tracks for the MAX Blue Line train are on its northern side. A stream called Rock Creek flows right through the park's 42 acres. This creek connects to Orchard Park upstream and Noble Woods Park downstream. There are also plans for a trail, the Rock Creek Trail, to link all three parks together.
Contents
Park History: From Golf Course to Nature Park
Saving the Land for a Park
Back in 2007, a company bought the nine-hole Orenco Woods Golf Course. They wanted to build over 280 homes there. But their plans didn't work out because of a big economic slowdown called the Great Recession. Also, local people worked hard to save the land for a public park.
Even though the city had marked this area as "open space," leaders changed the rules in 2005. This allowed the company to plan for 252 homes. Some residents from the Orenco neighborhood were not happy about this change. A local resident named Jim Lubischer led the effort to make sure a public park was included. He pointed out that Hillsboro was running out of suitable land for parks. He also noted that the city was not meeting its own goals for parks and trails.
Mr. Lubischer tried to appeal the decision in court many times, even taking it to the Oregon Supreme Court. While these appeals were happening, the economy got worse. This led the company to give up their original building plans. In 2008, the city said no to a request to add shops and businesses to the property. Eventually, a bank took over the property.
Bringing the Park to Life
A local real estate agent, Dirk Knudsen, worked for two years to get in touch with the bank. He wanted to find out who was selling the property before new housing developers could buy it. Once he found the right person, Mr. Knudsen successfully brought together a group of people. They raised money to buy the land for a public park and talked with the bank to make it happen.
In 2011, the City of Hillsboro and Metro bought the land for $4 million. The city later sold about 9.7 acres of the park's southeast corner to a home builder in January 2013. The money from this $3.4 million sale was used to help develop the park. Metro approved the main plan for the park in November 2013. Finally, Orenco Woods Nature Park officially opened its doors on February 4, 2017.
Park Features and Fun
Orenco Woods Nature Park covers 42 acres, and most of it is beautiful open space. The park has many great features for visitors to enjoy. You can find public restrooms, a picnic shelter, and trails perfect for walking or exploring. There are also two bridges and a fun nature-themed play area for kids.
Inside the park, you will also find the Malcolm McDonald House. This historic house is so important that it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
