Sitting just north of SAGE Center and the new Blue Mountain Community College Workforce Training Center on Olson Road, the Boardman Pool and Recreation Center is the latest development to address the needs of a growing community.
The recreation center has been a vision of the community for over 30 years that began to solidify with the passing by voters of a $12.390 million bond in November 2014. That vision will be fully realized with the opening of its doors on Saturday, July 1.
The city of Boardman has a population of approximately 3,400, but thousands of employees commute daily to the companies located in the Port of Morrow. Through the years, many in the community touted the idea of building an indoor pool and recreation center, but it took the vision and persistence of a 5-member park board of directors to develop a workable plan to pass a general obligation bond (basically a loan that taxpayers in the district agree to pay) and figure out a way to pay for the operating costs of a huge facility. “Our vision of this recreation center is to provide a safe, affordable space for our community to enjoy,” stated Karen Pettigrew, Boardman Park & Recreation District board chair, “and to encourage more of the commuting workforce to move their families to our community.”
The Boardman Pool & Recreation center is approximately 43,000 square feet and includes a 4-lane swimming pool with a two-story slide, therapy pool, and 27-foot tall Climbing Wall. It also includes several named/sponsored areas such as the Tillamook Gymnasium, Boardman Foods Multi-Purpose Room, Port of Morrow Weights and Cardio room, Lamb Weston Aerobics Room and Umatilla Electric Lifeguard Station. Other naming opportunities are still available.
The Boardman Park & Recreation District invites the community to celebrate the opening of Boardman Pool & Recreation Center at the ribbon cutting ceremony on Saturday, July 1 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The ribbon cutting is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. followed immediately by a community barbecue, tours of the facility and membership enrollment. The recreation center will open for regular business on Sunday, July 2 at noon. The center will be open with extended operating hours daily, with 24-hour access to some amenities. The community has the opportunity to enroll in annual memberships, month-to-month memberships, or can drop in for a daily rate.
For more information about the district, email Lynn Prag at lynnprag@gmail.com or call 541-481-7217. For more information on sponsorship opportunities, email Michael Wilson at mwilson@westbyassociates.com or call 360-606-2603.
