Hermiston not only has a new city park under development, but as of Monday night it also has a name for the park.
The Hermiston City Council voted unanimously to name the new park Horizon Park. The park is located in the Legacy Development, situated off E. Bella Vista Avenue and N.E.
6th Street. The 1-acre park was dedicated to the city by the developer, MonteVista Homes, with agreements to install landscaping, irrigation, and other park amenities.
In February, the Parks & Recreation Committee hosted a community open house to
gather suggestions for park names. The committee, however, determined that more options were needed to ensure a well-rounded selection of choices. In March, the committee conducted a community-wide online survey and sent surveys to Loma Vista Elementary School children. A total of 108 name suggestions were received from these surveys.
“We got a plethera of good names,” said Parks and Recreation Director Brandon Artz.
The Parks & Recreation Committee reviewed the results of the surveys and voted on and
approved the recommendation that the park be named Horizon Park. Artz said the committee believed that the name “Horizon Park” accurately reflects the essence of the park’s location and highlights the scenic views that visitors can enjoy.
“I’m impressed by the process you went through and engaging with the children,” said Mayor Dave Drotzmann. “Our water tower logo, ‘Where Life is Sweet,’ came from a high school student, so it’s always exciting to engage with the youth. I like the name Horizon Park. It sounds great.”
Councilor Jackie Myers, who is on the Parks and Rec Committee, also praised the process.
“We really did go the extra mile to get a great name,” Myers said.
The park currently offers a walking trail around the perimeter. Irrigation was recently installed, and turf will come later this month. Future development plans for the park include playground equipment, a half-court sport court, and a gazebo. These amenities will be installed in the park based on a timeline and budget to be determined by the Parks & Recreation Committee.
