50 years!

Hot dogs, burgers, dancing, races and a bouncy house for the kids. Even some of the senior set were seen kicking it up on the swings.

The message was fitness as Sunset Empire Park and Recreation District celebrated its 50th anniversary with a party at Broadway Park.

During the past five decades, the district has evolved from its original purpose of providing a public pool to offering an expanding suite of services and programs for the community.

Starting in 1965, a group of community members began devoting efforts to build a community pool and gathering funds from the PTA, baked food sales, and private donors. When it became clear more funding was needed, the community decided to form a special district.

The anniversary celebration marked a season that included board changes, pool repairs and a series of new policies.

It also included the district’s signature events, Easter Egg Hunt on Broadway Field, Meals on Wheels, the Daddy-Daughter and Mother-Son Dances, Turkey Trot, preschool education, adult classes and activities at the Sunset Pool.

Five-week pool closure

The potential for “cross-contamination” led to a five-week shutdown of the Sunset Pool, from Sunday, Oct. 20, to Monday, Nov. 25.

The district’s learner pool is in violation of the Oregon Health Authority code for public water systems, which states decks shall be sloped to perimeter, and that the drain has to be a certain width and depth.

During a bathing load, water overflowed the gutter system and can spill over to the drains for the main pool. If the drains clogged, the potential for cross contamination of the two bodies of water increased.

Along with replastering the learner pool, upgrades included an underwater lighting upgrade to LED lights. Drainage in the spa also saw improvements. Project work was estimated at about $90,000.

Tight board race

As rec board members Alan Evans and Edward Hassan stepped down, five candidates stepped forward to fill the vacant seats in the district’s May election.

John Chapman took a narrow victory for Position 4, with less than a percentage point separating Chapman and runners-up.

In Position 5, Lindsey Morrison held about 42% of the vote, ahead of two challengers.

After board member Veronica Russell announced she was leaving the board, the district appointed Rodney Roberts to the Position 1 seat.

Roberts had served on the board during an interim period after the departure of Hassan.

A new vacancy came up after Lindsey Morrison resigned in September.

Katharine Parker was installed as the newest board member at the rec district’s December meeting.

New space?

After a bond for a renovated and expanded Sunset Pool was defeated by voters in the polls in 2018, the rec district is looking to expand in other ways, which could include new facilities at Broadway Middle School or Gearhart Elementary School.

Broadway Middle School, at about 73,000 square feet on 3 acres, is zoned partially residential and partially commercial. The school comes with two gyms, a cafeteria and kitchen, along with the one-story school building.

This fall, members of the Sunset Empire Park and Recreation District Board of Directors considered the possibility of pursuing a purchase of all or part of the property.

With Gearhart Elementary School on the market at $1.9 million, Archibald shared options to redevelop the 32,000-square-foot elementary school building, which includes a main school with gymnasium, cafeteria, four modular buildings and covered outdoor basketball courts.

The property is not zoned for residential or commercial use, which would require a zone change.

The only caveat is that Gearhart residents would need to join the district first before any investment could take place, a move they have rejected in the past.

“The district is underserving our population because we don’t have enough indoor space to meet the needs of our community to give them healthy and safe places to play and to move and to be active year-round,” Archibald said in June. “I’m not sure how we’ll do it, but I know it will still be a priority.”