DIRECTOR REPORT DIRECTORREPORT
Lake Oswego Parks & Recreation’s mission is to Build Community, Enrich Lives and Care for the Urban and Natural Environment This report is a look back and summary of operations supporting our mission and promise of excellent services to the people of Lake Oswego.
A Strong Start to 2026
January reflected a strong start to the year for Lake Oswego Parks & Recreation, with high participation across programs, active facilities, and steady progress on planning and operations. The month included meaningful community engagement through collaborative events with the Library for the MLK Jr Day Celebration, continued momentum in planning for the 2026 Farmers’ Market and Young Entrepreneur Program, and robust recreation activity at LORAC, the Tennis Center, and the Adult Community Center.
Staff focused on supporting daily operations, maintaining parks and natural areas, and advancing planning efforts that support both near-term needs and long-term priorities. At the same time, teams worked to prepare facilities, programs, and services for the busy seasons ahead continuing to deliver safe, inclusive, and well-used experiences that serve the community across all ages, interests, and abilities.
JANUARY 1 - 31, 2026
Community Events
Lake Oswego Farmers’ Market: Vendor applications for the farmers’ market opened January 5, and have already been coming in steadily, signaling strong early interest and momentum as we head into the new season.
Young Entrepreneur Program: We officially kicked off our third year of the Young Entrepreneurs Program with orientation sessions for the upcoming farmers’ market season. A total of 25 people attended the orientations to learn more about the program and explore whether it’s a good fit for them We are also excited to welcome 10 returning participants, showing continued interest from past young entrepreneurs We hosted 3 orientation sessions focused on sharing expectations, answering questions, and helping potential students decide if they want to apply. We’ll have a clearer picture of participation numbers once applications are submitted.
Music Program: We are busy looking for new, local talent to take the stage during the market. We are about 1/3 of the way booked for the season. rd
Concerts: We are getting many inquiries and performer submissions to play at our summer concert series and other community events. Staff are working diligently to sort through all the local talent and book shows for the summer. We have started solidifying performers for 4 of July, Wednesday Concerts, Sunday Concerts, and farmers’ market
MLK Jr. Day: LOPR community events lent support to the Library’s MLK Jr. Day Celebration at Lakeridge Middle School on January 18 . The even featured keynote speaker Katharine Phelps, poetry reading from Emmett Wheatfall, musical performances by the Brown Sisters of PDX and Jaden Yazhari, and Lakeridge High School Jazz Ensemble. Community booths were also present offering activities and art projects to attendees from LO For Love, Lakewood Center, Respond to Racism, LOSD Belonging, African American Women’s League, and Bahais of Lake Oswego Lakewood Center of the Arts created a community art piece inspired by Frederick Douglas called the “Power of Portraits.” Attendees were invited to have their portraits taken and include one word to describe the event. Portraits were then put into a collage and will be displayed at the Lakewood Center during Black History Month.
OPS Fest: We have finalized an agreement to bring back the Original Practice Shakespeare Festival in the park! They will be bringing free, live Shakespeare performances to Roehr Park and Lower George Rogers Park on Friday, July 31 and Saturday, August 8. The company uses original practice techniques of Elizabethan England: limited rehearsal, scrolls in hand, audience interaction and an onstage prompter making each performance complete unique.
Luscher Farm
IrrigationVolunteers:Wehavebeen makingthemostofthesesunnydays! DedicatedvolunteersarehelpingFarmstaff getirrigationsetupintheChildren’sGarden. Irrigationprovidesconsistent,reliable wateringtoplants,helpingthemgrowwhile notoverwateringthem.Irrigationalso conserveswaterbydeliveringmeasured amountsofwateronatimer,eliminatingthe wasteofoverheadwateringwithahose We aresogratefulforthehelp!
NaturalAreas:Volunteersaren’ttheonly peoplehelpingLuscherstaffgetthingsdone aroundtheFarm.Theparksteamisendlessly helpful,alwayslendingahandandhelping maintainmorethanjustthenaturalofthe beautyofthelandscape!Theyhavebeen workingonremovinginvasivefromthe hedgerowsandplantingnativespecies.Ifyou walkthefields,youwillfindanewfence constructedbyParkstoprotectthenewly plantednatives Thankyousomuchtothe Parksteamforalwaysbeingwillingtohelp us!
Adopt-a-plot:Adopt-a-plotprogramsignupsarealreadyfullfortheyear!Thisprogram isvaluabletocountlesscommunitymembers. Gardenerssignuptotendaplot.Luscher staffandvolunteersfromFriendsofLuscher Farm(FOLF),theadopt-a-plotprogram,and communitygardensstartthousandsofseeds inthegreenhouse.Gardeners,girlscouts,and volunteergroupshelpgettheseseeds plantedinthegroundandthechildren’s garden.Fieldtrips,camps,andclasseshelp water,weed,andplayinthegarden.This showskidshowtogrowtheirownorganic produceandflowers,andallowsthemtotry nutritioussnacksrightoutoftheground!The HarvestHelperteam,aninitiativestartedby FOLF,harvests,cleans,anddeliversproduce toHungerFightersandMealsonWheels. Lastyearalmost5,000poundsoffresh producewasdonatedtofoodassistance programsintheMetroarea.
Chickens: The sunny weather has our chickens excited! We are still consistently getting eggs despite the cold. Each chicken lays a different color, from white to brown to blue to green.
Adult Community Center
Program Highlights:
ACC received a $1,000 grant from Lake Oswego Rotary for the coffee machine in our lower lobby The coffee machine has become a vital social hub for the ACC and we are so appreciative of Rotary not only for the financial contribution but the acknowledgment of how important a cup of coffee is in our social lives.
We have 55 people participating in our Bridge classes.
“Estate Planning 101” was of high interest with 31 participants.
Trips:
Took at trip to McMenamins Edgefield for an art tour.
How can you go wrong with Geno’s for lunch?! A great stop for lunch with friends
Human Services:
It had been 4 years since we hosted the AARP tax program and this month we started making appointments again. We are so pleased to partner with this program and bring this much needed service to the ACC.
It took some patience and dedication but now our foot care clinic sells out every month.
Recreation Management Services
New LORAC Two-Way Radios Training
Lake Oswego Recreation & Aquatics Center (LORAC) operations received new two-way radios to enhance communication, safety, and operational efficiency. Staff participated in a comprehensive training that covered general radio functions, basic two-way radio etiquette, and the Four Golden Rules of Radio Communication. Training also emphasized appropriate language and terminology, channel assignments for daily operations, and clear communication protocols In addition, staff were trained on how radio communication integrates with the Emergency Action Plan (EAP) to support coordinated responses during emergencies. This training ensures consistent, professional, and effective communication across teams, improving situational awareness, response times, and overall facility safety.
SMILE Aquatic Fitness Class Premier
The first Aquatic Fitness Specialty class was presented on January 5, 2026 in the Recreation Pool at the LORAC. S.M.I.L.E. – Slow Movement Interactive Leisure Exercise
Celebrating Go Live Well Month, ten (10) preregistered participants moved to music in warm water and experienced a gentle, effective way to improve their strength, flexibility, and overall well-being. The benefits of this class included: Low-impact training: Water resistance strengthens muscles while minimizing stress on joints.
Improved cardiovascular health: Safely elevates heart rate and supports endurance. Enhanced flexibility and balance: Multidirectional movement improves coordination, range of motion, and stability. Natural pain relief: Warm water helps reduce stiffness, inflammation, and muscle soreness.
Stress reduction: Rhythmic movement in warm water promotes relaxation and mental clarity
The class is designed for those who may be new to aquatic fitness or an experienced participant returning to the water, S.M.I.L.E. offered a supportive, nurturing, and social environment that encouraged movement at their own pace.
Recreation Management
Parks Board Annual Agenda Schedule & January Meeting
January serves as the planning month for determining Parks Board topics and presentations for the upcoming year. Co-Ch Jason Dorn and Patrick Gutierrez met with J Jan, and Dina to establish agenda priorities time allocations for the Board’s two-and-a-h hour meetings, held on the third Wednesda each month, with no meeting scheduled in August. During this planning session, month meeting locations and topics were identified along with action codes designating items a information-only, discussion, decision, or recommendations to City Council
Laserfiche Team Demos for use for CAPRA records
The City’s IT Department is encouraging Parks & Recreation to use the Laserfiche records retention system to develop, manage, and store CAPRA accreditation documentation. The IT team provided a brief demonstration outlining how the system could support document organization, version control, and long-term retention needs. A final decision on whether to use Laserfiche or an alternative external system will be made following further evaluation and discussion with department leadership to ensure alignment with operational needs and accreditation requirements
Program Meeting Topics
January marked the Department’s Program Meeting kickoff for the year The Program Meeting is held monthly and provides an opportunity to discuss training needs, policy updates, and procedural changes. It also serves as a forum to celebrate departmental successes and to openly discuss challenges divisions may be experiencing. Through shared advice, lessons learned, and real-world experiences, the meeting supports collaborative problemsolving, knowledge sharing, and continuous improvement across the department. This month’s meeting agenda included updates on national and statewide professional memberships and training opportunities, review of LOPR Safety Plan information and required trainings, an overview of the Parks Board roster and annual topics schedule, program and activity sharing across divisions, and a presentation of the Customer Excellence Program’s quarterly outcomes.
LORAC Recreation & Aquatic Management
Operations & Programs
Regular programming continued throughout the month with typical seasonal fluctuations in participation.
Preparations were made for upcoming winter programs and early 2026 planning, including staffing and facility scheduling considerations.
High school basketball league activity started, with extended evening hours in the facility on the weekends.
Facilities
Routine maintenance and monitoring of facilities continued
Staff addressed day-to-day operational issues as they arose to ensure programs and rentals were minimally impacted.
Front desk operations and customer interactions continue to be monitored to maintain a professional and welcoming environment.
Aquatics January Recap
Certified 28 new Lifeguards
Hired 21 new staff members
Hosted 4 high school swim meets
Taught swim lessons to 133 participants
Enrichment
Fitness Programs:
The Personal Training Department did an
“Ask the Trainer” booth the first week of January which coincided with our annual personal training special. We gained many new clients from that week and interacted with countless LORAC members.
LORAC member classes continue to thrive, averaging 15 participants per class and over 700 participants for the month.
Fitness Specialty Series classes had over 200 more participants compared to January 2025
Teen Programs:
The Lounge is back from winter break! January was a great month of programs highlighted by a VERY competitive UNO Night on January 16th
Staff was asked to attend City Hall on January 15 + 16 to give a brief presentation to high school civics classes about the department and how they got into government work. Also fielded some questions in a Q&A session.
Staff met with leaders from other city youth boards and advisory groups. Planning on running a joint recruitment for programs like YAC, JCC, Youncil, and TAB starting March 1st.
Staff has began the process of planning out summer camps and TSC volunteer partners. We are also finalizing the summer lounge schedule.
The Youth Action Council hosted its annual Book Swap event in partnership with the Library on Saturday, January 10 The event was hosted at CCP and included refreshments, craft projects and of course book swapping!
Enrichment
Outdoor:
Staff is planning our summer programming. Excited to continue to offer survival based camps and will be expanding mountain biking opportunities this year. Bird watching classes are running and popular!
Staff hosted a FULL introduction to iPhone photography session.
Enrichment Programs:
The January Live Well Dance was a hit this month with 116 participants! The monthly event features live music from the Millennium Dance Band and snacks and mocktails provided by the Youth Action Council.
The LO Library Rover visited LORAC for Indoor Play on January 22, providing a traveling library to parents and patrons! The department hosted a Cares NW Training on child abuse prevention to high school staff on January 30 – the training, which was geared towards younger staff, was designed to help establish healthy boundaries in both work and school.
Parks Planning & Projects
CAPITAL PROJECTS
LORAC:
Waiting on final punch list work for the Pool from Anderson Pools in order to close out the project.
Cemetery Drainage
Groundwater testing has begun with first well test completed. Preliminary results indicate groundwater is very deep. Second test will be completed in 3 months after additional rainfall.
Luscher Farm House Renovation
HVAC repair completed in late December.
Willamette River Greenway:
Preliminary report submitted by architect with proposed solutions for the building.
Rassekh Park Phase 2:
The last element of this project still underway is construction of the on-site maintenance equipment storage building. The underground utilities for the building were completed and the concrete pad. The contractor will begin assembling the PEMB structure in early February, and the building is estimated to be complete in March 2026.
Willamette River Greenway Trail:
A submittal for Metro Local Share funds for this project is being prepared for Lake Oswego City Council and Metro Council review and approval. The land use application was approved on December 10 following ministerial review. Staff are preparing a detailed project cost estimate to determine the feasibility of constructing the project in 2026.
West Waluga Neighborhood Connector Trails:
This project, which is anticipated to be funded through the Metro Local Share program, is planned to be initiated in 2026.
Parks Planning & Projects
PLANNING AND POLICY PROJECTS
Luscher Area Master Plan Implementation:
The land use application package was reviewed by City legal support in December 2025 and is being finalized, with a first submittal to the County expected by February or March 2026. Staff anticipate that the County may request additional information following the initial submittal, given the complexity of the project and the fact that this is a new review procedure for the County. Following a determination of application completeness by Clackamas County the application will be reviewed at a series of public hearings with the Clackamas County Planning Commission, Board of County Commissioners, and Historic Review Board.
Parks SDC Methodology Update:
Parks & Recreation staff met with the consultant team to review the list of projects and discuss preliminary concepts for updating the methodology, including alignment with recentlyadopted citywide housing studies and exploring a phased implementation strategy. The consultant team is updating the draft methodology and calculating preliminary maximum fees based on the adopted project list from Parks Plan 2040. Following this exercise, the draft concepts will be shared with internal staff from the Planning, Finance, and City Manager’s offices.
Tennis, Golf & Sports
TENNIS CENTER
Youth & Program Updates:
January marked a strong start to the Winter/Spring session, with high participation and smooth transitions into new class offerings. We had 25 youth classes start in January, and 96% of them are full.
We have 240 youth participants in classes, and another 78 on waitlists. We started 13 adult classes in January, and 87% are full.
We have 91 adult participants, and 65 on waitlists.
We had 20 people come to two drop-in SPEC Tennis sessions.
Leagues & Team Play:
Winter seasons officially got underway for City League and USTA league play. We have over 20 teams that call our facility home.
Special Olympics:
Special Olympics returned to finish its 22 year at the Tennis Center. Thanks to our sponsors, Dan Brown of Farmers Insurance, and Eames Consulting, the athletes and volunteers received new t-shirts for the first time since 2019. Everyone loves the new design and the cheery new colors! Our sponsors, Dan Brown and Stephanie Eames, are also both volunteer coaches in the program.
Facility & Operations:
The facility remained highly active throughout the month.
Court utilization was at just over 88% for January.
Front desk staff managed increased registration activity and seasonal inquiries efficiently.
Coordination with instructors and league organizers ensured smooth daily operations.
New Program Highlight - Fun Flights:
January introduced a new women’s-only match play opportunity designed to support player development and league growth.
The Fun Flights program launched as a women’s-only match play drop-in focused on preparing players for City League participation.
Sessions provided structured match play, strategy guidance, and a welcoming environment for women new to competitive play.
The program also served as a valuable pipeline for recruiting new City League players.
Seasonal Reservations:
Every January 19 marks the second half of seasonal court reservations Every September, players can purchase a standing weekly reservation for 20 weeks, and renew for another 20 weeks starting in January This half, we have 59 seasonals, which translates to 1,467 hours of court time between January 19 and May 31
Tennis, Golf & Sports
SPORTS DIVISION
Youth Sports & Teen Sports:
January kicked off youth sports with 16 offerings totaling about 150 kids between soccer, volleyball, basketball, fencing, skateboarding, and gymnastics. We offered our first Pickleball for Teens 4-week class series after school at LORAC with 5 participants. The High School City League Basketball program game back from Winter Break with a bang, 38 games and 440 participant hours over 7 days.
LORAC Gym:
In January, the LORAC gymnasium open play was visited by over 600 players between volleyball, pickleball, and basketball. For open play pickleball taking place over 5 days for a total of 11 hours a week, we saw a total of about 400 pickleball players, with Sundays being the most popular day to play. For open play volleyball, over 2 days of play and 6 hours per week, we saw a total of 172 volleyball players, with Monday as the preferred day to play. Our weekly Friday pickup basketball time continues to grow with 63 players choosing us to play ball.
Adult Sports:
We kicked off our Winter season of Adult Basketball League which continues to grow with two divisions, Men’s 18+ and Men’s 30+, 16 teams and 133 players This season marks our first season successfully offering a House Team option for Free Agent players who do not have an established team to play on
Tennis, Golf & Sports
GOLF
In the first three weeks of January, the golf course had 833 rounds played, and a total of $15,557 in green fees.
On the driving range, golfers hit 100,460 golf balls (1,396 buckets) and brought in a total of $13,582.
Daylight savings time is just a month away!
PICKLEBALL
This month we rolled out a new series of adult pickleball classes titled Pickleball Basics, Pickleball Beyond the Basics, and Pickleball Pro with a total of 24 participants. We increased some classes from 2-weeks to 4-weeks, so that participants could receive more in-depth instruction and more time on the court learning. The age range for classes spans from 32 to 77 years old with a great mix of experience.
Parks
Department Highlights:
Work party removing dead trees at upper curlicue corridor Two of the trees fell onto the pedestrian pathway during the previous month’s storm Removing the remaining trees ensures safety
Natural Areas Staff presented their ash tree inventory and 5-year ash removal plan to parks board.
Park staff focused their efforts of holiday light display monitoring at Foothills, Millennium Plaza, and Sundeleaf Plaza Disassembly, cleaning, and storage of holiday decor
Repairs from damage caused by last months rain and wind events have taken place A section of Athletic field fencing and a portion of a sidewalk were repaired at George Rogers Park that was caused by a downed large Douglas fir tree. Turf grass areas and landscape beds were also repaired from the tree damage in the area. Staff attended OSU Pesticide applicator training for CEUs.
Parks:
Work party on curlicue pathways for leaf cleanup
Sr. parks staff began the WSU Master Pruner training series for professionals which will occur over 6 weeks.
Training and operation of Ventrac mower & hauling trailers.
Work party to pack up Holiday lights.
Mowing & edging lawns due to excess growth from dry, sunny weather.
Trained new staff on operating pressure washer.
Fuse box repair at snack shack in Westlake Park.
Cleared silt and leaf accumulation in various park locations.
Winter pruning is ongoing on shrubs and trees in various park area.
Leaf relocation to natural areas for mulching.
Staff review of IPM manual & Parks Maintenance manual, with edits made when needed.
Training on IPM mechanical techniques including mole trapping.
All staff safety training with PGE for downed powerlines.
Pressure washed around restrooms at East Waluga.
Routine Playground maintenance. Daily restroom maintenance.
Natural Areas:
Staff met with our tree contractors to start planning for EAB removals in coordination with our 5-year plan.
Staff presented updates to the Integrated Pest Management plan and reviewed chemical use from 2025
Reviewed the first draft of the tree code and offered comments for the next draft.
Staff met with the City Manger’s office to coordinate a communication strategy plan regarding EAB.
Staff began planning for Arbor Month events.
There was a stewardship work party in Springbrook with 30 volunteers to plant understory plants near the white oak trail.
Built a fence with gates surrounding the CSA farm to prevent dogs from running through the field and crops.
Added arborist chips to Iron Mountain shrub beds for weed management.
Added wood chips to the pathways in the Iron Mountain Pollinator garden
Chipped all the invasive tree piles at East and West Waluga.
Resurfaced the gravel trails at Iron Mountain Park.
Reservations:
January was spent preparing for the opening of Premier Park and Picnic Shelter
Reservations on February 3. Websites, forms, information packets, and applications were all updated for 2026.
Spring use (March 2 – May 31) of athletic fields was allocated to Category 1 users (P&R) at the start of the month. Requests were then taken from Category 2 users (RYSO & LOSD) and field space allocated last week. Online requests for Category 3 & 4 opened this week with several organizations vying for any available space.
All athletic field and picnic shelter reservation can now be made on our new App
Athletic Fields:
Edging and weed eating routine maintenance at Westlake athletic field
Grooming softball and baseball fields and getting them ready for the beginning of the season at George Rogers Park and Westlake.
Urban Forester:
Mowing Westlake infields, all natural turf fields and small area parks. Blowing dugouts, bleachers & athletic fields.
Leaf control on all our athletic fields
Soccer goal inspections on all our athletic fields: East Waluga, Hazelia, George Rogers, and Westlake.
Repair included re-welding and part replacement, as well as some light painting. Added skate stoppers on all walls next to the playground area at Rassekh park.
Added crumb rubber to our synthetic fields at East Waluga providing essential player safety through impact cushioning.
Urban Forester:
Reviewed first draft of new tree code and provided comments from parks staff. Presented EAB action plan to Parks & Rec board.
Worked with contactors and scheduled right of way tree maintenance for public works.
Started on EAB action plan outreach and wrote an article for HelloLO.
Worked on planning the annual 2026 Urban Forest Summit.
Working on creating tree replacement plans for various parks.
Began Arbor Month event planning with parks staff
Communication & Sponsorship
Social Media:
Park&NaturalAreaProjects
In January, Parks & Recreation’s social media efforts promoted a wide range of programs, events, and initiatives, including Go Live Well in Parks & Recreation, Farmers’ Market vendor applications, lifeguard recruitment, Book Swap and the Library mobile book truck, fencing, pickleball, Hands-Only CPR, and more. A total of 14 posts and stories were published, generating a combined reach of over 40,000 people
Website Management:
Maintained and updated the Parks & Recreation website with timely and accurate information, including park updates, upcoming events, project milestones, holiday hours, and aquatic facility schedules.
LORAC Support Materials:
Continued development of facility support materials, including signage, brochures, digital assets, swim schedules, and print collateral to enhance the member experience, promote programs, and support daily operations at the Lake Oswego Recreation and Aquatics Center (LORAC).
Publications & Outreach:
Produced content for HelloLO and LO Down, and worked with the City Manager’s Office on Year in Review materials.
Active Email Communications:
Distributed numerous member emails to keep the community informed about pool schedules, holiday hours, and other important LORAC updates. Continued troubleshooting and refinement of the Captivate App to address remaining bugs.
Sponsorships:
Continued development and refinement of the 2026 Sponsorship Decks, ensuring updated content, accurate program details, and alignment with departmental priorities
Coordination with Shelley on Farmers’ Market sponsorships continued, and a meeting with Charles Schwab confirmed their return as the Wednesday Concert Series Title Sponsor
Website Review Project:
Working with the City Manager’s Office (Teo) to conduct a comprehensive review of Parks & Recreation website pages to determine which content should remain active, be archived, or removed. A department-wide meeting is scheduled for February.
Communication & Messaging:
Developed with staff and posted clear inclement weather procedures online Held the monthly Communications Team meeting, with a focused discussion on the new City website project
Participated in an EAB communication meeting with multiple departments to coordinate and align information rollout Meet with Lake Corp, CMO, and Oregon State Marine Board on Lake Access and signage
NRPA Golf Medal:
Collaborating with Jan on preparation and submission of the NRPA Golf Medal Award application
Activity Guide & Fact Book:
Collecting and coordinating content for upcoming publications. Working with Dave and staff across the department to gather photos, program details, and narrative content for production.
Scholarship Program:
Scholarship demand is increasing, with the highest need in summer programs and camps. In response, outreach, sponsorship opportunities, and community fundraising efforts are being launched to help meet demand.