Help others during the holidays with donations to the Christmas Sharing Program Page 6
INSIDE THIS ISSUE SROA News.................... 4 Calendar...................... 13
Public Safety................ 20 Classified Ads.............. 31
The Sunriver Nature Center explains the changing colors of the fall season Page 10
S U N R I V E R
S C E N E A NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE SUNRIVER OWNERS ASSOCIATION
NOVEMBER 2022
VOLUME XLV • NUMBER 11
Internet bulk services agreement going to vote of the owners in January
The ballot will also include a vote for the proposed language changes to the Sunriver Consolidated Plan as noted in the board highlights in the September Scene. Owners can read the proposed changes on the SROA website homepage (www.sunriverowners. org) under News & Notices. Beenen discusses the Sunriver Consolidated Plan amendments in his SROA President’s Message on page 4. The official ballot notification is on page 5. Owners may submit a pro or con statement for either ballot measure for inclusion in the voter pamphlet via email to infosroa@srowners.org. Statements are limited to 100 words. The deadline for submission of a pro/con statement is Dec. 19.
Sunriver Nature Center founder, Jim Anderson, seen here with a golden eagle, had an affinity for raptors and recently wrapped up 10 years of work studying golden eagles in eastern Oregon. Anderson passed away in September.
Sunriver Nature Center founder passes Jim Anderson, founder of Sunriver Nature Center, passed away on Sept. 22 at the age of 94. Many words have been used to describe Anderson: naturalist, environmentalist, humorist, storyteller, teacher, mentor, writer, pilot, veteran, firefighter – an amazing life personified in one man and his love for the natural world. Born March 27, 1928, Anderson was raised on a farm in Connecticut, where he learned the conservation ethic that would guide his life. He loved to learn about anything and everything, and had an incredible ability to connect with children, and share with them his passion for nature. Anderson was instrumental in working with developer, John Gray and landscape architect, Bob Royston, in the original
Turn to Founder, page 3
Planned area road projects; new speeds signs on Highway 97 By Susan Berger, Sunriver Scene The Oregon Department of Transportation and Deschutes County’s Road Department has announced a 5-year Capital Improvement Plan for numerous road and highway projects – many within south Deschutes County. During a meeting held Sept. 27 at the Sunriver Library, Chris Doty, Deschutes County Road Department Manager and Oregon Department of Transportation Central Oregon Roads Manager Robert Townsend, discussed planned projects. Projects within south Deschutes County include: • Roundabouts are planned for the intersections of South Century Drive/ Spring River Road and South Century Drive/Huntington Road. Construction is expected to start at the end of 2025. • Bridge maintenance will be conducted on South Century Drive, Cottonwood Road, Harper Bridge, Wood Duck Court in Oregon Water Won-
A Highway 97 wildlife overcrossing is planned south of Vandevert Road.
derland and the Burgess Road bridge in La Pine. • Plans are being developed to relieve traffic congestion at the entrance to Sunriver Business Park. • Pavement overlay projects are expected in 2024-2025 for Spring River and Burgess roads.
• Funding is being sought for a fourlane extension of Highway 97 three miles south of Vandevert Road that would include constructing a highway wildlife overcrossing. • Projects under consideration include a potential roundabout at Vandevert Turn to Projects, page 3 SUNRIVER SCENE SUNRIVER OWNERS ASSN. VOLUME XLV • NUMBER 11 P.O. BOX 3278 SUNRIVER, OR 97707
By Susan Berger, Sunriver Scene SROA NEWS – The Sunriver Owners Association Board of Directors has approved (5 yay, 4 nay) moving forward with a special election ballot measure for owners to vote on whether to accept a proposal for a bulk services agreement with TDS (BendBroadband) for fiber-to-thehome internet service in Sunriver. In what has been lively and divided discussions among members of the board and the Telecommunications Task Force, all parties have agreed to disagree and allow Sunriver’s owners to make the final decision. You can read more about the details of the proposed agreement in the telecomBallots will be mailed munications update artito owners in midJanuary and must cle by SROA be returned to SROA Board President Gerno later than 12 p.m. hard Beenen Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023 on page 5.
designs of the community of Sunriver to help reflect and protect the harmony between nature and a developed community. A self-taught expert in many species of wildlife, Anderson had a passion for raptors, and served as a mentor and teacher for many of the naturalists at the nature center. Anderson and his wife Sue, participated in many special events at the nature center, teaching, sharing his stories, and passionately reading from his well-worn volume of the poetry by Robert Service. Even into his 90s, Anderson continued to educate, visiting schools to share his love for birds and other creatures, and writing his long-standing columns for The Nugget Newspaper and Source Weekly. Anderson also wrote the book “Tales from a Northwest Naturalist.” Anderson embodied the mission statement of the Sunriver Nature Center: To inspire present and future generations to cherish and understand our natural world.
PRSRT STD. U.S. POSTAGE PAID BEND, OR PERMIT NO. 213