This month, voters in Springfield will have the chance to keep our park and recreation programs fully funded. As a parent, Oregonian and as the current board president for Willamalane Park and Recreation District, I’m urging voters to pass the local option levy.

Willamalane has been a part of the Springfield community since 1944. The local option levy is a temporary five-year measure to stabilize funding for Willamalane. This isn’t about adding new programs or expanding facilities — it’s about protecting what we already have.

Over the past several years, costs for the district — maintenance, staffing and public safety — have increased, while the district’s primary funding has not kept up with inflation. We have worked to be responsible stewards for our community as we honor our core vision of a healthy, active community where everyone belongs. Last year, Willamalane reduced more than $1 million from its budget, cutting programs, reorganizing staff and stretching our resources further.

This levy would cost an average homeowner about $4.10 each month. It is not a replacement for Willamalane’s regular funding or taxes. It would ensure we could stabilize our budget, and it would not become a permanent tax.

Without this temporary funding increase, Willamalane will have to make deeper cuts, which impacts park maintenance, recreation programs and access to shared community spaces. As an elected official and a parent who uses our parks and facilities almost every day, I don’t want to see our park services cut. That’s why the board put together this option levy. It is temporary, it is designed to keep current services viable and is purposely a very small increase for a five-year term.

One of my favorite things about Willamalane is using the parks with my kids. The district has been able to keep parks clean, maintained and safe, in part because of our ranger program, which is designed to work within our community to prevent public safety issues without escalating to a formal law enforcement response.

I want programs like this to continue, I want our pools to stay fully open with plenty of swim lesson availability, and I want to make sure our community continues to have programs for all ages throughout the district. I urge you to vote yes on the local option levy for Willamalane.

Brook Reinhard
Board president, Willamalane Park and Recreation District
Springfield