BEND, OR -- Officials negotiating the transition of Mirror Pond continue to look for public input on how the city should move forward with the Bend icon.  The Mirror Pond Ad Hoc committee is hosting a public meeting tonight (Tuesday) to provide information on the proposed redevelopment concept.  Chuck Arnold, Executive Director of the Downtown Bend Business Association tells KBND News it’s a chance for everyone to help guide the future of Bend.  "This is our community and we have to all own it.  I think it’s important for us to all give feedback and work together and make sure we all feel positive about changes to our community. It’s a pretty dramatic, bold proposal and it may come to fruition in all parts or only part of it may come to fruition, but that’s what this direction is about."

The proposed plan would remove the current dam and allow for business development along the banks of the river, which Arnold says would help fund the removal of the Mirror Pond dam and future maintenance, to avoid dipping into tax dollars.  But, he says, there are many moving parts the Ad Hoc Committee and the public need to address before making a final decision.  "But what also begs the question about a bigger picture of, if you start making some changes along the river and say, if proposals of taking out some parking lots go forward, then you start the conversation of where does the next parking garage go?"

Tuesday night's meeting begins at 6 p.m. at the Oxford Hotel.  More details on the proposal and tonight's meeting at the Mirror Pond Project webpage.