BEND, OR -- Bend Parks and Rec is asking for public input on design concepts for eight miles of riverfront that have seen heavy use in recent years. Julie Brown, with the parks district, says work is needed along the banks in McKay, Miller’s Landing and Columbia parks, "We have about 25 access points that are intended for people to get into the river. But there are about 70 more that people and dogs have created for themselves, and that’s really deteriorating the banks."

Brown tells KBND News, "We’re looking at: How can we have an access point for launching watercraft that might be more accessible for river users who have mobility challenges? Some of those types of questions, we have opportunities - in particular at Miller’s Landing - that might not have been realized if we hadn't thought about these three parks in relation to one another." She adds, "At Miller’s Landing, there’s an access point that was not intended, but it’s being used right now. So, in the drawings, one of the options is to facilitate it and turn it into an access point; the other option is to close it off and repair the banks. That is a pretty significant difference in those two options and we’re looking to the public to help us with that one." 

An online survey is available through February 8. Next week, the district hosts in-person meetings to look over design concepts, "We’re looking for that public input so that we can come back in the summer and have some more information," says Brown, "Then we’ll ask for the public’s input again."

Meetings are February first from 10 a.m. to noon and 5 to 7 p.m. at the Bend Parks and Rec office on Southwest Columbia. 

To listen to our full conversation with Bend Parks & Rec's Julie Brown visit our Podcast Page.