Strategic Partnership FAQs

What will happen to the programs, staff and tenants currently housed at Wichita, Clackamas and Concord Schools?

 

  • Wichita Elementary School: The Parks District and School District intend to work on an agreement to continue current use, programs, and facility maintenance responsibilities at Wichita Elementary School (until 6/30/2020) and Hood View Park (until 1/1/2021). The former school building is now the site of Wichita Center for Family & Community, which was established in 2009 by the School District. There are no current plans or discussions to make changes to fees, access or programs. If School District programs and staff eventually need to be relocated from Wichita Elementary School, they will likely be moved to another school district facility.
  • Clackamas Elementary School:  The school will be operated by the Parks District immediately upon assuming ownership. NCPRD intends to assume the existing lease terms with the current tenant, Cascade Heights Public Charter School.
  • Concord Elementary School: The school has been closed for many years and there are no tenants or programs currently housed in that facility.

 

Why is the School District selling Wichita; this seems contrary to the District’s goals of helping needy families/students?

 

  • The School District’s mission is “Preparing graduates who are inspired and empowered to strengthen the quality of life in our local and global communities.”
  • The School District’s goals are: Student Achievement – Each student will meet or exceed grade-level standards and graduate, Equity – Create inclusive learning environments for each student, and Resources and Quality Programs – Improve financial stability, leverage assets, and expand efficiencies throughout the system.”
  • Selling the building does not necessarily mean that programs which help needy families go away. The programs will stay at Wichita in the near future and may stay at Wichita, pending decisions regarding future use of the building. The programs may also move to another location within the school district. The Strategic Partnership will provide new services to our community, families and students.

 

Why is the Parks District selling Hood View Park?

 

  • Within three years of Happy Valley entering the District, NCPRD developed the City’s number one priority at the time: Hood View Community Park. The $18 M Hood View Park, with its impressive sports fields, is the largest park development in NCPRD’s history.
  • Hood View Park sits adjacent to Rock Creek Middle School in Happy Valley. The middle school is targeted for conversion to a new high school in 2020-21, which will require sports fields for athletic and educational programs. The acquisition of Hood View Park provides the School District with a cost-effective alternative to building a new sports complex nearby, while providing for planned development of the new high school.
  • Hood View Park stays in the community to provide students with athletic fields, and will continue to serve as a venue for sports programming and league rentals during non-school use times.
  • The sale, which is more than a year in the making, will help to decentralize the Park District’s capital currently held in Hood View Park and free up annual SDC revenue to allow for more investment in new community centers, open spaces and recreation opportunities throughout the District.

 

How would the sale of Hood View Park impact existing NCPRD sports programs and community league access to the sports complex?

 

  • Even after the School District takes ownership of Hood View Park, the sports complex will stay in the community to provide students with athletic fields, and will continue to serve as a venue for sports programming and league rentals during non-school use times.
  • Pending approval of the proposed facility use agreement, the Parks District will continue current use, programs, and facility maintenance responsibilities at Hood View Park (until 1/1/2021). It is anticipated that there will be little to no changes to current sports programming and league access at Hood View Park leading up to the completion of the future high school in the summer of 2021.

 

When will the new high school start using the fields?

 

  • The new high school at the converted Rock Creek Middle School will be completed in the summer of 2021. School District high school fields can be accessed by the community via the School District’s Facility Use Policy.

 

Will there be public engagement for the visioning of the future use of Concord, Wichita and Clackamas Schools?

 

  • The Parks District’s mission is “To enrich community vitality and promote healthy living through parks and recreation.” This collaborative agreement will help increase recreational opportunities and quality of life for residents through new indoor community centers and open spaces in multiple strategic locations throughout the district.
  • NCPRD is dedicated to a thorough, inclusive and transparent public engagement process for the development of new parks and facilities. Extensive public outreach processes will take place to allow all District residents and interested groups to take part in shaping the vision for these buildings and surrounding properties.