Posted: Wednesday, August 1, 2007 12:00 am
The last opportunity to express your opinion on the possibility that the city will taker over Cheadle Lake and the nearby park land is coming up soon.
Costs and possible funding sources for the city to purchase the land and develop it with recreational facilities is scheduled on the City Council agenda for Aug. 8.
This is the third of three presentations on Cheadle Lake this summer.
In the first, on June 13, city environmental specialist Darrell McLoughlin presented the results of environmental tests. No hazardous materials of an significance were found in the lake in a number of searches conducted over a period of 10 years. The last were conducted by McLoughlin this year.
The tests were prompted by rumors of various mill by-products and waste dumped or buried in and around the former mill pond. After testing, McLoughlin concluded that the soils, sediments and fish of Cheadle Lake do not contain hazardous levels of contaminants and are equal to or cleaner than other Oregon lakes and rivers.
On July 11, councilors were told what the city might do with the property if it decided to take ownership.
The plan includes further development of the park land now owned by the Lebanon Community Foundation as well as acquisition of land between the park and the lake for water-oriented recreational facilities.
The Foundation acquired 34.78 acres southeast of the lake in 1998 and has improved the site and brought sewer and water service to the site. Freres Lumber donated 100 acres of the 106-acre lake to the Foundation in 2005. A few months later Foundation leaders offered to give the lake to the city. The council said a decision would be preceded by environmental tests.
A landscape design firm, Cameron McCarthy Gilbert & Sheibe, conducted public meetings several months ago to obtain community input on how to develop the property.
The plan that came out of those meetings and others with city officials includes sports fields, a boat launch area and a trail around the lake. The park would continue to be available for the Strawberry Festival and other events.