Salem budget committee votes to save city's Movies at the Park, splash pads in proposed city budget

The Salem Citizen Budget Committee convened Wednesday evening with hope of saving from the chopping block the city's Movies at the Park, First Friday concerts, Kids Relays, and park splash pads, drinking fountains and bathrooms.

The committee ultimately opted to save the splash pads, drinking fountains and bathrooms at parks and the parks events.

Committee member Bill Dixon made a motion to use $422,000 from the Cultural and Tourism Working Capital Fund to partially restore parks operations, including irrigation, splash pads, some seasonal workers and drinking fountains. The committee passed the motion.

An amended motion by committee member David Gier to add another $96,000 to fund the Movies in the Park, First Friday concerts and Kids Relays also passed.

Dixon said he hoped the motion would restore and protect the parks as valued city assets and the neighborhoods around them.

The splash pads are popular sites for families looking to cool down in the summer heat and are routinely packed during the summer months.

According to a city memo, by restoring $422,000 of the total $709,000 proposed budget reduction, parks service levels would be partially restored. This partial restoration of service levels would include staffing and supplies necessary to maintain the water systems to neighborhood parks and non-reservable areas of community parks. With water systems being activated, turf will be irrigated and splash pads and restrooms in parks would be available for public use.

Staff said the add-back amount would not fully support parks' current service levels.

"Due to the on-going and increased level of vandalism, diminished levels of amenity replacements would occur," staff said in the memo.

The committee held hearings on the city manager's proposed budget which includes cuts due to the multimillion-dollar deficit in the city's general fund. The 18-member committee, comprised of residents, the mayor and city councilors, is tasked with debating and recommending a budget for city council approval.

The budget cuts led to the cancellation of the city's Movies at the Park and First Friday concerts held at Riverfront Park every summer.

The Kids Relays program at the park also was cut after struggling to get sponsorships and encountering scheduling and volunteer challenges.

Cutting Movies at the Park was expected to save $50,000. Cutting Kids Relays would save $30,000. First Friday concerts typically cost $14,400 in parks and recreation costs.

In 2023, each of the five Movies in the Park events drew about 1,200 people to Riverfront Park. First Friday concerts typically attracted 500 to 1,000 attendees, and about 1,400 students participated in the Kids Relays.

Proposed cuts include not turning on the water at Salem's neighborhood parks

With the cuts, crews were set to keep water shut off for neighborhood parks, a move that would close almost all of the city's splash pads, bathrooms and drinking fountains, and dry out grass, trees and other plants.

The cuts would have saved $109,000 in irrigation, $132,000 in park maintenance and $25,000 from splash pads.

If the previous cuts had been approved, all splash pads and fountains except the one at Riverfront Park would have shut down.

Playground equipment and the ability to repair amenities also would have been reduced. And the elimination of most seasonal staff would make litter, full trash cans and overgrown vegetation would become more commonplace at parks.

Salem budget committee asked to save events, splash pads and park services

Dozens of residents submitted testimony to the budget committee, urging them to save the events, splash pads and parks services.

"Without those functions, our city parks will be rendered basically unusable during the summer," Kristen Gough said in written testimony. "Parks are one of the very few free options in Salem to entertain our kids during the summer, and turning off the water to them would be very harmful to all of Salem's children, but especially our lowest‐income citizens. Please reconsider this notion and do whatever possible to save our kids' summer."

Riley Preis, a 13-year-old, wrote to Mayor Chris Hoy asking him to keep their neighborhood splash pad open.

"The Englewood splash pad is full of kids every summer," Riley said. "There are many kids like me that have grown up in this neighborhood. Many don't have AC or pools and the nice shady parks and the splash pads are the best way to cool down... Can you please make Salem better for kids like me and my little sister."

Some kids submitted drawings of the splash pads and handwritten notes.

Others urged the city to maintain the popular parks programs.

"These are enjoyable summer public programs that make appropriate use of our parks and are especially of benefit to kids and families," Karen Sjogren said in written testimony. "It is important that our parks remain available as a gathering place for local residents for cultural as well as physical activities."

Budget now moves to council

The committee voted to pass the recommended budget from the City Manager with amendments to avoid cutting the Salem Public Library, restore a proposed cut to a graffiti abatement position, and fund some of the parks cuts using the Cultural and Tourism fund.

The proposed budget will now go before Salem City Council for approval.

For questions, comments and news tips, email reporter Whitney Woodworth at wmwoodworth@statesmanjournal.com call 503-910-6616 or follow on Twitter at @wmwoodworth.

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Salem committee avoids proposed cuts like splash pads, Movies at the Park