There it stands, for now.

The Dorman Center is a sad sentinel of the past, and a hapless harbinger of
the future.

It’s coming down.

Now the Mountain community turns its attention to what remains – a four-
acre plot propped up by a community garden.

The Villages at Mt. Hood Board of Directors, at a sometimes contentious July 7
meeting, witnessed a computer-aided design (CAD) presentation narrated by
Ben Bliesner. The show outlined the Board’s best effort at creating a
community park on the county-owned Dorman Center property.

“The park has been designed with the themes of art, science, movement, and
community,” said Bliesner, of Rhododendron Technology, LLC. “Many great
people put a lot of time and energy into this project (including Josh Frazier
and Jason Johnson), and I hope that my work can capture that energy.”

The CAD presentation was mesmerizing – from a point of view drive-up by a
Mountain Express bus, to a real-life dash through the skate park, and a stroll
through the raised boxes of the community garden.

“We believe we have designed an artistic, sustainable community park that
will not only become a valued Mountain asset, but also the center point of our
Mountain community,” said Villages Board Chairman George Wilson. “Our goal
is to keep this local through every phase of the project.”

The next step is to face a 12-person Clackamas County Park and Forest
advisory board, in an attempt to get the county on board with the design
effort. That meeting is set for 6 to 9 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 18, at the Resort at
the Mountain as the primary focus of the Villages Town Hall meeting. The
public is urged to attend.

The CAD community park design includes: 100 parking places, bike hub, bus
stop, large community shelter, four private day-use shelters, playground with
tree house slide, skate park, pump park, community garden, amphitheater
and public rest rooms.

The Bliesner-Frazier-Johnson vision will take advantage of the close proximity
to Welches School.

“The community garden (which will include a greenhouse) will be a great
place for class projects and lessons about horticulture,” Bliesner said.

“Themed structures will contain living models and sculptures that offer
educational opportunities, from art and science to simple machines and water
cycle and cultural history.

“Playing in the rain will be one of the best ways to enjoy the park,” Bleisner
said. “The kayaking runs are going to be out of this world, and themed on our
Sandy, Salmon and Zigzag rivers. Hydrology lessons will be a fun day for the
kiddos.”

The park and ride for the Mountain Express will provide shuttle service to
Timberline.

There was contention, as in all things at Villages meetings. A community park
committee was disappointed there was no mention in the presentation of the
committee’s desire for an area set aside for events such as weddings. This
difference of opinion led to committee member Marci Slater resigning her
position on the Villages Board.

The thrust of the Aug. 18 Town Hall and CAD presentation will be to convince
the advisory board, and ultimately the county, to approve the design and
assist in the funding for the community park.