Willamalane Ready to Rekindle Arbor Day Tradition
With generous assistance from Rexius, Willamalane to plant 75 trees for 75 years
SPRINGFIELD – As part of their 75th Anniversary festivities, Willamalane Park and Recreation District has partnered with Rexius to plant 75 trees for 75 years, across ten Willamalane parks, this Arbor Day, Friday, April 26.
The Arbor Day celebration event will begin at Lively Park, located at 6100 Thurston Rd. in Springfield, at 9:00 a.m. Local government leaders, members of the Willamalane Board of Directors and administrative staff, including Superintendent Michael Wargo, as well as representatives from Rexius, will be on hand to kick off the planting. Following a ceremonial tree planting, a host of Willamalane staff members and volunteers will head out to predesignated parks to plant the saplings. When complete, everyone will return to Lively Park for a post event celebration.
As part of an ongoing parks beautification initiative, ten locations were selected based on need. The selected parks include Tyson, Jesse Maine, Quartz, Volunteer, Lively, Douglas, Willamalane, Fort, Thurston and Bob Keefer Center. Early in the process, representatives from Willamalane and Rexius identified which species of tree would fit best at each park. The need for new trees has since been heightened following the recent record breaking snow fall and the resulting damage it caused to the parks system.
Once planted, the trees will be marked with special signage so the community will be able see the sapling’s impact on the park over time. Each tree will also be mapped so the Willamalane parks team can monitor the growth and heaIth of the trees.
Eric Adams, Parks, Planning & Facilities Director for Willamalane Park and Recreation District is excited that area parks will be enhanced through the generosity of Rexius. “Willamalane manages thousands of trees and we are very pleased that Rexius shares our vision of park beautification. By making this sizable contribution for the Arbor Day celebration, the district is able to share a lasting memory of our 75th Anniversary with our patrons”.
For more information about the Arbor Day celebration event, contact Bryan Beban, community engagement coordinator for Willamalane Park and Recreation District, at 541-736-4523.
About Willamalane:
Willamalane Park and Recreation District maintains and operates five recreation facilities and 46 parks and natural areas totaling nearly 1,500 acres. Highlights include 10 waterfront areas, 29 miles of hiking and biking trails, 9 turf and 4 synthetic sports fields and 27 playgrounds. Willamalane offers recreation programs to people of all ages and abilities. Created by voters in 1944, Willamalane is a special tax district, separate from the city of Springfield, with its own boundaries. It is governed by a five-member, elected board of directors and managed by a district superintendent. Online information is available at willamalane.org.
