OREGON STATE PARKS GEARING UP FOR CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

October 6, 2021 10:50 a.m. 

Next year, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department will kick off a year-long celebration that commemorates 100 years of Oregon State Parks.

A release said it all began with a 5-acre land donation in 1922 that became Oregon’s first official state park. A century later, the state park system comprises 254 properties and more than 100,000 acres.

OPRD Director Lisa Sumption said she is looking forward to celebrating the places that Oregonians hold dear. She said, “We also honor the Oregonians who had the vision and wherewithal to set aside and safeguard these special places that we all enjoy today”.

Oregon Parks and Recreation officially became an independent agency in 1990 with much fanfare and public engagement.

The release said in 1998, when some state parks were on the verge of closing, voters passed Measure 66, declaring a portion of Oregon Lottery funding to OPRD. That vote provided the funding stability needed to keep parks open. That year, Oregon celebrated its first annual State Parks Day with free day-use parking and overnight camping.

A community picnic at Oregon’s first state park, Sarah Helmick State Recreation Site in Monmouth, is set for State Parks Day on June 4th of next year. Additional events will be scheduled throughout the state and will be posted on the Oregon State Parks event calendar: https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=things-to-do.events

OPRD will host 100 service projects in 2022. Events will be posted throughout next year at: https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=getinvolved.volunteer-openings