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City plans to turn waterway into its 'crown jewel' By JESSICA SMITH Residents two years ago told city leaders what they envision for Bear Creek - they'd like it to be the "crown jewel" in Medford's park system. This year, the city is taking the concept and turning it into a plan. "This is a community asset," said Mayor Lindsay Berryman. Bear Creek, a waterway that connects five Rogue Valley cities, has been overlooked long enough, she said. "We need to keep it looking nice instead of using it as a garbage dump." Litter is a common problem along the creek, which mostly runs behind businesses in Medford. In a series of meetings this summer, urban renewal officials and a citizens' committee will determine the scope of a master plan that is intended to restore Bear Creek and make it a focal point in the city. "Sometimes we believe there are things that are eternal truths and we can never change them," said Al Densmore, a member of the committee supervising the Bear Creek plan. "But there is less of a limit to our imaginations than we might think." Densmore, also president of the Bear Creek Greenway Foundation, said community members should think of the master planning process as a way to make the creek everything they'd like it to be. "If people are really serious when they say Medford can be a special place, this is their opportunity to make that happen," he added. A document outlining the community's vision for the future of Medford - adopted by the City Council in June 1999 - lists Bear Creek's rehabilitation as a top priority. "We've already been told that the people want to make Bear Creek a focal point in the community," said Eric Iversen, an urban renewal planner. "We don't need to be told that." The master plan, Iversen said, is intended to identify what the community would like to see incorporated into the creek. There are no definite concepts for the master plan, but here are some elements being considered by steering committee members: * A "river walk" setting that brings people closer to the water. * Additional foot bridges and pedestrian pathways to connect the creek to downtown Medford. * Business development that complements the creek, including restaurants with patios that overlook the water and stores that front the creek. * Interpretive centers that teach creek visitors about plants and wildlife. Councilman Ed Chun, another member of the Bear Creek committee, said he'd like to see a plan that makes the creek more inviting. "Picture this: You go downtown to your favorite restaurant and sit by the creek and have lunch," Chun said. "Why couldn't we have that in downtown Medford?" According to Iversen, urban renewal officials expect to hire a consultant to draft the creek master plan. In the 2001-02 budget, which the council has yet to adopt, the city set aside $60,000 for consultant fees. Medford Urban Renewal has set aside $16,000 in 2001-02 for the creek plan. Once finished, the master plan will include detailed drawings that show what the community would like to see along the creek, Iversen said. But it won't include engineering plans or cost estimates. Iversen said those items come later in the process, when the city begins implementing the master plan. Reach reporter Jessica Smith at 776-4481, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.