Auburn Conversion Project
Project Background
Marion County Parks sold Auburn Park to the Salem-Keizer School District in 2019. Auburn Park was purchased with Land & Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) money, which comes with stipulations. When property is encumbered with LWCF dollars, that property becomes part of the National Park Services LWCF portfolio. Thus, the value of this public land must be maintained even if the property is sold. When LWCF property is sold, the property seller must then convert land into LWCF encumbered property.
Marion County Parks will provide an interconnected, safe, accessible, and well-maintained parks system that provides diverse recreation opportunities to residents and visitors and preserves Marion County’s bountiful natural and historical resources.
By engaging the community in this project, the County seeks to achieve the following goals:
- Be a community partner
- Learn from the community to determine the best recreational uses for both local residents and potential visitors
- Gain community support for the development of this land as a public park
- Address concerns of the local community
- Educate about the benefits of public parks
