Public invited to propose names for new Aloha park

Do you have a name you’d like to propose for the 21.5-acre community park that is being constructed in Aloha? The Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District wants to hear from you.

The park, which is scheduled for completion in fall 2017, will be located at and adjacent to Mountain View Middle School. In partnership with the Beaverton School District, it will feature side-by-side synthetic turf fields, a Champions Too field for athletes of all abilities, and a natural grass baseball field with a multipurpose outfield.

Other amenities will include a 6,500-square-foot inclusive play area, tennis courts, community garden, picnic shelters, a restroom and concession stand, pathways, an open lawn area and parking.

THPRD has been referring to the site as Southwest Quadrant Community Park. But that is only temporary, and the park district has appointed an eight-member citizen committee to help determine a permanent name.

Heading the committee is Chet Orloff, director emeritus of the Oregon Historical Society and a naming expert who helped TriMet choose Tilikum Crossing as the name for Portland’s newest bridge.

“In naming this new park in Aloha, the committee and THPRD board are looking for proposed names that will connect the park to the geography, history, and culture of this part of Washington County,” Orloff said. “We're looking for possible Indian names (of individuals, events, plants, or animals), the names of significant historical figures hereabouts, and other names that will identify the park with the region's nature or history.”

Joining Orloff on the committee are Ted Calouri, Mike Dahlstrom, Mark Harmon, David Harrelson, Matt Pedersen, Layton Rosencrance and Chris Wegner.

Harmon is the executive director of the Washington County Museum and Harrelson is acting cultural resources manager for the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde. Wegner lives in Aloha and Pedersen is the principal at Mountain View Middle School. Calouri is a former state legislator from the Beaverton area. Dahlstrom is Washington County’s Community Engagement Program manager and Rosencrance is a citizen volunteer serving on THPRD’s Parks & Facilities Advisory Committee.

The committee will collect naming ideas from the public and contribute their own. Eventually they will narrow the choices to three and submit them to the public for comment. In summer 2017, the THPRD Board of Directors will evaluate all input and decide on a name.

Suggestions can be submitted on THPRD's website. The deadline for submissions is Jan. 15, 2017. In addition to soliciting naming ideas from individuals, the committee will invite suggestions from community groups in Aloha.

• Submit a park name

“This is a new initiative for us, involving the public in the naming of a park to an extent we’ve never tried before,” said Doug Menke, THPRD general manager. “It’s another example of our efforts to increase community outreach, and we’re looking forward to seeing what the process yields.”

About THPRD

Formed in 1955, THPRD is the largest special park district in Oregon, spanning 50 square miles and serving about 240,000 residents in the greater Beaverton area. The district provides year-round recreational opportunities for people of all ages and abilities. Offerings include thousands of widely diverse classes, 95 park sites with active recreational amenities, nearly 70 miles of trails, eight swim centers, six recreation centers, and about 1,500 acres of natural areas. For more information, visit www.thprd.org or call 503-645-6433.