West Linn Community Recreation Center

The charming City of West Linn seems to have it all with stunning natural beauty, a strong sense of community, high-quality neighborhoods, a vibrant downtown, and abundant outdoor recreational opportunities—but there is at least one thing missing: a community recreation center. For nearly 20 years, the community of West Linn worked toward the lofty goal of developing an indoor community and recreational facility to offer residents a variety of recreational, educational, and social activities for all ages. However, progress languished in the absence of a unified vision, realistic cost estimate, and agreement around how to pay for the new amenity.

In light of a recent failed bond vote, MIG faced the challenge of encouraging stakeholders back to the drawing board to develop a shared vision for the future recreation center and a concept with sufficient detail to estimate a preliminary cost. Drawing on a sophisticated understanding of recreational activities, operational considerations, and contemporary design, the MIG Team rolled out a dynamic engagement process in collaboration with a 10-member steering committee comprised of residents, advocates, Park and Recreation Advisory Board members, and a City Council liaison. Thousands of community members weighed in on preferred activities and the building’s physical form—through in-person open houses, small group meetings, online surveys, and voter polling. When polling showed voters wouldn’t approve the full cost of the proposed facility, the team refocused the steering committee on fundraising.

The end result is a concept that enables clear communication around the preferred type of recreation center that can best serve community needs, along with estimated capital and operations costs and feasibility considerations. An appealing, easy-to-read document memorializes findings, and a companion short-form report provides inspiration for prospective donors—paving the way to make a community that’s already sweet, even sweeter.