Green grass and trees return to Sorosis Park; more plantings to come
Newly sprouting grass and newly planted trees at Sororis Park. Photo Credit: Cole Goodwin
By Cole Goodwin
Sorosis Park in The Dalles is looking green again.
North Wasco County Parks and Recreation Executive Director Scott Baker said he was pleased to report that NWCPRD had (mostly) completed phase one of the Sorosis Park Rehabilitation project which involved irrigation installation, reseeding of the lawn, and some tree plantings.
“We have a few outstanding items to complete still,” said Baker. “Such as a new pump and controller to be installed this spring along with decoders on all of our existing valves. But our current pump is able to irrigate manually so I’m confident that the plants will be able to be watered while we complete that little bit of work.”
“I know that in the heat of the summer it was hard for people to look at the bare ground and the weeds coming up and it must have felt like nothing was happening, but I really truly believe we timed it correctly, where we could get that seed on the ground while the soil was still warm enough and let it come up and let the rains take over from here and allow it to overwinter and I think we will have a very good result from the way we planned this first phase,” said Baker.
Dry grass at Sorosis Park during the summer of 2022. Photo Credit: Cole Goodwin
“The grass came up quickly and it’s green and it looks really nice,” said Baker.
Grassy areas have been roped off to prevent damage to the new tender grasses.
“The grass is really susceptible to damage right now from feet and paws,” said Baker “It’s very important for folks to keep their dogs off the newly planted area.”
Despite the various roped off lawns, Tree Top play structure is still open to the public, park goers will just have to stay on the sidewalk and off the grass. In addition the cement cylinders which were removed from the play area will be returned to their former location once the new grass is established.
The return of the green has been well received by many in the community, including Ken, Becky, and Abigail Dunn who went walking in the Park on Sunday afternoon.
Ken, Abigail and Becky Dunn on a walk in Sorosis Park on Sunday afternoon. Photo Credit: Cole Goodwin
“It’s beautiful so far,” said Ken Dunn. “When we first moved here you could walk out here when it was a hundred degrees and there was still shade everywhere, but it’s been pretty rough the last couple years. I like to play disc golf so I’m waiting for the disc golf course, they are going to redesign it. I can’t wait to see what the next phase has in store for us.”
“I’d love to see more trees,” said Becky Dunn.
“I want them to open up the park again,” said Abigail Dunn.
The Next Phase
The next phase of the project will involve a large spring planting fundraiser to raise money for understory and decorative plantings along Scenic drive and in the Northwest corner of the park.
Following the accrual of funds the bark chipped areas on the inside of the walking path will be developed into a forest floor.
“The northwest corner is designed to mimic a forest feeling and so it won’t have mowed grass underneath it. It'll have bark chips and then as those trees mature we will allow the needles to stay and it will become a contrast area to the mowed grass that we have elsewhere in the park.”
“As the trees mature we will be planting some Rhododendrons, and Mountain Laurel, and other understory plants and bushes that prefer a more shaded environment,” said Baker.
Meanwhile, the bark chipped areas on the outside of the walking trail will be planted with more trees and decorative plantings.
“We will be installing boulders and making rocky areas as well as doing more decorative plantings, as well as planting thirty more trees in that area,” said Baker.
Photo of the Northeast corner of the park. Photo Credit: Cole Goodwin
But wait there’s more!
“A fundraiser is also being planned to raise money for a pavilion, a basketball court and a replacement for Treetop playground so there will be lots of opportunities for people to get involved over the next year,” said Baker.
The gravel pad on the northeast side of the park which acted as a staging area for NCPHD’s landscape contractors will form the base for a new covered basketball court.
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