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ENLARGE
Barbara Taylor
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ENLARGE
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Stewart Park is a landmark for Roseburg outdoor enthusiasts.
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New York City has its landmark Central Park, San Francisco has its sprawling Golden Gate Park and, luckily for us, Roseburg has its beloved Stewart Park.
Although not nearly as large as those other city parks, Stewart Park plays just as important a role for the residents of Roseburg as do the other parks for their citizens. Stewart Park hosts an abundance of centrally located recreation and provides open space, while also protecting local natural resources.
The history of Stewart Park is closely connected with the Roseburg Veterans Affairs Medical Center and dates back to 1929, when a group of citizens responded to an announcement that the federal government was searching for a site to place a soldiers’ home in the Pacific Northwest. The next few years saw a fierce competition between several northwest cities, including Roseburg, Vancouver and Eugene, with each wanting to secure the placement of the veterans’ home.
Dr. Earle B. Stewart, for whom the park is named, was instrumental in the campaign to bring the veterans’ home to Roseburg, rallying local citizens and lawmakers in support of the site. Dr. Stewart made month-long trips from Roseburg to Washington, D.C., in 1930 and 1931 to work for favorable action in selection of the site. In late 1931, Roseburg was selected, and work began in 1932 on the 410-acre site.
By the mid 1950s, it became apparent the Veterans Administration would not need the entire acreage and the city of Roseburg sought to lease part of the property. Eventually this property was declared to be surplus by the federal government, and 162 acres were given to the city of Roseburg for park purposes. The federal government later included the 23-acre Fir Grove section and the 24-acre riverfront section to Stewart Park.
Since that time, Stewart Park has developed with a great diversity of recreational opportunities available within its borders. Many local athletes enjoy the baseball, softball and soccer fields, basketball, volleyball and tennis courts along with the golf and disc golf courses. In addition to the sports areas, Stewart Park has picnic pavilions, playgrounds, miles of popular bicycle/pedestrian pathways and the Nichols Bandshell. Within the Fir Grove section of the park, you’ll find the homes of Umpqua Valley Arts Association and Umpqua Actors Community Theatre. North Stewart Park contains the skateboard facility and the Stewart Park Natural Area, which includes the duck ponds.
In the Stewart Park Natural Area and along the South Umpqua riverbank, there is a renewed effort to rid the areas of noxious weeds and improve the natural vegetation and habitat. Blackberries and teasel have been removed and are being replaced with appropriate native grasses, shrubs and trees. With the help of Douglas County work crews and volunteers, pathways and open areas in the Natural Area have been cleared of blackberries, allowing easier access. The viewing platform on the south pond was recently rebuilt and offers nice opportunities for watching wildlife. The ponds are visited by a wide array of bird species and are home to a large population of threatened Western pond turtles, which can be seen basking on floating logs in summer.
Healthy lifestyles, livable communities — they start in parks! Looking forward in 2009, watch for the “Museum in the Park” natural science classes and other new parks and recreation programs including disc golf workshops, senior fitness classes and a new parent/child health series to be offered in Stewart Park. Visit the city Web site at www.cityofroseburg.org or look for details in future guest columns.
Stewart Park — something for everyone!
Barbara Taylor is Parks & Recreation Program Manager for City of Roseburg Parks Division. She may be reached at 440-1188 or by e-mail at btaylor@cityofroseburg.org. Her column about Roseburg Parks will appear in The News-Review on the third Sunday of each month.
Although not nearly as large as those other city parks, Stewart Park plays just as important a role for the residents of Roseburg as do the other parks for their citizens. Stewart Park hosts an abundance of centrally located recreation and provides open space, while also protecting local natural resources.
The history of Stewart Park is closely connected with the Roseburg Veterans Affairs Medical Center and dates back to 1929, when a group of citizens responded to an announcement that the federal government was searching for a site to place a soldiers’ home in the Pacific Northwest. The next few years saw a fierce competition between several northwest cities, including Roseburg, Vancouver and Eugene, with each wanting to secure the placement of the veterans’ home.
Dr. Earle B. Stewart, for whom the park is named, was instrumental in the campaign to bring the veterans’ home to Roseburg, rallying local citizens and lawmakers in support of the site. Dr. Stewart made month-long trips from Roseburg to Washington, D.C., in 1930 and 1931 to work for favorable action in selection of the site. In late 1931, Roseburg was selected, and work began in 1932 on the 410-acre site.
By the mid 1950s, it became apparent the Veterans Administration would not need the entire acreage and the city of Roseburg sought to lease part of the property. Eventually this property was declared to be surplus by the federal government, and 162 acres were given to the city of Roseburg for park purposes. The federal government later included the 23-acre Fir Grove section and the 24-acre riverfront section to Stewart Park.
Since that time, Stewart Park has developed with a great diversity of recreational opportunities available within its borders. Many local athletes enjoy the baseball, softball and soccer fields, basketball, volleyball and tennis courts along with the golf and disc golf courses. In addition to the sports areas, Stewart Park has picnic pavilions, playgrounds, miles of popular bicycle/pedestrian pathways and the Nichols Bandshell. Within the Fir Grove section of the park, you’ll find the homes of Umpqua Valley Arts Association and Umpqua Actors Community Theatre. North Stewart Park contains the skateboard facility and the Stewart Park Natural Area, which includes the duck ponds.
In the Stewart Park Natural Area and along the South Umpqua riverbank, there is a renewed effort to rid the areas of noxious weeds and improve the natural vegetation and habitat. Blackberries and teasel have been removed and are being replaced with appropriate native grasses, shrubs and trees. With the help of Douglas County work crews and volunteers, pathways and open areas in the Natural Area have been cleared of blackberries, allowing easier access. The viewing platform on the south pond was recently rebuilt and offers nice opportunities for watching wildlife. The ponds are visited by a wide array of bird species and are home to a large population of threatened Western pond turtles, which can be seen basking on floating logs in summer.
Healthy lifestyles, livable communities — they start in parks! Looking forward in 2009, watch for the “Museum in the Park” natural science classes and other new parks and recreation programs including disc golf workshops, senior fitness classes and a new parent/child health series to be offered in Stewart Park. Visit the city Web site at www.cityofroseburg.org or look for details in future guest columns.
Stewart Park — something for everyone!
Barbara Taylor is Parks & Recreation Program Manager for City of Roseburg Parks Division. She may be reached at 440-1188 or by e-mail at btaylor@cityofroseburg.org. Her column about Roseburg Parks will appear in The News-Review on the third Sunday of each month.
