Pacific Park Peace Garden
There are many peace gardens throughout the world, some quite large in scale, like the 2,339 acre International Peace Garden between North Dakota and Manitoba. The one our group proposes for Bend's relatively modest Pacific Park, which lies just below a small power dam along the Deschutes River, will differ in at least one significant aspect. It will be a naturalized garden with plants primarily native to the region. It will also incorporate a river trail that travels throughout the city. Our partner in this venture is the Bend Metro Parks and Recreation District, whose jurisdiction comprises an area slightly larger than Bend's city limits.
Pacific Park borders the city's downtown core, but lacks the visual appeal and popularity of Bend's iconic Drake Park, just up river. The park district is now developing a long-range plan for the several river parks that traverse the Deschutes River. Their vision, and ours, is to "soft-scape" the interface between river and park whereever possible. This would incorporate natural landscaping with native botanicals, rather than the hardscape rock walls, which now exist but are unsightly, frequently broken, and expensive to maintain. Peace Bridges concurs with this vision, and seeks a harmonious natural area that will invite visitors to pause and reflect on the garden's native flora and fauna.
Peace Bridges Inc. adopted Pacific Park in 2007.