TALENT, Ore. —The Phoenix-Talent School District is looking to move forward on a project that it says will expand educational opportunities for its students. But it can’t move forward until the city approves an amendment to its Urban Growth Boundary.
It’s called the Colver Road Project. While it’s only in the early stages, the plans are large in scale, to benefit youth sports and after-school activities in the community for years to come.
“We’re really looking at expanding some of those opportunities and creating a place that the whole community can enjoy,” said Phoenix-Talent School District Superintendent, Brent Barry.
The Phoenix-Talent School District is trying to get this property on 6100 Colver Road in Talent, included in the Urban Growth Boundary so it can develop it.
It owns the nearly 50-acre property that’s currently used by Phoenix High School’s baseball, softball and soccer teams, but it wants to do more.
“The community has supported the district really well we have some funding sources that won’t cost our patrons any additional money that we can put towards this project to really be able to create a facility that’s multi-use and great for the whole community,” said Superintendent Barry.
The Boys and Girls Club and Phoenix Talent Little League have expressed interest in partnering with the district on the project. If approved, the baseball fields would be renovated, and a community center and Boys & Girls Club facility would be built. Talent Elementary Outdoor Discovery program would also move to the site.
Boys and Girls Club of the Rogue Valley Executive Director, Greg Roe says the facility would have classrooms, a gym, a tech lab, and a playground area for the community.
“It’s really been a dream for the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Rogue Valley to have a club for many years and I can’t think of a more appropriate time, these kids here have been through a lot these last few years with Covid and the fire, if any kids deserve a stand-alone Boys & Girls Club it would be these kids,” said Roe.
Right now it operates out of the Talent Elementary School cafeteria, and classrooms so this would give the club more space. Both Superintendent Barry and Roe say they hope it can be a facility for the whole community to enjoy.
“We just work together on serving the kids here in the community and this is a perfect match for both of us,” said Roe.
“We’re trying to urge the process along to make sure we can get this done and really start the planning which is the fun part,” said Superintendent Barry.
Once it’s in the Urban Growth boundary and approved by the city, then it can begin development work on the project.
Talent’s City Manager tells us the city loves partnering with the school district and is excited about the plans. It’s taking active steps to move the process forward.
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