Boring unveils brand new park

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Boing Station to serve as community center, Springwater Trailhead

The folks who live in Boring, Ore. have always had a quirky pride over their, self-described, ‘cool’ town. Their unofficial slogan? It’s cool to be from Boring.

That pride shined on Saturday morning as the community came together to unveil their brand new park. The Boring Station Trailhead, off Highway 212 and SE Richey Road will serve as the official beginning of the 21-mile Springwater Trail, which runs clear to downtown Portland.

"We did it!” Chairperson of the local organizing group Dan O’Dell said. “I'm so proud of these folks in Boring."

O’Dell estimates 10,000 volunteer hours and more than half a million dollars went into the park, now eight years in the making.

Clackamas County Commissioner Jamie Damon said the completion of the park is a great example of agencies working together to make a community effort come to life.

"A project like this really can't be successful without all the partners,” she said.

Clackamas County Parks Department oversaw the design and construction of the park, but the money to fund its building comes from the State, Metro and County governments. "It's a real blessing to have this safe connection between our communities,” Damon said.

She grew up near Boring and is happy about Saturday’s ribbon cutting, but eager to keep working on the trail, connecting it from Boring to Estacada.

"I am looking forward to being able to have my kids in my family ride bikes from Eagle Creek into Boring for the farmer's market or all the way in to Gresham,” Damon said.

The park will serve as community hub for future events and celebrations, and also as another prideful chord for these self-described ‘Boregonians’ to boast about.