Summer Construction Projects To Make Improvements Across Salem (Photo) - 06/30/26

It’s a season of change in Salem as summer construction projects continue, with the goal of improving the lives of Salem residents and visitors.

When encountering construction projects and workers, residents and visitors are asked to use caution, expect some delays, and follow all traffic control signage. These actions help travelers and workers stay safe.

Pavement Rehabilitation

Projects in south and west Salem will rehabilitate pavement on city roadways. This includes resurfacing roadways, replacing curb ramps to ensure accessibility, striping, minor traffic signal modifications and waterline replacement. Both projects are made possible by funds from the 2022 Safety and Livability Bond and Utility Rates.

This work will require traffic control, including shifting travel lanes and rerouting pedestrians and cyclists around the work area. Please use caution, expect some delays and follow traffic control signage.

Construction on Commercial Street SE from 12th Street cutoff SE to Boone Road SE will continue through November. The speed limit on Commercial Street SE within the project limits will be reduced to 30 mph for the duration of the project. Night work will be necessary to complete this section of the project.

Construction on Doaks Ferry Road NW from Brush College Drive NW to Emerald Drive NW will continue through September.

McKay Park

Work has begun in McKay Park to expand opportunities for enjoyment. Work is expected to be complete by the end of November. The east parking lot will be closed to the public for the duration of the project.

Crews are removing the remnant concrete hardscape and replacing it with expanded concrete park paths to add a new shelter space with picnic tables and benches, along with an adjacent pad and extended utilities for a future food truck. Two prefabricated steel restrooms will also be installed on the site.  
 
Outdoor recreation areas will also see improvements. The two soccer fields adjacent to McKay High School will be refurbished with a new drainage system, irrigation and fresh natural grass turf surfacing. 

To increase engagement in this neighborhood amenity, plantings will be added to provide landscaping around the new picnic area. 

Bailey Ridge Park

Starting in July, crews will be busy in Bailey Ridge Park adding new plants and an asphalt walking path.

The project will restore Chambers Swale and enhance connectivity between neighborhoods. Crews will create a new paved path connecting Illahe Court South to Tayside Street South and restore Chambers Creek to improve its health and stability. This comprehensive approach will directly benefit the surrounding community by improving water quality and safety within Bailey Ridge Park.

The restoration efforts will include stabilizing creek banks, preventing erosion and sedimentation while enhancing the natural flow of the water. By planting native vegetation, we aim to create a healthier habitat for aquatic life and ensure the long-term environmental resilience of the swale. 

Alongside these ecological improvements, the construction of a new paved path will provide a safe and convenient route for pedestrians and cyclists to travel through the neighborhood, better connecting our local residents to their outdoor spaces. Since the path will be constructed on a hillside, there will be a series of switchbacks through the forest of trees to allow for a gradual descent.

Civic Center Seismic Retrofit

Work continues on the seismic retrofit of Civic Center. The 2022 voter-approved Safety and Livability Bond included $39.4 million for seismic, system improvements and accessibility upgrades to the Civic Center. 

Residents can now see progress on the six shear walls. These walls help seismically strengthen the building to better withstand an earthquake, similar to work done on the nearby Salem Public Library. Inside, crews are making other building improvements, including new HVAC and plumbing systems. Above, the roof is being replaced as part of the project.  

Work will continue through the summer and fall and is slated to be complete in early 2027.   

Downtown Streetscape

The Salem Downtown Streetscape project is designed to update to the look and feel of downtown. This includes replacing concrete sidewalks, replacing curbs and parking areas to accommodate drainage, installing pedestrian-level lighting, installing larger planter areas to promote tree health (including additional ground-cover plants at the base of trees) and landscaping enhancements at alley entrances for improved visibility.

A series of focus group meetings in 2016 identified streetscape improvements as one of the top urban renewal funding priorities within the Riverfront-Downtown Urban Renewal Area. Further public open houses and a pilot project helped to define the scope of improvements included in the Downtown Streetscape Plan.

Center Street Brick Sewer Rehabilitation

The project will structurally rehabilitate and reline a large brick sewer pipeline along Center Street NE between Church Street and 12th Street. Construction is scheduled for this summer and should be done by early September and is paid for with Utility Rate funds.

Riverfront Playground Renovation: Construction Begins!

The renovation and expansion of the Riverfront Park playground is underway. This transformation will deliver an expanded play area featuring accessible elements designed to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for children of all abilities.

In addition to the new playground, the project includes a new path along the south edge of the South Meadow to guide park users around the expanded site. Significant improvements are being made to the electrical distribution system throughout the park to better support community events.

The new playground is scheduled to open by late summer 2026. We look forward to sharing further updates as construction milestones are reached.

Connect With Your City This Summer And Fall (Photo) - 06/24/26

• Visit us at a variety of Salem events this summer and fall
• Or connect with us by phone, email, online or in person

Salem, Ore. – We like to be where our residents are! The City of Salem offers many ways to connect with us: by phone at 503-588-7272, on our website at www.cityofsalem.net, by email at info@cityofsalem.net and in person at our Customer Service Center, 440 Church Street SE, 5^th floor.

This summer and fall, you’ll find us at a dozen events around Salem where we will be sharing information about City programs and services. Please stop by and say hello!

Saturday, June 27

Energy & Resource Fair

8 a.m.-2 p.m.

Center 50+

2615 Portland Road NE

Saturday, June 27

Central Area Neighborhood Development Organization (CANDO) Summer Bash

6 p.m.

Cascadia Pizza Co. Rooftop

500 Liberty Street SE

Friday, July 10

Fun Friday Event

3 p.m.

Northgate Park

3260 Northgate Street NE

Saturday, July 11

Hispanic Night Market

4:00-7:00 p.m.

3282 Silverton Road NE

Wednesday, July 15

Water Wisdom – Clean Streams presentation at Salem Rotary Club Lunch and Learn

Noon-1:00 p.m.

Cedar Hall, 555 Gaines Street NE

Tuesday, July 21

Wellness Fair – Oregon Department of Transportation

10 a.m.-2 p.m.

State Capitol State Park

725 Summer Street NE

Thursday, July 30

Salem Health Fair

1:00-6:00 p.m.

Lancaster Family Health Center, 255 Lancaster Drive NE

Tuesday, August 4

National Night Out

Numerous locations throughout the city (add link to where the info is posted?)

Tuesday, August 4
Southeast Salem Neighborhood Association (SESNA)

50^th Birthday

5-7 p.m.

Trade Street SE

Saturday, August 8

Englewood Forest Festival

9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

Englewood Park

1260 19^th Street NE

Saturday, August 22

Saturday Market

9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

800 Union Street NE

Saturday, September 12

Center 50+ Boot Scoot & Brew

11:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.

Riverfront Park

Friday, October 23

Titan Harvest Festival

4:00 -6:00 p.m.

West Salem High School,

1776 Titan Drive NW

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Center 50+ At 50: Mobile Activities Play A Growing Role (Photo) - 06/24/26

• WOW Vans Salem’s mobile senior centers reach seniors throughout the community
• The Portland Road Center 50+ still offers many activities and events for the community

Salem, Ore. – Center 50+ marks its 50^th anniversary in 2026. Let’s celebrate!

Since it opened as the Salem Senior Center in 1976, Center 50+ has been an important place for older adults in Salem. The Center supports healthy aging and helps people stay active and involved throughout life. Over the years, the Center has grown into a trusted community leader. It also supports the City Council’s goal of creating a welcoming and livable community for people of all ages.

In 1994, the City created the Senior Center Advisory Commission, which later became the Center 50+ Advisory Commission. This commission helps older adults share their ideas and concerns. It also helps guide services and speak up for the needs of older adults.

50^th Anniversary Events

This year, Center 50+ is planning monthly events to celebrate its half-century. Check out the Center 50+ Activities & Special Events calendar as more details become available.

• Saturday, June 27 – Center 50+ Energy & Resource Fair
• Friday, July 10 – Activity Fair
• Friday, August 21 – Summer Luau at River Park
• Saturday, September 12 –Boot Scoot & Brew at Riverfront Park
• Thursday, October 22 – Ageism Awareness Month presentation at Willamette University featuring Ashton Applewhite
• Friday, October 30 – Time, Talent, Treasure & Treat Fair
• Sunday, November 15 – Fall Brunch
• Tuesday, December 3 – Respite Art Show

Mobile senior centers

In recent years, Center 50+ has increased its efforts to reach out to the community with its WOW (Wellness on Wheels) vans. These mobile senior centers are out at various locations in Salem on weekdays, bringing a variety of services to people 50 and older. Visits from the award-winning Wellness on Wheels vans include fitness, nutrition, mobility and wellness programing, activities, lifelong learning, social check-ins and technology tutoring.

Themed weekly visits

• Mondays: Explore and Create, 10-11:30 a.m. (there’s a $3 drop-in fee for art). Engage in watercolor painting, simple art projects, guided nature walks and occasional cultural outings designed to inspire curiosity and foster connections.
• Tuesdays: Fitness in the Park 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m., all-level fitness class at consistent monthly locations.

• Wednesdays and Thursdays: A recent addition to the WOW van fleet is the new Connection Kitchen, which serves hot noon meals at local 55-and-older Mobile Home Parks and independent living communities. The kitchen rotates between 13 locations including Salem Housing Authority and 55-and-older Mobile Home Parks throughout the month.
• Fridays: Intergenerational Play and Neighborhood Connections, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., visiting all of Salem’s seven splash fountains.

Check out the WOW Van web page to find out where WOW Vans and the Connection Kitchen will be each week. Center 50+ is also around the community in a variety of other ways. Check out the Center 50+ Summer 2026 Program Guide for more details.

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Come Out And Play! 2026 Summer Activities Are Still Registering (Photo) - 06/12/26

• Day camps, sports camps, classes and events continue through August
• Fee waivers are available for many activities

Salem, Ore. – Discover your passport to summer fun and adventure! The 2026 City of Salem Recreation Guide has a wide range of supervised day camps for young people. Fun and exciting summer activities are available for ages 3 to 99, taking place in City-owned parks and facilities throughout Salem.

Opportunities include a wide variety of sports (track, tennis, pickleball, basketball, soccer, futsal and more), plus wilderness and park play activities. Find them online at https://www.cityofsalem.net/activities. 

How to Register

1. Register in person at the Customer Service Center, 440 Church Street SE, the fifth floor of the Parkway Building.
2. Register online in a variety of languages at https://www.cityofsalem.net/ParksRec.

You may qualify for the 50 percent fee waivers listed in the guide for certain programs. To qualify, you must live within the Salem city limits, https://salemor.gov/salemcitylimits, register in-person and bring proof of the Oregon Health Plan, Oregon Trail Card or WIC.

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Traffic Alert: Street Closure Planned For One-Day Event Near Capitol Mall June 13 (Photo) - 06/10/26

• Road closures and lane restrictions are expected surrounding the Capitol Mall starting at 10:30 a.m. June 13
• Drivers should use extra caution in response to increased pedestrian traffic in the area
• The permitted event is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 13

Salem, Ore. — The City of Salem is alerting the public about street closures related to a planned one-day event on Saturday, June 13, starting at 10:30 a.m. near the Oregon State Capitol Mall.

The permitted event will follow a parade route with the closure of Court Street NE between 12th Street NE and High Street NE and High Street NE between Court Street NE and State Street, then along State Street between High Street NE and Front Street. Two blocks of State Street will remain closed between Front Street and Liberty Street until 6 p.m., but Liberty and Commercial will remain open to traffic.

Drivers should expect increased pedestrian traffic and some delays. Temporary signage indicating road closures and lane restrictions will be in place. Drivers are asked to plan accordingly and seek alternate routes during the event. Please drive safely and watch for an increase in pedestrians in the area.

Closure Details

• Date: Saturday, June 13, 2026
• Time: Parade Route Closures from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Block Party closure until 6 p.m.
• Affected Streets: Court Street NE, High Street NE, State Street, along the parade route beginning at Court Street and Capitol Street.
• Details: Full or partial street closures will be in effect along Court Street NE between Capitol Street NE and High Street NE and along High St NE for one block between Court Street NE and State Street, then along State Street between High Street NE and Front Street NE. Two blocks of State Street will remain closed between Front Street NE and Liberty Street NE, but Liberty Street NE and Commercial Street NE will remain open to traffic. The parade route will reopen as promptly as possible once the event has completed its route and terminated at the block party closure between Liberty Street NE and Front Street NE. This closure will accommodate the permitted activities and ensure the safety of all participants and visitors.
   

The City of Salem appreciates your cooperation and patience during this event and is committed to ensuring the safety and accessibility for all residents and visitors.

Salem Public Archaeology Open House June 20 - 06/10/26

See excavation site and recovered artifacts
 

Join the public Archaeology Open House on June 20, 2026, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Willamette University. See our excavation site and recovered artifacts at the former Oregon Indian Mission Manual Labor School on Willamette University’s campus (east of Smullin Hall, 900 State Street, Salem).

Salem's public archaeology project is focusing on investigating the site of the former Oregon Indian Mission Manual Labor School on Willamette University's campus. A Certified Local Government (CLG) grant awarded to the City of Salem's Historic Landmarks Commission from Oregon Heritage is funding this public archaeology project that began in 2025.

The site is being explored by our Historic Preservation Program and community partners including Willamette University, the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde and the Oregon Archaeological Society. The site on the Willamette University campus is believed to be where the Methodists' 1841 Indian Manual Labor Training School was located.

In 1841-42, Methodist missionaries built two buildings in the vicinity. One structure that would come to be known as the Parsonage, was originally located near where the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill Building stands today. The second was originally known as the Indian Manual Labor Training School. In 1844, it became the Oregon Institute. Finally, in 1853 it became known as Willamette University.

Through several non-invasive surveying techniques and excavation, archaeologists are hoping to identify the location of these two buildings and to provide greater context to their original purposes through significant moments and places in Tribal history and Euro-American settlement of Salem.

Learn more about the Oregon Mission Indian Manual Labor Training School Archaeology Project. The project website also includes links to Capital Community Media’s Friday, June 20, 2025 Insight episode on the project as well as a LiDar scan of the excavation site showing the cobble floor of what we believe was the blacksmith shop association with the school.

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City Welcomes Community To Salem Service Day June 11 (Photo) - 06/08/26

Salem, Ore. — Find out what we mean when we say “the City of Salem is At Your Service” June 11 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. during Salem Service Day 2026!

Formerly Public Works Day, Salem Service Day is back at Riverfront Park with City vehicles on display, City staff on hand and free hot dogs while supplies last.

During the event, kids can:

• Learn more about stormwater
• Visit Coho, our inflatable museum shaped like a real orca
• See the city’s drone team in action
• Get up close and personal with a real fire truck and rugged construction equipment
• And more!

Meanwhile, community members can meet with City staff from Center 50+, Code Enforcement, Traffic Engineering, Transportation Planning, Parking Services, Parks, Salem Public Library, Utility Billing and other departments. Staff can answer questions and discuss their current and upcoming projects and programs.

In addition, we will be accepting non-perishable food items for donation to the Marion-Polk Food Share to help those in need.

City Of Salem Statement On Candidacy Requirement Information For May 19th Primary Election - 06/05/26