After more than a decade of planning, permitting and fundraising, Scott Hill Park & Sports Complex is nearing the finish line on its first major phase. The Woodland Rotary Club, which has led the effort since 2011, now faces a final push to raise the last $700,000 needed to open phase one to the public. Fundraising Chair Sandy Larson is optimistic the first portion of the park will open to the public before the end of 2026.
The city owns the 46.7-acre property, but all development has been funded and managed independently by the Rotary Club. The city has not contributed taxpayer dollars to construction. In December 2011, the city made an agreement with the Rotary Club, allowing them to raise money and develop the park.
A major turning point came when the Rotary team discovered a pre-existing park proposal from local internist Dr. Ellis Johnson, who had approached the city with safety concerns about children crossing Green Mountain Road to access existing Little League fields.
“He was just scared to death that somebody was gonna get killed,” Larson said. “He had a couple of daughters of his own, and being a doctor too, you know, the combo is pretty tough.”
When finished, the Scott Hill Park & Sports Complex will include additional soccer fields, a full baseball complex, a 5,000-square-foot play shelter with basketball and pickleball courts, and a 1.3-mile paved walking trail that loops the entire property.
“This section is closest to the entrance, and once we finish it, it’ll finally be something the public can come and use,” Larson said. “People will be able to walk the trail, watch games, host gatherings. It’s not open yet, but it’s getting close.”
What’s left to complete are two additional parking lots, sidewalks, street lighting, final paving and tree planting between lots and walkways — all of which must be finished before phase one can open.
Larson says that while the state legislature has supported the project in the past, this year’s contribution was just $45,000 — far less than the state awarded in previous cycles.
“There was so much infrastructure that they were having to be out to,” she said. “We’re in the back, you know. At the bottom.”
Larson says much of the challenge lies in visibility. Because the site is fenced and not yet open, many in Woodland aren’t aware of how far the park has come.
“A lot of people think it’s never going to happen because they can’t see it,” she said. “But when they do get in they’re shocked. I had one guy tell me, ‘I had no idea.’ You don’t until you’re standing there.”
Management of the facility will not fall to the city but to a standalone foundation designed to keep the park self-sustaining and responsive to local needs.
“We didn’t want to be a burden on the city,” Larson said. “That’s been our goal from the start.”
And while it’s been a long road, the Rotary remains optimistic. According to Larson, the local Little League frequently asks when the softball field will be open.
“The gate’s gonna be open here one of these days,” Larson said. “Hopefully soon.”
To date, roughly $2,250,000 has come from the state, and no federal assistance has been received. Additional funds raised include a $300,000 grant from Cowlitz County, with the balance of the $5 million total raised coming from private donors, school groups, and businesses.
“We take whatever we can get,” she said. “I think the smallest donation we ever got was $1. Do you think I turned it down? No.”
The Rotary Club holds an annual fundraising dinner and auction at Summit Grove Lodge and actively pursues grants. Individual donations also remain crucial.
Contributions can be sent to PO Box 482 in Woodland or online at scotthillpark.org. Readers can learn about the Rotary Club’s annual fundraiser at scotthillpark.org/event/gold-leaf-dinner-auction-2025.
