Councilors question Pioneer Village move and a cited $4.2 million relocation estimate

Councilors at the June 8 Committee on Administration and Finance meeting raised strong concerns about the proposed relocation of Pioneer Village and its fiscal and neighborhood implications.

Multiple councilors stressed the site’s importance to South Salem residents and flagged the possibility that moving the village could reduce nearby commercial activation. One councilor said, “The number I most recent heard was $4.2 million to move,” citing a relocation cost that drew audible unease from colleagues. Councilors also noted that Night Fair events can bring roughly $40,000 in revenue and that moving the site could jeopardize established partnerships and foot traffic that currently rely on Forest River Park parking and adjacent attractions.

Parks leadership responded that Pioneer Village had produced relatively low revenue before COVID but that recent years have seen an uptick in visitation — much of it tied to interest in locations linked to the film Hocus Pocus. A parks presenter said the department is developing a business plan and marketing strategy to transfer that interest to a new site: “We still will have the Binks Cottage. We will still have the cottages that were in the film. So we can still utilize that interest,” the presenter said, while acknowledging a possible lull during the transition.

Councilors pressed staff for more precise cost and timeline detail. Staff declined to confirm the councilor-cited $4.2 million figure during the meeting, instead noting the move’s complexity — including site preparation, cottage relocation, pathways and signage — and saying additional approvals (e.g., conservation commission) will affect timing. One councilor urged more investment in the existing south‑side site rather than relocating, and another emphasized the need to preserve local access if a move proceeds.

The committee nevertheless recommended approval of the small operating expenditures line for Pioneer Village ($32,080) to fund ongoing operations while the larger relocation and capital questions remain under review. Councilors asked Parks staff to provide the council with a detailed business plan and a confirmed relocation cost estimate as follow-up.