The Salem City Council has sold Bicentennial Park in the 100 block of South Broadway downtown.
The small 28 to 70-foot park between Kane Insurance and the ABC Pub was purchased for $1,000 by Doug and Brandy Drenkpohl, who are the owners of the ABC Pub.
Brandy Drenkpohl says they have plans to expand outdoors.
“Our plan is to open it up for outdoor dining chairs and also having outdoor bag tournaments, events, and live music potentially outside.”
Drenkpohl hopes the area will attract people downtown.
“Rod iron chairs, tables, umbrellas. It’s a poured concrete patio. Love greenery and lights. If you have been to downtown Lebanon or some of those older communities with brick buildings, even in Centralia the winery has done some nice things there. We hope to bring people and life back to downtown Salem as we have seen other communities do.”
Drenkpohl says the outside area should seat 40 to 60 people. They have a contractor selected to complete the project and are shooting for a fall opening, but material delays could push back the opening to spring.
The Drenkpohl’s had wanted to purchase the park earlier, but Kane Insurance also put in a higher bid leading the council to take no action on the sale. With Kane Insurance no longer interested, the property was put back up for sale with the Drenkpohl’s submitting the only bid.
