Tara Franks retires: longtime aquatics coordinator steps down
Longtime CPRD aquatics coordinator retires
Tara Franks succeeded by Wendy Roberts
By Isaac Arthur
Chehalem Park and Recreation District recognizes the retirement of Tara Franks from the position of Aquatics Coordinator at Chehalem Aquatic and Fitness Center in Newberg. Her tenure in the position lasted more than 30 years, a time which saw remarkable growth and expansion of CPRD and the aquatics program.
Numerous friends, colleagues, and patrons describe Tara as “personable,” “compassionate,” “no-nonsense,” and “down-to-business,” but especially as “passionate.” For decades, she channeled her passion for aquatics into swim lessons, water exercise, sports, and recreation, lifeguard training, community engagement, and more. The aquatics program she leaves is worthy of admiration and emulation.
“I knew right away, this is a person we can rely on,” says Tara’s predecessor and CPRD Board member, Jim McMaster. “She was able to build a quality program for her community.”
Tara Franks, her late husband George, and their family moved from Canada to McMinnville, Oregon in the mid-1980s, where they quickly became leaders in local aquatics activities. George, an avid swimmer and lifelong sailor, was a swim coach for many years, and as McMaster remembers it, Tara was equally “animated about [teaching kids to swim].” In 1988, she was officially hired as the aquatics coordinator.
After 25 years at the “old building” (Newberg’s first indoor pool, which opened in 1970), Tara helped shepherd the CPRD aquatics program through the biggest transition in its history: in 2014 the aquatic center began a major construction and renovation project, which expanded the original structure into a massive new complex. In 2018, the new Chehalem Aquatic and Fitness Center opened, home to two pools (a leisure pool for recreation and exercise, and a competition pool athletic venue) as well as a full-fledged gymnasium for fitness activities outside the aquatics program. While this project was underway, Tara made sure to keep a focus on her patrons.
“She shows up,” says Brian Groves, a Newberg resident and dedicated swimmer. “On a very personal level, she makes sure everyone’s okay.” Groves recalls how Tara invited him to participate in conversations on the building planning project, in order to make sure the needs of the daily lap swim attendees were represented in the planning process.
Tara also steered the aquatics center through the stormy years of the pandemic. During a time when many other venues were shutting down entirely, she and the rest of CPRD staff worked hard to make sure that the pool could safely remain open, in an effort to keep the center’s valued programs as accessible as possible.
“The words that come to me about Tara are ‘grace under fire,’” says friend and aquatic center patron Jennifer Parenteau. She marvels at Tara’s ability to “resolve issues from afar with grace, wisdom, and humor as needed.” Parenteau has known Tara for decades and comes to the pool regularly. “There are so many unseen tasks her position calls for; most people only experience the results of her work.”
Generations of children from Newberg, Dundee, and the surrounding area have learned to swim under the guidance and oversight of Tara Franks. Her leadership helped make the aquatics center the hub for community health, recreation, athleticism, and activity that it is today. She is stepping down with the immense respect, affection, and gratitude of those she served and worked with for many years.
A memorial plaque for George Sampson, Tara’s husband, will be unveiled at a ceremony on March 23, 2023.
Tara is succeeded by Wendy Roberts, who stepped into the role of aquatics coordinator on Feb. 1, after working alongside Tara as aquatic programming specialist for several years.
