Erik Orta

Email: eorta@brookings.or.us
Organization: City of Brookings
City: Brookings
Population: 6,465
County: Curry

Meet Erik Orta:

Erik recently received his undergraduate degree in Political Science and Global Health from Allegheny College (PA). Through his coursework and internship experiences Erik has developed an interest in policy and planning. He hopes to use his interests to work on developing communities that promote wellbeing.

Community and Organization:

Located just six miles north of the California border and on the coast, Brookings is the southwestern most city in the state of Oregon. Established as a logging community in the early 1900s, Brookings has since grown to become the largest city in Curry County. Offering beaches and outlooks to the Pacific Ocean, the Chetco River, plenty of outdoor recreation opportunities, and much more, Brookings is surrounded by natural beauty. Given its beauty and temperate climate, Brookings is becoming a retirement destination community.

Project:

Erik worked primarily on Parks and Planning for the City of Brookings. In this role, he updated the Parks and Recreation Master Plan. The plan’s last update was in 2011, making it necessary for a new update. Through community outreach, research, and capital improvement ideas, a new plan was developed to serve as a guide for the next 10 years. Erik also worked on the development and implementation of an outdoor fitness area in one of the community parks. Lastly, Erik worked on developing a report on best practices and areas to target in an effort to increase tourism in the Brookings area.