With approximately half the landmass of Bend, yet one-fourth the population, Redmond is a community that expects to continue to be one of Oregon’s fastest growing communities.

History

Oregon had been a State for 45 years by the time Frank and Josephine Redmond pitched their first homestead tent near the area that would later take on their namesake in 1906. With these agricultural roots, the city was platted by an irrigation company building a major canal project. In 1911, a year after the town was incorporated; electrification reached Redmond as well as the Oregon Trunk Line Railroad, which opened new markets for farmers and merchants in the area. By 1930 the town grew to 1,000 people, and ten years later population had nearly doubled. During the 1940's Redmond was selected as a US Air Force Base and commercial air service was established at Roberts Field after WW II. The following three decades (1950's, 60's, 70's) and most of the 80's the town's population remained relatively static, growing slowly around a small commercial/retail center and manufacturing industry. However, during the 1990's the town's population began to grow along with most of Deschutes County. Between 2000 and 2006, Redmond's population grew by 74.3% making it among Oregon's fastest growing incorporated cities each year. This rapid growth has continued through 2006, 11.3% this past year, increasing the population to 23,500. Its growth is fueled by employment, comparatively lower cost of living, and great quality of life.

Population

Redmond has approximately one-half the area within its urban growth boundary as Bend, yet it currently has one-third the population. The city also lies at the approximate geographic center of the region with no more than a 30 minute drive to all communities in the region with the exception of La Pine. It's no wonder that Redmond continues to be one of Oregon's fastest growing cities. For the past several years, the City of Redmond has averaged more than two residential building permits every workday. In 2005 the rate increased to over 3 permits per workday or 818 total.

As with the region as a whole, Redmond's population expansion is due to high rates of in-migration. School enrollment growth is an indicator as to the demographics of new residents - many are young families that may work in the community, Bend, or another area of the region, but which choose Redmond as the place to live.

Below is an overview of how Redmond's population has changed over the last decade:

Public Schools
The Redmond School District is made up of 10 schools: seven elementary, two middle and two high schools. Within the Redmond High School are three schools noted below and housed in the Hartman Building. Elton Gregory Middle School has within it the Deschutes Edge Charter School. Redmond's total enrollment on September 26, 2006 was 6,892. Elementary schools serve grades K-5, middle school grades 6-8 and high school 9-12. As of September 26, 2006, district enrollment is distributed as follows:

• International School of the Cascades (charter school): The ISC provides a course of study congruent with the standards and learning expectations established by the International Baccalaureate Organization. The ISC is a comprehensive and challenging pre-university curriculum that demands the best from both motivated students and teachers. Students participate in a pre-diploma program called the Middle Years Program (MYP) during the 9th and 10th grades. The MYP is a thorough study of academic disciplines with the focus on their interrelatedness. In the 11th grade, students move into a sophisticated two-year curriculum that covers a wide range of academic subjects and prepares students for university placement. This program is designed for the curious, dedicated and motivated learner. For more information, please visit their website at www.redmond.k12.or.us/isc.
  
  
• Global Academy (this is a small learning community - not a charter school): The Global Academy is a small learning community that fosters Redmond High School's commitment to rigor, relationships and relevance. Students who enroll in the Global Academy will take part in a unique academic experience that will prepare them to be future participants in a global community. Through the integration of an international perspective across core disciplines, students will appreciate the connections at local, national and international levels while developing the skills to succeed in the academic and career paths they choose.
  
  
• SUCCESS Academy (this is a small learning community - not a charter school): The SUCCESS Academy is a small learning community focused on developing the skills students need to meet the academic requirements for high school graduation and post high school education. The Academy will help students learn how to learn, learn how to work, learn how to contribute. This will be accomplished by teaching the skills required to be a learner and then provide the support needed to be successful in a rigorous learning environment. All students will "learn to learn" by participating in SUCCESS workshops that teach time management, organization, note taking, goal setting and foster problem solving and work ethic skills. All students will construct a personal learning plan that identifies the education goals and the steps the student needs in order to accomplish that goal. The personal learning plan will be reviewed throughout the year to assess the student's progress towards their goals.
  
  
• Deschutes Edge Charter School: The charter school's mission is to provide an opportunity for students to learn in a new way. It will provide engaging and meaningful focus for students. All district parents and students are invited to consider DECS as an option for their child's middle level education. Each student will have a personal education plan (PEP), which will be especially helpful for those students who are currently struggling to maintain passing grades, failing to attend school regularly, or who are not working to their highest potential. Technology will play a significant roll in supporting the learning opportunities for students, particularly in the areas of reading and math. The charter school will focus on improving learning through hands-on, project-based learning. Environmental field studies and community partnerships will provide real-life applications of what is learned. Curriculum will be networked so math, science, social studies, reading and writing all work together to build relevancy and support the CAM strands focus at Redmond High School. The charter school will be a school within Elton Gregory Middle School. Enrollment will be open to all middle school students in Redmond, but will be limited to a total of 210 students.

Private Schools
Redmond has one private school serving Preschool-12th grade. Central Christian Schools is a Christian-based education program with integrated classroom learning and is affiliated with Assoc. of Christian Schools International. For more information contact the school at (541) 548-7803 or via mail at 2234 SE 6th St. Redmond, OR 97756.

Central Oregon Community College occupies a main campus in Bend, a Redmond Campus near the Redmond Airport and offers classes throughout the region. The college offers transfer/lower division programs, professional technical programs, developmental courses and continuing education. Distance learning classes are also offered via computer modem. The Continuing Education division delivers industry-specific courses, workshops and training tailored for the changing needs of business and industry, and is home to COCC's Business Development Center which provides management assistance and resources to the business community.
Phone: 541-383-7700

Redmond is selected by many Central Oregon residents because it has some of the least costly housing in Deschutes County, yet is close to jobs, shopping, entertainment, and the regional airport. $270,000 buys a very nice home in Redmond on a good sized lot, something that is becoming more difficult in Bend or Sisters.

Quality of life

Hospitals 

St. Charles Medical Center - Redmond completed in 2006 their $30 million expansion and remodeling construction project. SCMC-R is a fully accredited 48-bed hospital offering personalized, quality health care for residents of Redmond and surrounding areas which includes the services of: 24-hour emergency care; intensive/cardiac care; physical, respiratory, and nutritional therapy; radiology; and surgery. Physicians practice in a number of fields including internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, general/vascular, urology, orthopedics, pathology, and a range of other specialties. SCMC-R is in partnership with St. Charles Medical Center - Bend, which is one of the highest quality, lowest cost hospitals in the nation.

Numerous medical and health clinics, offices and related facilities have been constructed in the specially zoned area surrounding the hospital since 2003.

Livability 

As one of Central Oregon's fastest growing communities for the past decade, many people find Redmond a very desirable place in which to live. Once a town built around the agriculture industry, Redmondites have a distinct sense of pride about their community and most picture a bright future for the community. Several large-scale projects have been initiated to protect and enhance the community's quality of life.

One of the largest scale projects, over $80 million, is shifting pass-through traffic from US Hwy 97 which cuts through the center of the historic downtown area to a new highway re-route east of the central business district. With this project under construction and expected to be completed in 2008, a renaissance is already underway redeveloping the downtown area into a pedestrian friendly environment for entrainment and commerce.

Recreation

With over 2.5 million acres of public land and open space in Central Oregon, outdoor recreation enthusiasts from professional to beginner find outstanding opportunities for:

• Hiking (Most anywhere!)
• Biking (mountain and road)
• Alpine/cross country skiing and snowboarding (Mt. Bachelor)
• Water skiing (Lake Billy Chinook & Prineville Reservoir)
• Motor cross riding
• Golfing (25 courses)
• Kayaking (Deschutes River)
• White water rafting (Deschutes River)
• Rock climbing (Smith Rock State Park)
• Mountaineering (Eight Cascade Mountains)
• Fishing (500 miles of streams and 150 lakes)
• Hunting ( Camping (Five state parks and numerous Forest Service Campgrounds)
• Horseback riding…

And the list goes on. If you need the outdoors to do it, you can probably do it here.

We definitely have seasons but an overall mild climate that enables you to recreate year round. The area receives an average 300 days of sunshine a year and only 12 inches of moisture, mostly snow in the winter. Deep mountain snows provide the water for our recreation paradise.