Rent Our Facility
Located in the heart of downtown Bend, we offer a wonderful meeting space for your next event.
Each year, we host over 500 meetings, workshops, and training events to private parties, clubs, and not-for-profit groups.
We rent out two different event spaces seven days a week during daytime and evening hours. Both rooms come equipped with tables and chairs and a white board. A large TV and hybrid meeting tech equipment are available to rent with your reservation. Between the two rooms is a small lobby (~150 sq. ft.), a small kitchen and two bathrooms near the rear entrance. Wi-fi is available throughout the building.
Our grounds are landscaped with grass, trees, native plants, a small patio, a picnic table in the shade, and a Learning Garden adjacent to our building. A large, shaded deck (~300 sq. ft.) is great for outdoor events from late spring through early fall. The deck and garden are also available to rent, with several picnic tables and benches and some shaded areas.
Continue on this page to learn more about the facility, accessibility, parking, and more!
Ready to make a rental request?
Step 1
View our Rates & Calendar of Availability here
Step 2
Fill out a Reservation Form here
Step 3
Watch your email inbox for confirmation of your rental date and an invoice for payment!
Step 4
Ready to make a payment? Submit your payment here
Questions? Contact our Business Manager Janet at 541-508-5262 ext. 100 or email Janet@envirocenter.org
High Desert Room
Approx. 350 sq. ft.
Classroom style: 15 people
Theater style: 20 People
The Big Room*
Approx. 1,050 sq. ft.
Classroom style: 30 people
Theater style (pictured): 65 people
*The Big Room's name has been changed from the Audubon Room. Please read our blog post here to learn why we've made this change to our facility.
Accessibility
Entrances/exits:
- The front door is accessed via Kansas Ave. and requires four steps to the deck
- The back door is accessed via the alley between the Troy Field parking lot and Lava Rd. There is one ADA parking space and one gently sloped ramp to the back door
We do our best to keep both the ADA parking space and the ramp clear and free of snow and other debris.
Events in the building:
Community events are held in the High Desert and Big rooms on the first floor. Some event hosts may also use the garden space if available (see below). Staff offices are located upstairs and will remain locked if no staff are present.
Restrooms:
We have two gender-neutral bathrooms downstairs. One is fully accessible, and one has a changing table.
The Garden:
The Kansas Ave. Learning Garden has a wide paver path throughout; areas outside of this are covered in wood chips. The main garden beds are 3′ apart and 18-24″ high.
To access the Learning Garden, we suggest the following:
- Park in front of our building on Kansas Ave. near the Learning Garden entrance, if available.
- Park in the Troy Field parking area and access the garden from the back alley (note the City of Bend parking limitations for Troy Field and elsewhere in downtown Bend here)
If you are planning to attend an event hosted by The Environmental Center, we will do our best to make any necessary accommodations. Please contact us in advance and we’re happy to provide more specific information on our facility.
A reminder that we allow other event hosts to use our facility. If you’re planning to attend a community event hosted by another group, please contact the event organizer first.
Please Rethink Waste at Your Event
The Environmental Center is committed to the practice of rethinking and reducing waste for all meetings and events that occur at our facility. We strongly encourage all renters to make a conscious effort to prevent waste and produce as little recyclables, food waste, and trash as possible.
Getting Here & Parking
We have limited, 2-hour parking on Kansas Ave. outside the front door of our facility. There is unlimited, free street parking on many of the residential streets to the South of the building. See the parking guidelines for all other City of Bend parking.
Covered bicycle parking is available by our back entrance in the alley. There are also limited bike racks to the left of the deck at our front entrance.