Neighborhood Connections: Sep 2010


City of Gresham: Neighborhood Connections August 2010

City of Gresham News,
Community Activities,
Workshops & More

Neighborhood Connections is a publication from the City of Gresham Communications & Community Outreach offering City of Gresham news, Public Safety information, Community Activities & Events, Training & Workshops, Volunteer Opportunities, and more.

Inside this Issue

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Gresham Neighborhoods listing

For more information, visit the Neighborhood Associations page at GreshamOregon.gov or contact Cathy Harrington at 503-618-2482, or email Cathy.Harrington@GreshamOregon.gov.


Multnomah County RSVP, a Program of Metropolitan Family Service (MFS)

Multnomah County RSVP volunteers provide a wide range of services determined by both their interests and the needs of the community. Multnomah County RSVP opportunities within MFS include providing transportation and Friendly Visiting services to older adults. Opportunities available at partner community organizations include providing nutritious meals to low income families and older adults; encouraging hospital patients and family members and welcoming visitors to the Portland area. Please contact Heather Pruess at 503-249-8215 ext. 22 or heatherp@metfamily.org for details. Read more

Community Investment Strategy: Recommendations from Metro's COO

You are invited to attend an informal discussion of local mayors, city councilors, planning commissioners and other concerned citizens to talk about a set of recommendations centered on developing and implementing a community investment strategy for the Metro region. This strategy is aimed at supporting jobs and economic development, promoting safe neighborhoods and protecting our region’s farm and forest land. Please contact Annierose Vonburg at annierose.vonburg@oregonmetro.gov or at 503-797-1810 for more information.

Gresham Takes a Look at Residential Districts

The City will hold public input opportunities on October 14, November 10, November 18 and December 8. Participants will have the chance to review and comment on the latest proposals regarding residential compatibility. Each event will address different topics within the same project. Those who would like to attend can drop in any time between 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. For more information, contact Brian Martin 503-618-2266 or Brian.Martin@GreshamOregon.gov. Read more

Your Ideas Sought on Downtown Parking Changes – September 23

You are invited to review and comment on the latest version of the Downtown Parking Plan during a community forum starting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 23, at Gresham City Hall. The Downtown Parking Plan’s goals are to develop parking requirements that promote a thriving, active city center, support a variety of ways to access downtown, and ensure adequate and well-managed parking. The preferred approach involves both regulations for parking on private sites as well as management of on-street spaces and public parking lots. Read more

Prescription Drug Turn In Event – September 25

If you have unused or expired prescription medicines in your home, you can dispose of them safely for free at Gresham City Hall from 1 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, September 25. Read more

Transportation Safety Fair and Bike Rodeo – September 25

This annual event is fun for the whole family and includes fun bicycle games, prizes, affordable helmets and fittings for toddlers through adults, music, food and fun on the Plaza after the Teddy Bear Parade, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 25. Bring your bike to the Plaza before the parade and we’ll watch it for you. Read more

Experience is the Best Teacher, and You Have a Lifetime’s Worth

Experience Corps, a program of Metropolitan Family Service, is an innovative program that connects older adult mentors (55+) with students in public schools throughout the Portland Metro Area. Experience Corps volunteers provide mentoring and academic support to students to boost student academic performance, help schools become more successful, and enhance the well-being of both themselves and students in the process. Volunteers serving approximately 15 hours per week may be eligible to receive a monthly stipend. Please contact Heather Pruess at 503-249-8215 ext. 22 or heatherp@metfamily.org for details. Read more

Construction Update: Gresham Butte Hiking Trails

The SW Blaine Avenue Waterline construction project, which started July 6, is near completion. We anticipate that the hiking trails closed as part of this project will be opened slightly ahead of schedule and no later than Sept. 30. Newly installed waterlines have replaced aging infrastructure helping to ensure continuity of water operations for the future of Gresham. Read More

Learn Conflict Styles and Communication – October 20

East Metro Mediation will be teaching skills for resolving conflict. In this interactive workshop, participants will learn the five ways of responding to conflict, and which works best in a given situation. Learn communication tools for working through those problematic situations. No cost for Gresham residents. Read more

Volunteer to Watch Wildlife – Training in October

The Natural Resources Program is looking for Neighborhood Wildlife Watcher volunteers to monitor habitat structures in your neighborhood or around the community. Volunteers may find flying squirrels, wood ducks, songbirds, swallows, and bats. Opportunities exist for individuals and groups of all ages and skill levels. Two October trainings with City staff will teach monitoring techniques and match volunteers with sites convenient for you. Read more

Division Street Striping and New Bike Lanes This Fall

Transportation will restripe Division Street this fall between Gresham’s west city limits (SE 175th Place) to 900 feet west of Birdsdale Avenue. On-street parking will be removed and replaced with bicycle lanes on the north and south sides of Division Street. The City will mail letters in advance to households on Division that will receive new bicycle lanes. The project will help addresses safety concerns caused when vehicles enter Division from the side streets and parked cars block visibility of oncoming vehicles. Read more

Finishing up Summer Paint Projects? Dispose and Recycle Leftovers in Gresham

PaintCare is new statewide program created by the paint industry to collect, recycle and dispose of left over paint from consumers. In Gresham, the Miller Paint store on Powell Boulevard is a participating local business in the PaintCare program. This means East-County residents can drop off left over primers, interior and exterior latex and oil-based paints, deck stains and water-proof coatings for proper disposal by PaintCare, reusable latex paint is recycled by Metro. Read more

SmartTrips Neighborhood Marketing Campaign Begins

The City is implementing a Gresham Regional Center neighborhood marketing campaign that will center on the opening of the new Civic MAX Station scheduled to be completed this fall. One of our goals is to provide the Gresham Regional Center area employees and residents with the materials and tools needed to get around Gresham and the Metro region by using a variety of travel options, and save money while doing it. A SmartTrip is anything a person does that reduces drive-alone auto trips and increases the number of bicycling, walking, transit, and carpool trips taken by residents and people who work here. Read more

Do You Like Gresham’s Biking System? Take Our Online Survey

The City invites you to share your thoughts and opinions about two recent projects to assist pedestrians and bicyclists in Gresham – the new bike signs and Gresham Bicycle Guide. Your participation in this short online survey will help us improve future versions the signs and bicycle maps. The survey should take no more than 10 minutes. Take the survey

Reservoir Watch – Help Us Protect Your Water Supply

Several water reservoirs are located in Gresham. Our reservoirs store over 28 million gallons of safe water for drinking, emergencies and more. Please call 9-1-1 if you see or hear anything suspicious. Read more

Agent of Change Workshop

Recycling & Solid Waste staff recommend The Center for Earth Leadership’s free, six-session class, "How to Be an Agent of Change in Your Circle of Influence," designed for citizens who wish to effect sustainable change. The class is held in Portland. October classes are almost full. Read more

Hands-On Rain Garden Building Offered

City staff will be installing rain gardens and welcomes volunteer help and potential residents who want to join in and “learn by doing.” Two dates are offered for the rain garden building: Saturday, Sept. 25, and Saturday, Oct. 9, both from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; rain garden sites to be determined. Read more

Upcoming Workshop on Negotiation Skills – November 10

East Metro Mediation will present a workshop on Interest-Based Negotiation, so you can learn to find win-win solutions to those sticky problems. “Conflict Skills – Negotiation” will let participants have fun and practice with a creative dilemma. There is no cost for Gresham residents. Read more


Gresham Neighborhoods