Gresham Mayor Travis Stovall

City hopes team can change decade of funding frustration, improve parks & recreation Source: Gresham Outlook, March 19 2021 By Christopher Keizur

A decade ago, Travis Stovall joined a task force dedicated to seeking solutions for Gresham's parks funding woes.

The Green Ribbon Task Force was created in 2010 to address the need for sustainable parks funding within the city. After investigating various funding methods, the task force put forward its suggestion — a parks district in East Multnomah County.

The idea represented an exciting way to bolster parks and recreation that had been withering for years. The task force wanted the city to implement a $0.25 property tax levy to generate roughly $2.1 million a year. They spoke of Gresham partnering with Fairview, Wood Village and Troutdale, which would have resulted in an annual payment of $31 to $53 for the average home in East Multnomah County.

But that idea was never put before voters as a ballot measure to save parks, with city officials citing a lack of support from the public. Thus, the city effectively ignored the work done by the Green Ribbon Task Force.

"I was disappointed they didn't move forward with the ideas," said Stovall, who has since been elected as mayor of Gresham. "At this point, we need multiple opportunities for council to work with and think of initiatives that would lead to (parks) ballot measures."

Now 10 years later, Gresham is convening another green team to investigate potential solutions to stop the continued hemorrhaging of parks and recreation.

During a Tuesday morning, March 16, meeting, Gresham City Council helped plan the Parks Community Advisory Group. The team would have up to 30 members, with a broad representation of the community and members who live or work in Gresham. The city wants to have 30% of participants be Black, Indigenous or people of color.

The Parks Community Advisory Group would create a vision and options for the future of Gresham parks and recreation — including two or three funding options and mechanisms to support them in an effort to avoid the failure the last time this was attempted.

"We really want to make sure council's expectations are clear to this group to avoid any frustrations," said Steve Fancher, director of environmental services and city operations.

The city hopes to find participants for the Parks Community Advisory Group in the coming weeks, and will be recruiting from local organizations and communitites.

This story first appeared in The Outlook. Support community newspapers. Subscribe at http://savinglocalnews.com

PMG PHOTO: CHRISTOPHER KEIZUR - Gresham Mayor Travis Stovall celebrated the youths maintaining Nadaka Nature Park during a visit Thursday morning, March 11.

Source: Gresham Outlook, March 16 2021
By Christopher Keizur

Nonprofit Play Grow Learn celebrates youth-oriented efforts at Nadaka Nature Park

When the winter ice storm hit East Multnomah County earlier this year, it wreaked havoc on a popular Rockwood greenspace.

Nadaka Nature Park had been buffeted by rain, sleet, snow and high-winds. Branches fell across the 10-acre property, young trees had been uprooted, pathways destroyed, and the community garden was a mess.

But for the youths who have been working at Nadaka for the past year, the damage was not daunting. Instead they rolled up their sleeves, grabbed their shovels, and got to work.

"This park is beautiful," said 19-year-old Rico Garland. "We all care about it and helping our community."

Twice a week, 20 youths have been working at Nadaka Nature Park, 17615 N.E. Glisan St., through the nonprofit Play Grow Learn. They plant, weed, and clean the park to ensure it remains a safe and fun place for local families to visit.

The Play Grow Learn youths, ages 15-24, all receive a stipend for their work, and are helping fill the gaps in Gresham when it comes to funding and maintaining parks. For those kids, Play Grow Learn led to the first time they had ever visited Nadaka, despite it being in their community.

"They want to work and take ownership of the park," said Germaine Flentroy, program coordinator with Play Grow Learn. "All it takes is one opportunity."

Now, if not for the youths, the state of Nadaka would be in a much more dire place.

"I'm so grateful (they) are helping maintain this park, because the city isn't able to," said Lee Dayfield, the creative force behind Nadaka.

PMG PHOTO: CHRISTOPHER KEIZUR - The youths led Gresham leaders on a tour of everything they have accomplished at Nadaka in the past year.

On Thursday, March 11, those kids were able to showcase their hard work to Gresham Mayor Travis Stovall, who visited Nadaka to learn more about Play Grow Learn's efforts.

The mayor walked along a newly constructed path through the wooded area, toured the gardens where community members are learning to grow their own healthy produce, and admired the dozens of trees that have been planted. He even got a lesson on how to propagate new plants from cuttings.

"What Play Grow Learn is accomplishing here is incredibly important and impressive," Stovall said. "The best part was listening to their passion about planting trees."

The tour was also a chance for the youths to connect with the new leader of their city. Many were excited to meet "someone famous," and used the opportunity to speak with Stovall about what their communities need.

And of course, they were proud to show Stovall all that has been accomplished at Nadaka.

"Do you see that — we planted those trees," Garland said.

Fund-amental problem

For many years it has been the same song, different tune in Gresham — the city does not have the funding to support parks. The problems began two decades ago with a pair of ballot measures passed in Gresham that hamstrung the city's ability to fund greenspaces.

PMG PHOTO: CHRISTOPHER KEIZUR - Mayor Travis Stovall spoke about the need to find funding mechanisms for Greshams parks.

The votes set a permanent property tax that was the second lowest in the state.

In 1990, Gresham's property taxes paid for 100% of police and fire services. Now, those taxes are only able to foot 40% of those expenses. And the lion's share goes to public safety, leaving parks to wither.

"It's about funding mechanisms to get our parks to a new level," Stovall said.

One solution would be to form a parks district, which the city is investigating with a feasibility study. The district would have the power to construct, reconstruct, alter, enlarge, operate and maintain lakes, parks, recreation grounds and buildings; acquire necessary lands; and to call necessary elections after being formed.

But it is difficult to implement, and necessitates city leadership lessening control over greenspaces and a successful public vote. Other solutions include a new parks utility fee; increasing the existing Police-Fire-Parks fee; or vying for an Operations Levy/Bond Measure, which would collect from property taxes.

A group within the community, including Dayfield and other leaders at Nadaka, have also requested participatory budgeting when it comes to parks, which allows for community input in how to spend funds.

"Years ago the city had to cut parks and recreation programs, which was really hard on the community," said Keri Handaly, who works with the Nadaka kids through Gresham's water resources division. "Programs like Play Grow Learn help bring back those needed services."

While there are no easy answers, the work being done by youths at Nadaka highlight a potential future for the city's parks.

"We are doing the stuff that otherwise isn't going to get done, and showing the city what can be accomplished with a shoestring budget," said Anthony Bradley, executive director of Play Grow Learn.

Seeking support

PMG PHOTO: CHRISTOPHER KEIZUR - Play Grow Learn youths are filling in the gaps at Nadaka Nature Park.

Play Grow Learn is thriving at Nadaka thanks to a coalition of partners all coming together. Friends of Nadaka lends guidance and has continued its ambassador program.

Vanessa Chambers and Rhonda Combs continuing oversight at the park, tidying the playground and ensuring the space remains safe and welcome to the many families who visit.

City staff and Friends of Trees visit to provide expertise; Adam Kohl and Outgrowing Hunger operate the community garden and assist in securing grants; East Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District provides funding; and Metro Regional Government and East County Rising both have backed the nonprofit organization.

The latest partnership is with PGE Project Zero, which will send two interns this summer to help Play Grow Learn at Nadaka.

"The program connects young folks with meaningful employment," Taaj Armstrong, cohort dean for Project Zero's green jobs internship program. "We are so excited to partner with Play Grow Learn."

But everything Play Grow Learn is accomplishing remains on unstable ground.

"This all could be gone tomorrow," Flentroy said. "We are surviving on short-term grants and solutions."

Play Grow Learn requires more support to keep going, and they hope the visit from Mayor Stovall might signal future backing from the city of Gresham. The nonprofit organization needs more stable funding and in-kind support to continue teaching youths skills and keeping them out of dangerous situations.

"I believe the support is out there," Bradley said.

If they can secure it, Play Grow Learn has a bright vision for Gresham. They want similar programs in every East Multnomah County park, with teams of teens caring for greenspaces, learning valuable skills, and finding future employment opportunities.

"We all have to do our part to represent and teach kids of color," Flentroy said.

Support Play Grow Learn
To volunteer or provide donations to Play Grow Learn to back its efforts to teach youths valuable skills, email Anthony Bradley anthonybradleypgl@gmail.com or Germaine Flentroy gflentroypgl@gmail.com.

This story first appeared in The Outlook. Support community newspapers. Subscribe at http://savinglocalnews.com

2021 Spring Newsletter "Diversity, Harmony, Community - Together 'WE' can make a difference!”

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Spring 2021 Newsletter Inside This Issue: Downtown Rockwood Arrives Albertina Kerr Housing Update Wilkes East Land-Use Update Reporting Livability Issues Hazardous Spills, Who To Call Neighborhood Tree Outreach

Download your copy here. (includes active web links)

Newsletters are a regular publication of the Wilkes East Neighborhood Association. They are hand-delivered to over 1,500 residences and businesses in our area 3 times per year, timed to correspond with our regular meetings.

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'Green Gresham, Healthy Gresham' Grant Project

The City of Gresham is partnering with Multnomah County Office of Sustainability and Friends of Trees on a grant from East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District (EMSWCD) to get trees surveyed, maintained and planted in the Rockwood, Wilkes East and North Gresham Neighborhoods. From mid- December 2020 to end of February 2021, you may notice a small
crew of three to four members wearing bright fluorescent safety vests, known as the Gresham Tree Team. The 2020 Gresham Tree Team is a group of County staff and interns making the following improvements to your neighborhood:

• Tree planting activities such as digging holes, planting trees, and moving mulch;
• Tree surveying and measuring in the public right of way to gather data on the tree type, size, and health; and
• Tree maintenance in the public right of way along arterial and neighborhood streets.

Gresham Tree Team
From 2018 – 2020 this team has:

• Inventoried 1300 trees
• Planted over 300 street and yard trees
• Recruited 80 homeowners to plant yard trees

This EMSWCD Green Gresham, Healthy Gresham grant project will improve your neighborhood with information on where to plant more trees along with newly planted trees that will help:

• Cool the urban environment during our hot summers
• Provide windbreaks and help conserve energy during our cold winters
• Improve the walking environment and air quality along busy West Gresham streets
• Reduce water pollution flowing into local streams and waterways

Work will be performed Tuesday through Saturday (9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.)

More Info
If you have any questions or would like to learn more, please contact Tina.Osterink@GreshamOregon.gov or call directly at 503.618-2392.

2020 Fall Newsletter "Diversity, Harmony, Community - Together 'WE' can make a difference!”

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Fall 2020 Newsletter Inside This Issue: Virtual School Challenges WENA Board Elections Nov 9th Wilkes East Land-Use Update Holiday Gatherings & Covid-19 Online Scammers; Elder Fraud Tips to Prepare For Winter

Download your copy here. (includes active web links)

Newsletters are a regular publication of the Wilkes East Neighborhood Association. They are hand-delivered to over 1,500 residences and businesses in our area 3 times per year, timed to correspond with our regular meetings.

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Metro's proposed Clackamas to Columbia River connector will impact school zones and pedestrian traffic on Northeast 181st Avenue

By Mike Elston, President
North Gresham Neighborhood Association

As President of the North Gresham Neighborhood Association, I'm informed about development plans that impact our neighborhood. Recently I became aware of a Metro proposal that'll increase traffic from Clackamas to the Columbia River ("C2C"), largely by routing it down Northeast 181st /182nd. Although the scheme has apparently been in development for years, Metro and the city of Gresham are only now involving North Gresham citizens — at a point where it's nearly a done-deal.

We have a number of concerns about C2C we feel aren't being heard by Metro. We strongly believe this will have the effect of transforming 181st /182nd into another 82nd Avenue. It will certainly increase traffic, which is already a nightmare during rush hour. That, in turn, will negatively impact the three schools along its proposed route as well as pedestrian access to the MAX and to our area's one grocery store.

We're at a loss to understand how this benefits North Gresham (and maybe that's why we weren't informed about the plan until it was too late to have much impact). Metro claims it'll provide jobs, but they're temporary employment during construction and not permanent.

In our view, this only benefits the higher-income residents of Happy Valley at the expense of Gresham's north-end, lower-income neighborhoods.

Funding for the C2C would be provided by the passage of Metro bond measure M 26-218 in November, and our only chance to delay C2C and permit more time for citizen feedback is for the measure to fail.

We therefore, ask for your help. Join us in voting NO on Measure 26-218, November 3, 2020.

We are reaching out to let you know about the City’s “Environmental Overlay Code and Map Update” project, which will update Gresham’s environmental protection regulations. The update is designed to continue allowing development while streamlining the process and minimizing negative impacts to our natural resources, property, public health, and public safety for the Gresham community.

Why are we reaching out to you now?

• To let you know we are changing the code and where we are in the process.
• To give you a heads-up that we will have more information and opportunity for you to give us feedback and ask questions soon (September 9th).

What does this mean for you?

• You can learn why Gresham’s natural resource areas are important.
• You can find out if your property is located in an environmental overlay area and what this means.
• You can learn about the proposed updated code and to use it to protect the community’s valuable natural resources.

How can you get involved?

• Aug 2020- Staff review of draft code
• Sep 09, 2020- Draaft code ad maps available for public reiew
• Sep 17, 2020- Public work sessions
• Oct 2020- Incorporate comments and writing reports
• Nov 23, 2020- Planning Commission
• Dec 15, 2020- City Council Hearing

Draft Code sections plus updated maps for Hillside and Natural Resource overlay areas within the City will be available for public review throughout September. In addition to public Zoom sessions, staff will be available to receive your feedback, answer questions, or provide clarifications about this project through the end of September via email at: Overlays@GreshamOregon.gov.

Property owners who fall within the environmental overlay areas will be notified of the proposed code and map changes and meeting dates by mail in September and again in late October. At that time interested parties will have the opportunity to submit formal comments until the December 15th Council Hearing.

Information about the project, including project timeline and links for engagement activities in September, can be found on the project website. Sign up to receive project updates at https://t.e2ma.net/click/8mffbc/ghow07/smg30k.

2020 Summer Newsletter "Diversity, Harmony, Community - Together 'WE' can make a difference!”

Read it now!

Summer 2020 Newsletter Inside This Issue: An Inclusive Neighborhood Columbia View Park Concept Nature-Deficit Disorder Coping During the Pandemic Importance of Our Parks Albertina Kerr Housing Update

Download your copy here. (includes active web links)

Newsletters are a regular publication of the Wilkes East Neighborhood Association. They are hand-delivered to over 1,500 residences and businesses in our area 3 times per year, timed to correspond with our regular meetings.

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Sarah Jacobson, Board member

The recent deaths of Breonna Taylor, Ahmad Arbery and George Floyd, along with weeks of subsequent protests, have shined a national spotlight on racism in America. It has left a lot of us wondering “What is my role and responsibility in perpetuating or dismantling racism? How can I help? How can I reduce harm?”

If you are asking yourself these questions, you are not alone. Acknowledging racism exists is easy, but dismantling it is hard. Racism is more than individual prejudices but a society wide dynamic that occurs, often unintentionally, at a group level. There is no easy or quick fix here. It will take a lot of work to remove the systems of oppression that we have created over centuries and be able to heal and move forward as a country. This work begins at home.

Whether you are an activist with a robust plan to address racial equity or someone who is just coming to terms with the true extent of racism in our country, there is an opportunity to create a more inclusive neighborhood right here. Everyone deserves the right to feel safe in their home and their community, but the reality is, not everyone does. So, what can we do to change that? Below are three suggestions to start creating a more inclusive neighborhood.

Know Your Neighbor
If you have attended a local Race Talks, led by retired PPS teacher and administrator Donna Maxey, you already know one of the best ways to create inclusion in your neighborhood is to know your neighbors. Not just know their name but KNOW them. Maxey recommends starting with the three neighbors on either side of you and on both sides of the street. That is approximately 12 neighbors!

While I talk to my neighbors pretty regularly, the recent COVID-19 lockdown made me realize I had very few of their phone numbers. This was a wake-up call for me that I didn’t know my neighbors as well as I would like. Of course, we are currently facing the added challenge of ongoing social distancing, but try to get out and connect with neighbors while maintaining healthy boundaries.

Avoid Assumptions
We are all influenced by our life experiences and our world at large. We have all received subtle, and sometimes not so subtle, messages about what skin color means in our society. Because this messaging is constantly being thrown at us through the media, it takes a lot of work to mitigate the effect and undo negative thought patterns. It is important to actively avoid assumptions about other people because they are based on preconceived notions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, class, religion and other layers of identity rather than facts. If you see someone in the neighborhood you don’t recognize, avoid making assumptions about who they are and why they are there. Remember that a stranger is only a stranger until you get to know them.

Connect Across Differences
We are naturally attracted to people with whom we share similarities. Similar age, family structure and outdoor hobbies can be a simple way to form a connection with a neighbor. These are all examples of surface level traits- things we can visually see about someone before we even get to know them. You have a boat, me too- let’s be friends! It is normal to connect based on surface level commonalities, however, creating an inclusive neighborhood means also intentionally connecting across differences. There are so many factors that make each of us the unique person we are and that is a beautiful part of the diverse community we live in. The more we learn about someone else below the surface, things we wouldn’t know just from appearances, the more we might find that we have in common. Don’t let surface level differences deter you from connecting with your neighbor.

Connection, community and sense of belonging are all important aspects of human nature. When we are able push our comfort zones just a little to create that new connection, we all benefit. Building an inclusive community isn’t about being a perfect neighbor, nobody is perfect. It is about accepting that nobody is perfect but everyone is worthy. As Dr. A. Katrise Perera, Gresham-Barlow Superintendent, recently said during Gresham’s Conversation on Race and Reconciliation, until we can say Black lives matter, we can’t say all lives matter. The more we can set aside our own unique story and understand our community at large, the better we can work towards equity and justice.

Tina Osterink, City of Gresham
Natural Resource Planner

In the spring of 2019, the City of Gresham began a process initiated by the City Council to identify potential recreation improvements for six undeveloped parks throughout the city. The parks identified for future improvements were two community parks and four neighborhood parks, including Columbia View Neighborhood Park.

This exploration of future improvements was initiated by the city to understand community desires for each park, capital costs for potential improvements, and maintenance needs if developed. Community feedback will help prioritize which park improvements will be implemented as funding becomes available.

Staff and a consultant team conducted on-site meetings, surveys and an open house throughout 2019. Community feedback was used to develop high level concept plans for all six undeveloped parks. The plans include a range of design and facility options for each park, including Columbia View Neighborhood Park.

Based on analysis of Columbia View’s unique existing conditions and feedback during public engagement meetings, the following concept plan was developed.

Columbia View Park's Concept Plan

Community feedback throughout 2019 noted opportunities for the park may include play structures for kids, designated off-leash dog areas, improved accessibility for all ages and abilities, education displays, and picnic areas. Constraints include maintenance, safety concerns, a lack of trash receptacles, and concerns with attracting too many people to neighborhood park. Additional feedback from nearby neighbors during a virtual meeting held in June 2020 is as follows:

• Keep this neighborhood park in a natural state with limited upgrades.
• Supportive of trails to improve access and a community garden but wanted staff to consider either eliminating the shelter and courts or at least move those items towards the school.
• Consider natural long-lasting materials for an ADA perimeter path around the park.
• Dog park located under chestnut trees hurt dog paws and in what is now informally known as “the fetch it zone”.
• Some would prefer an off-leash area vs. fenced dog leash area.
• Consider placing amenities closer to H.B. Lee Middle School but engage the school first.
• Concern with picnic shelter location on upslope portion of park that interferes with backyard privacy and could contribute to real or perceived safety concerns.
• Lack of police access into the SE portion of the park near potential amenity placement.
• Further explore feasibility of providing secondary access off NE Pacific St.

During the June 2020 meeting, staff stressed the importance of balancing input from nearby neighbors with meeting the equity, opportunity and access needs for community members who live within the quarter-mile walking and biking service area.

Next steps in the outreach process include meeting with Community Based Organizations to gain their input on the concept plan for Columbia View Neighborhood Park, online review of the concept plan report from July 13 – August 31 and then convene on August 10 at the Wilkes East Neighborhood Association Meeting (online via Zoom).

Additional information can be found at the Parks Planning website and you can reach out to Tina Osterink at Tina.Osterink@GreshamOregon.Gov or by phone at (503) 618-2392.

Project website where the concept plans and draft report can be viewed: https://greshamoregon.gov/Parks-Planning/