Announcement

Get involved, Make a difference When: Mon, Mar 25, 2019 6:30PM- Where: Gresham City Hall Council Chambers 1333 NW Eastman Pky Get Map!

The Planning Commission advises City Council on long-range, comprehensive planning and land use issues within the city.

For more information about this event contact Tammy Richardson, Planning Technician at 503-618-2401 or Tammy.Richardson@GreshamOregon.gov.

All-age Volleyball Fun! When: Mon, Mar 25, 2019 6PM-7:30PM Where: Clear Creek Middle School 219 NE 219th Ave. Get Map!

Volleyball players of all ages are invited to participate in this free activity. Volleyballs and nets will be provided. Community members and parents are welcome/

Participants under age of 18 must have adult present.

All participants must submit a signed waiver to participate.

• Waiver for adults
• Wavier for minors

For more information, contact the SUN Office at 503-261-4638 or farfan8@gresham.k12.or.us.

This opportunity is brought to you by the SUN Community School at Clear Creek Middle School in partnership with the City of Gresham.

Let's Go Walking! When: Tue, Mar 26, 2019 9AM-5PM Where: Meet at Gresham City Hall 1333 NW Eastman Pky Get Map!

• Round-trip travel: 80 miles
• Distance: 3 miles
• Difficulty: Easy/moderate
• Elevation gain: 250 feet
• Suggested donation per rider: $8

This hike begins at 880 feet on the slopes of Dixie Mountain, where in 1936 the Vedanta Society of Portland, a Hindu organization, purchased 120 acres. In 1954 the Society built the first Hindu temple in the Pacific Northwest on this property. A web of meditative trails lead to eight shrines representing the world's major religions. The Native American shrine is the largest, built to resemble a gigantic crouched
eagle and spans almost 50 feet from wing tip to wing tip. We'll hike to all the shrines, hidden in the forest, and explore some of the clear-cut areas overlooking South Scappoose Valley. Sturdy hiking shoes and poles are recommended. Dress for the weather and bring water and snacks. We will have lunch at Fultanos Pizza in Scappoose (salad bar, pasta, pizza, sandwiches, ice cream, and more).

For more information about this hike please contact Ruth Cummings at 503-926-4840 or cummings0465@frontier.com or Ron Janzen at 503-333-8419 or ronjanzen1@me.com.

Senior Healthy Hikers asks that participants be 50 or older. A couple wishing to hike is welcome if one member of the couple is 50 or better.

Pets are not permitted on our hikes or walks.

Senior Healthy Hikers member guidelines

Get involved, Make a difference When: Wed, Mar 27, 2019 6:30PM- Where: Gresham City Hall Council Chambers 1333 NW Eastman Pky Get Map!

The Design Commission is the primary advising subcommittee to the City Council on design excellence for the built environment of the city. The Commission assists in the development and application of design standards and guidelines, and will conduct hearings as necessary to ensure that proposed public and private projects achieve these standards.

For more information about this event, contact Amanda Lunsford at 503-618-2235 or Amanda.Lunsford@GreshamOregon.gov.

Let's Hoop It Up! When: Fri, Mar 29, 2019 6PM-10PM Where: H.B. Lee Middle School 1121 NE 172nd Ave. Get Map!

Middle school and high school youth can attend free basketball practice, skill building and game play on Friday nights at H.B. Lee Middle School, 1121 NE 172nd Ave.

• Open to boys and girls in grades 6-12
• Learn new skills, make new friends, play basketball.
• Adult supervision and mentorship provided by the Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center (POIC).
• Sponsored by the City of Gresham.

Schedule

• 6:00 - 8:00 pm for grades 6-8
• 8:00 - 10:00 pm for grades 9-12

Registration form

For more information, visit our basketball page or contact Coach Michael Magnum at 503-975-2929.

Let's Hoop It Up! When: Sat, Mar 30, 2019 8PM-12 am Where: Friends of the Children 424 NE 172nd Ave. Get Map!

Middle school and high school youth can attend free basketball practice, skill building and game play on Saturday nights at Friends of the Children at 424 NE 172nd Ave.

• Open to boys and girls in grades 6-12
• Learn new skills, make new friends, play basketball.
• Adult supervision and mentorship provided by the Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center (POIC).
• Sponsored by the City of Gresham.

Schedule

• 8:00 - 10:00 pm for grades 6-8
• 10:00 pm - 12:00 am for grades 9-12

Registration form

For more information, visit our basketball page or contact Coach Michael Magnum at 503-975-2929.

Let's Kick Ball! When: Sun, Mar 31, 2019 5PM-7PM Where: Friends of the Children gym 424 NE 172nd Ave. Get Map!

Indoor Sunday Futsal youth recreation is open to all students in grades 6-12 on Sunday from 5:00-7:00 pm at the Friends of the Children gym.

• Free. Open to boys and girls.
• Learn new skills, make new friends, play futsal.
• Participants must bring a signed waiver to play.
• Adult supervision and mentorship provided by Active Children Portland volunteers.
• Sponsored by the City of Gresham.

For more information, email Ricki Ruiz at Ricardo.Ruiz@GreshamOregon.gov or call 503-583-0771.

Read more about Sunday Futsal and print the waiver.

Monica McAllister, Nadaka. Click to enlarge

Nurturing Nature, Food, and Families By Grace Graham, Confluence AmeriCorps Member, Events & Outreach Specialist The turning of winter over to spring is one of our favorite seasons at Nadaka Nature Park..

The forest is cool and quiet, patiently holding its breath for the first signs of new life, and the garden lies resting, silently preparing rich soils that will nurture new seeds in the coming months. This is a time of year that gives Friends of Nadaka (FON) the opportunity to reflect on the old year’s accomplishments, and welcome in a new season of beginnings, opportunities, and goals.

This 2019 New Year came with the bittersweet news that our incredible Nadaka Coordinator of the last 5 years, Monica McAllister, has decided to begin a new journey as the Community Connections Liaison with East Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District. As Nadaka’s first and only Coordinator to-date, Monica leaves behind an amazing legacy of community engagement and education programs, lasting partnerships, and deep ties with our neighbors in West Gresham. We join our partners, neighbors, and park users in thanking Monica for years of dedication, leadership, and initiative in helping bring a community vision to life.

Friends of Nadaka is taking this shift in leadership as an opportunity to review the successes, challenges, and accomplishments of Nadaka’s first five years, and develop a strategic plan for moving forward. This review and planning process will last through the spring, and no permanent hires will be made to replace Monica until the review is complete. In the interim period, Jamie Stamberger of Stamberger Outreach Consulting has stepped in as a part-time Interim Coordinator for Friends of Nadaka, and has begun working closely with Nadaka’s current AmeriCorps Member, Grace Graham, to keep events and programs running through the next several months. Jamie recently served as the Interim Executive Director for the Columbia Slough Watershed Council (FON’s fiscal agent), so she is already familiar with Nadaka’s programs, systems, and partners. Please direct all Nadaka inquiries to info@friendsofnadaka.org, and expect a short delay in response as Grace and Jamie are frequently outdoors, meeting with partners, and navigating a new wave of projects and responsibilities.

Despite all of these organizational changes, Friends of Nadaka hosted a wildly successful MLK Day of Service event on January 21st, in partnership with Friends of Trees, the Nature Conservancy, and several other community organizations. Over 100 volunteers showed up to help us get 750 native plants in the ground in under three hours, an amazing feat that demonstrates the passion and energy our neighbors and partners have for giving back to their community and honoring the legacy of a great community servant and leader, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The cold snap and snow that followed forced us to cancel February 9th’s Community Planting Event, but we have decided to combine it with the coming Nadaka & Rockwood Neighborhood Planting Event this April 13th from 9am-12pm with Friends of Trees, to form one giant restoration party! If you are interested in volunteering with us, please sign up through Friends of Tree’s website at https://friendsoftrees.org/event-calendar/.

This year’s English-led Seed to Supper gardening course with the Oregon Food Bank kicked off on Thursday, February 21st, and will take place as a 5-class series every Thursday evening from 6:30-8:30pm through March 21st. This class is free to attend, and is a wonderful opportunity for beginner gardeners to learn how to get started growing their own food on a budget. Due to some unexpected conflicts, the Spanish-led Seed to Supper class has been tentatively postponed for later in the spring. Friends of Nadaka is working with the Oregon Food Bank to reschedule the Spanish Seed to Supper, and we will post details on our website and Facebook page as soon as possible. Please email info@friendsofnadaka.org with questions or requests to be notified when more details are available.

Friends of Nadaka is excited to announce that for the fourth year in a row, we are once again hosting the Welcome Back Vulture Day festival on Saturday, March 16th from 12-3pm, in partnership with the Audubon Society of Portland.

This free, family-friendly event is filled with educational activities, live birds, food, games, and more! Attendees will have the opportunity to meet Ruby, Portland Audubon’s live Turkey Vulture, along with many of Audubon’s other education birds. Other activities will include comparing your wingspan to that of a California Condor, exploring the varied cultural significance of different birds, enjoying a scavenger hunt and bird walk in Nadaka Nature Park’s forest, and crafting your own unique bird mask! Learn more about this event at Audubon Society of Portland’s website: http://audubonportland.org/.

If you aren’t able to make it to our Seed to Supper series but are still interesting in buildling or freshening up your gardening skills, Outgrowing Hunger will be hosting a monthly hands-on Natural Gardening Class from 6-7:30pm in the Nadaka Community Garden, starting with April 16th, May 16th, June 20th, and continued once a month through the end of the growing season. Find more event dates at https://outgrowinghunger.org/calendar. We will also be hosting the Creating Edible Landscapes Workshop on May 18th from 9-11:30am with East Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District. Registration is required for this event, and it will fill up fast, so don’t wait! Sign up here:
https://emswcd.org/workshops-and-events/upcoming-workshops/.

For more information about how to get involved in creating positive social and environmental change at Nadaka and the Wilkes East and Rockwood neighborhoods, sign up for Friends of Nadaka’s brand new e-newsletter! Newsletter subscribers will receive an email at the beginning of each month with event information, park news, and other community resources! Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/gb1A2r. You can also stay up-to-date by “liking” our page on Facebook @NadakaNaturePark, or following our new Instagram account, @nadakanaturepark_. If you have questions about any events, news, or programs at Nadaka Nature Park, please email info@friendsofnadaka.org. Thank you for your support, and we hope to see you at Nadaka soon!

Rockwood Rising, Gresham. Click to enlarge

A New Urban Hub By Robyn Stower Sr. Urban Renewal Project Coordinator, City of Gresham

Rockwood Rising is a Gresham urban renewal project that will transform a 5.8 acre dilapidated lot into a thriving community hub. The development will include four buildings surrounding a public plaza that will focus on workforce development, job training, healthcare, education, food accessibility, small business development, and housing.

Rockwood Rising is located at 18535 SE Stark Street, in the heart of the Rockwood neighborhood. Rockwood has the youngest median age, greatest diversity, and highest concentration of poverty of any town center in the Portland metropolitan region. For decades the community struggled with disinvestment, lack of public infrastructure and limited access of community services.

In 2003, a citywide vote established the Rockwood-West Gresham Urban Renewal Area, which is governed by the Gresham Redevelopment Commission (GRDC), to empower the disadvantaged community. Urban renewal plan goals emphasized community engagement, the creation of a town center to provide a mix of high-quality housing, jobs, shopping and community services, the development of parks, and the creation and retention of family-wage jobs.

Beginning in 2013, the GRDC in partnerships with community-based organizations performed extensive outreach to develop Rockwood Rising. The development site, which was previously home to a Fred Meyer grocery store, had been vacant for almost ten years and despite neighborhood mural and park initiatives was slowly becoming an attractive nuisance where families did not feel safe to bring their children.
 Thousands of local stakeholders participated in the visioning for Rockwood Rising which identified access to healthy, affordable food and economic opportunities as the highest priorities.

The community also participated in the design of Rockwood Rising which consists of four buildings (Building A, B, C, and D) surrounding a public plaza. Building A is a newly constructed four-story structure containing approximately 52,824 square feet of commercial space.

Rockwood Rising. Click to enlarge

It will house education, workforce and business development services such as WorkSource Oregon, Mt Hood Community College Small Business Development Center and MetroEast Community Media. Building B is a newly constructed mixed-use structure that will provide approximately 27, 913 square feet of commercial space and 104 workforce housing units, twenty percent of which will be income restricted. Building C is the newly constructed Market Hall which will include two commercial kitchens, eight small restaurants, office space and up to twenty-four vendor booths. Building D is a significant renovation of an existing 7,000 square feet facility which will house a community maker space and construction and manufacturing apprentice program operated by Oregon Tradeswomen and Portland Opportunities and Industrial Center. The public plaza is a place the whole community can come and enjoy. The plaza will feature three age-specific playgrounds, interactive water feature, public art, including the recreation of the iconic Plaza del Sol mural, and will incorporate free Wi-Fi and amenities to support festivals and farmers markets. All these services promote Rockwood Rising’s mission to create an economic engine that will break the generational cycle of poverty and build family and community prosperity.

The GRDC recruited and selected, RKm Development, Inc. (RKm) through a transparent Request for Proposal developer search. RKm’s commitment to community and exceptional track record of equitable and quality management and development, such as Bethany Village, made them the ideal candidate to manage the project. As developer RKm will own and manage all the buildings on the property while the GRDC will own the property. This arrangement gives the GRDC the ability to repossess the property if the development agreements are not met.

Groundbreaking for Rockwood Rising is TBD 2019

UPDATE: Rockwood Rising timeline updated again; groundbreaking could happen in April
The Gresham Outlook, March 26, 2019 (Read more)
The timeline for the Rockwood Rising project has been updated after a Gresham Redevelopment Commission meeting Tuesday afternoon, March 19, meaning the project could break ground in the next month. The project groundbreaking has been delayed several times, at one point being planned in the spring of 2018. Now it is supposed to happen in April, with construction being completed in early 2021.

Let's Hoop It Up! When: Fri, Feb 08, 2019 6PM-10PMM Where: H.B. Lee Middle School 1121 NE 172nd Ave. Get Map!

Middle school and high school youth can attend free basketball practice, skill building and game play on Friday nights at H.B. Lee Middle School, 1121 NE 172nd Ave.

• Open to boys and girls in grades 6-12
• Learn new skills, make new friends, play basketball.
• Adult supervision and mentorship provided by the Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center (POIC).
• Sponsored by the City of Gresham.

Schedule

• 6:00 - 8:00 pm for grades 6-8
• 8:00 - 10:00 pm for grades 9-12

Registration form

For more information, visit our basketball page or contact Coach Michael Magnum at 503-975-2929.