City of Gresham

Free Spring Recycling Collection Event When: Sat, April 11, 2026 9AM-12PM Where: Gresham City Hall Parking Lot 1333 NW Eastman Parkway Get Map!

Join us for a free collection event for Gresham and Wood Village residents.

What we're collecting...

Paper for shredding

• Limit two paper grocery bags per household
• Paperwork that may contain sensitive personal or financial information
• Any other paperwork including bills or credit card offers

Household sharps
Sharps are medical instruments that require proper disposal to prevent injury.

• Syringes
• Lancets
• Needles and needle connectors
• Infusion sets
• EpiPens

Free sharps containers will be available at the event while supplies last. All sharps are disposed of in a designated sharps container or a securely sealed alternative, such as a thick plastic laundry bottle.

Compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs)

• Spiral-shaped bulbs only
• No LEDs or long fluorescent tube lights

Please package your CFL bulbs carefully to prevent breakage.

For more information about this event, contact us at Recycle@GreshamOregon.gov or 503-618-2525.

By Janet Unruh WENA Board Member Good news— Slider, the otter has returned to Nadaka Nature Park. Slider is a beautiful, life-size bronze sculpture of a standing otter, the twin of the original,that was stolen. As luck would have it, sculptor Rip Caswell (https://caswellsculpture.com/) had created two otter sculptures, almost identical in size.

Judy Han, director of Gresham Outdoor Public Art, was instrumental in convincing the City of Gresham to replace the otter sculpture in Nadaka Park. There was a suggestion to place the otter in another park, but Judy prevailed. Thanks to Judy Han and the City of Gresham for restoring Slider to Nadaka Park.

For a complete list and downloadable map of all outdoor public art in the City of Gresham please visit https://www.greshamoutdoorpublicart.com/

Gresham City Councilor, David Widmark, GOPA Board member Joan Albertson, and artist Rip Caswell unveil Slider in 2017. Click to enlarge

By Charlotte Becker Gresham Outdoor Public Art About eight years ago, Joan Albertson, a member of Gresham Outdoor Public Art’s (GOPA) board, brought the idea of art in Nadaka Nature Park to the board. GOPA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with an all volunteer board. The group’s goal is to commission and install permanent art in Gresham’s public spaces. Most of the permanent art, up until 2016, was in and around Historic Downtown, so Joan’s idea got wings…as well as fur and a tail.

But first, a group from GOPA, along with Wilkes neighborhood champion Lee Dayfield, met at Nadaka to see what might be a good fit for the park. A path of rocks resembling a meandering stream bed seemed like home for some kind of water-loving creature. And a nearby towering timber could be the perfect perch for a squawking bird. Board member, David Baumann, said he had something at home that the group might like.

A few days later, the group got together again at Nadaka to see David wheeling in a bronze otter on a hand truck! It was created by Troutdale artist Rip Caswell, and it was perfect. Then the project really got off the ground, when we met with Rip and his son, Chad, who agreed to create a life-sized Raven to perch atop the timber.

The otter and the raven were installed in the park in 2017 with help from the City of Gresham. Neighborhood families came to see the unveiling, and children entered a contest to name the creatures. That’s how the otter became “Slider” and the raven became “Seeker”. Nadaka was to be their permanent home.

Until 2024, when Slider disappeared. It seemed someone needed him more than the neighborhood did. The word went out with the hope that Slider would be returned, but not even Seeker could find him. Not giving up, GOPA President, Judy Han, met with a representative from the City to discuss how to replace Slider. Rip Caswell told GOPA he had created an additional otter, the last of his kind, and would offer it to GOPA at cost. Once again, the pieces came together to bring Slider back to Nadaka.

GOPA and the City of Gresham plan to return Slider to his meandering stream in June, 2025. We’ll provide more information on the date as it is known. Visit Gresham Outdoor Public Art’s website, www.greshamoutdoorpublicart.com, to learn more about GOPA, the project at Nadaka and other projects in Gresham.