News

Seko Worldwide, Portland office Click to enlarge

Incentives greatly reduce system cost. Solar expected to provide 80% of the company's power need.

Solar brightens local business

Another local business has commited itself to GREEN by installing rooftop solar panels at its new 33,000 square foot facility in the Wilkes East area.

The Portland office of SEKO Worldwide, a personalized global freight transportation and logistics provider, is installing a 31Kw 'grid-tie' solar system in an efforts to increase its energy independence. The 143 panel photovoltaic (PV) system will supply about 80% of the company's lighting, heating, and air conditioning power needs when it becomes operational this December.

What to do with the old Rockwood Fred Meyer site? Click to enlarge

Exciting news for Rockwood! “Sustainable Suburbs” students study Rockwood catalyst site, will present six different approaches to redeveloping the Rockwood Town Center, Dec 9th 7PM

Members of the larger Rockwood Community encouraged to attend!

When: Wednesday, Dec 9, 2009 7PM
Where: Gresham City Hall
Oregon Trail Conference Center
1333 NW Eastman Pky
Get Map!

You are invited!

As part of the University of Oregon’s year-long engagement with the City of Gresham through its Sustainable Cities Year (http://aaa.uoregon.edu/sci/scy/), students from Professor Nico Larco’s Architecture studio “Sustainable Suburbs” have been studying the Rockwood catalyst site at 185th and SE Stark Street and surrounding areas, interviewing local stakeholders, and visualizing the neighborhood’s potential with sustainability in mind. At the December 9th Gresham Redevelopment Commission Advisory Committee meeting, students from the University of Oregon will present six different approaches to redeveloping the Rockwood Town Center.

UPDATED: Recent area changes and photos below.

Members of the larger Rockwood Community are encouraged to attend on December 9th and be a part of what promises to be an interesting and lively discussion.

Volunteers register for the event Click to enlarge

Volunteers plant trees, shrubs. Fill 40-yard dumpster with invasives. Columbia Slough Watershed Council, Concordia University baseball pitch in.

Perfect morning for the event

What started out as a small Nadaka Nature Park clean-up for Saturday, Nov. 14 soon became a large-scale event with 92 volunteers in attendance. Workers performed tasks involving the planting of 14 native trees, 65 shrubs and 170 small plants and herbs, as well as the removal of invasive species including ivy and blackberry bushes. Members of the Columbia Slough Watershed Council volunteered at this event and played a significant role in getting the Concordia University baseball team members involved in preserving this important 12-acre natural forest park located at 176th and NE Pacific just north of Glisan.

Owens Corning, Gresham plant Click to enlarge

100% Green Energy Use. Gresham facility demonstrates its commitment to sustainabilty.

Gresham Strikes Gold

Owens Corning's Gresham Oregon facility celebrated a golden achievement this Fall by receiving the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification for new construction from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) (www.usgbc.org).

The LEED award recognizes superior achievement in design, construction and operation of green buildings. Owens Corning's Gresham plant is the only LEED Gold-certified insulation facility in the United States and one of approximately 203 industrial facilities in the U.S. that have been awarded LEED certification. The Gresham plant began operating in July 2009.

During a ceremony at the plant to celebrate the honor, Karel Czanderna, president of the building materials group, said, "Owens Corning is carrying out our commitment to sustainability today by focusing on three areas: greening our products, greening our operations and accelerating energy efficiency improvements in the built environment. This facility reflects all three components of that approach."

Flu Shot clinics, Frequently asked questions, Resources, more

Learn more

• www.CDC.gov website
• Multnomah County website
• State of Oregon website

County commissioners approve scaled-down facility, Finding funding for the multi-million dollar project still an issue

Source: The Gresham Outlook, Thursday Oct 1, 2009
By Mara Stine

Rockwood might get their courthouse afterall

By a unanimous vote, Multnomah County commissioners approved moving forward with a plan for a new courthouse in Gresham’s Rockwood area Thursday, Oct. 1.

If built – and it is still an if as the county has yet to approve funding for the $17 million to $21 million project – the courthouse will replace Gresham’s old, single courtroom facility on Powell Boulevard. Get Map!

Because so many citizens signed up to testify – all in favor of the project – the 90-minute hearing ran over and two of the five commissioners had to leave for scheduled engagements before voting. But commissioners Jeff Cogen and Deborah Kafoury voiced support for the resolution before leaving.

Mt Hood POPS Orchestra presents "A New World at the POPS" Ben Brooks Auditorium Sunday Oct 25th 3:30PM

When: Sunday, Oct 25, 2009 3:30PM
Where: Ben Brooks Auditorium
Reynolds High School
1698 SW Cherry Park Rd
Get Map!

A World Class Orchestra, right here in Gresham

The Mt Hood POPS Orchestra is the finest orchestra this side of the Oregon Symphony, and it's based right here is Gresham.

Here's your chance to enjoy some of the world’s finest music played by a world class orchestra right here in your own back yard!

Nadaka Nature Park. Click to enlarge

Volunteer opportunities at Nadaka Nature Park Get your Green on! Join us in restoring this beautiful urban habitat.

Quiz?

• When was the last time you visited Nadaka Nature Park?
• Do you know Nadaka is located in the Wilkes East neighborhood?
• Did you know there is a Friends of Nadaka group working to improve Nadaka?
• Do you want to volunteer time - even 1 or 2 hours per month for Nadaka?

Answers

The entrance to Nadaka Nature Park is located at NE 175th Ave & NE Pacific St. Parking is curbside. Get Map!

Volunteer opportunities for Nadaka Nature Park include:

• Organizing monthly cleanups
• Removal of invasive plants
• Planting native plants & trees
• Removing graffiti
• Writing a history of Nadaka Nature Park
• Reaching out to organizations, businesses, churches, schools, etc. to become partners for improvements in Nadaka
• Fulfilling Metro's Nature in Neighborhood grant which includes:
  • A new bench
  • Dog waste stations
  • Trash can
  • Purchase of native plants & trees, etc.
  • Expansion of Nadaka Nature Park onto the recently acquired Nelson property for a community garden, orchard, nature based play area, etc.
• Art project on North fence
• Handling registration at cleanups
• Furnishing baked goods or drinks for volunteers
• Donating funds for projects at Nadaka.

Join the effort!

Volunteers are critical for accomplishing these tasks. Volunteer time is also required for fulfilling grants. As you can see there are many tasks to choose from -- so volunteer for one, two, or more, and join our effort! Together we can make a difference!

Columbia View Park. Click to enlarge

Gresham parks languish as funds dry up. Neighbors pitch-in to care for Columbia View Park.

Gresham $32 million behind in park maintenance

Because of lack of funds the City's Parks Department has only been able to mow the perimeter of Columbia View Park (See 'Related Content' below. Editor). Columbia View Park is located at NE 169th & NE Pacific Dr. Get Map!

Neighbors pitch-in

Neighbors who frequent the park have been picking up litter, mowing areas the City isn't, mulching around new trees, hauling debris to disposal stations and watering young trees that have been planted in the last couple of years. A big THANK YOU to these many volunteers.

How you can help

Some ivy is beginning to appear under the tree canopy areas and this needs to be removed before it spreads to the trees. This is something anyone can do anytime on their own. It is a good project to take your children to the park, teach them to identify ivy and remove it. This activity can be as simple as taking one grocery bag, filling it with ivy, taking it home and disposing of it.

Volunteers paint the plaza Click to enlarge

Splashes of Color mark a new beginning! Plaza del Sol comes to the Rockwood Cultural Marketplace

Rockwood, Sep 19, 2009
When Rockwood coverage happens its commonly due to negative events. So, we felt it was very important to share an amazing community building event that took place today in Rockwood.

Welcome Rockwood's Plaza Del Sol painting!

Plaza del Sol is one of several new interim uses being sited by the Gresham Redevelopment Commission on the Cultural Marketplace (former Fred Meyer store) property in Rockwood at SE 187th & SE Stark St. Get Map!

The plaza is the first piece of a recently approved interim use plan for the Rockwood Cultural Marketplace to transform the site with new sidewalks, paths, benches, a wildflower garden, play area, basketball courts, a food-cart area, and many other family friendly activities.

Using supplies donated by Parr Lumber and Miller Paint, volunteers worked throughout the day to paint the huge 13,000-square-foot “Plaza del Sol,” a colorful scale model of the solar system on the Southeast corner of the site.