News

Rockwood Fred Meyer (demolished), 185th & SE Stark. Click to enlarge.

Once the 'heart' of a thriving middle-class community, Rockwood continues to remain on life-support

UPDATE: Jan 2013

Ask anyone in East County to describe Rockwood and you're likely to hear them say "slum", "trouble", or simply "stay away".

From everything to nothing
Not long ago -- or so it seems, Rockwood was a vibrant community, serving the regional needs of folks living in unincorporated East Multnomah County between the cities of Portland and Gresham. Whatever your need, Rockwood had it: grocerers, retailers, furniture, fast-food & restaurants, services, medical and more. Rockwood was buzzing with activity.

Those days are gone along with businesses like Fred Meyer, GI Joes, Girrods, Star Furniture, Rockwood Lanes, Fred's Travelrama, the laundromat, the urgent-care, Burger King, KFC, Dairy Queen, Winchell's, Skippers, and countless others.

Ignored for years by local government, Rockwood has been in decline for decades. Crime-infested, and poverty-sticken. Today Rockwood is fighting for its very survival.

Signal upgrades, ramp improvements, and pavement repairs are underway. Much needed traffic changes come to West Gresham.

Ask any rush hour commuter traveling NE 181st Ave in West Gresham and they will tell you, traffic congestion between Interstate 84 and NE Halsey St is miserable. In fact at times, it's downright unbearable.

Frustrated commuters rejoice, change is here!

According to the City of Gresham Project Manager and City Engineers the long awaited NE 181st Ave Corridor Signal Improvements project has begun.

Linda Kidby, City of Gresham spokesperson says "signal upgrades, ramp improvements, and pavements repairs are underway right now and should be completed soon" to relieve traffic congestion through this busy area.

Expect delays and weekend closures

Construction workers are currently making improvements to all of the handicap accessible sidewalk ramps at the intersection of NE San Rafael St at NE 181st Ave.

Due to the nature of the asphalt repairs and the high traffic volume along NE 181st Ave city workers will need to close several intersections in the

Hollydale Elementary students, teachers, and parents remove invasives from Nadaka Nature Park

Preserving urban habitat Great things are happening at Nadaka Nature Park

Nadaka Nature Park is a lovely 10 acre natural area of second generation Douglas Fir forest with an under-story of native plants in the Wilkes East Neighborhood. Nadaka offers a quiet, woodsy escape with it's .46 mile walking trail loop and an open meadow on the south. The Wilkes East Neighborhood Association (WENA) is actively working to restore this natural area by removing invasive blackberry, ivy, and holly with volunteer work parties. Entrance to the park is near NE 175th & NE Pacific St.

Recent events at Nadaka So far in 2009, the Friends of Nadaka group has organized over 10 invasive removal cleanups at the park including 75-90 Hollydale Elementary students, teachers & parents; and a SOLV Earth Day event April 18th with more than 30 volunteers.

SOLV Earth Day 2009 volunteers help restore Nadaka Nature Park's urban habitat

May 28th the Audubon Society of Portland organized a morning stroll to explore the natural and human history of this unique neighborhood nature park and to begin documenting the bird species inhabiting Nadaka.

Grant monies for Nadaka

WENA and Friends of Nadaka recently received a Metro 'Nature in Neighborhood' matching grant totaling $24,000 for improvements at Nadaka.

Going from bad to worse, District lays off 149 teachers, more layoffs coming. Middle School students protest planned budget cuts

Reynolds School District lays off 149 teachers

Source: The Gresham Outlook. By Rob Cullivan. May 29, 2009

The Reynolds School District is laying off 149 teachers as of Aug. 31, with the bulk of the layoffs coming among those hired in the past three years.

Faced with slashing almost $15 million from its 2009-10 budget, the district also will announce further layoffs, including among its music education staff as well as support-staff employees, according to Andrea Watson, district spokeswoman.

The teacher layoffs break down as follows: 5 teachers hired between 1996 and 2001; 42 teachers hired between 2001 and 2006; and 102 hired between 2006 and 2009.

Get ready for increased air traffic as PDX extends their runways

North Runway Extension project underway

Wilkes East residents may notice a change in aircraft flight activity as Portland International Airport begins major runway improvements starting May 1st through October 31st 2009.

During the six-month closure of the north parallel runway jet aircraft will use the south runway and will follow noise abatement procedures that direct them over the Columbia River corridor to minimize overflights of residential areas.

The south runway’s east takeoff and approach path will increase air traffic directly over the Wilkes East neighborhood -- particularly in the Sandstone area.

Pacific Drive group shown 'mapping' project. Positive real estate news presented.

Spring meeting well attended

Pacific Drive Neighborhood Watch group held a Pot Luck luncheon for their Spring meeting on Saturday the 25th of April with 10 households represented.

Meetings are open to all neighbors in the vicinity of: NE 168th Ave (between NE Pacific Dr and NE Oregon St), and NE 169th Pl (between NE Hassalo St and NE Pacific Dr). Get map!.

Member presentations

Art Abbott showed his neighborhood 'mapping' project to the group and asked the group for additional information in order to complete it.

Jim Kunkle, realtor, spoke to the group regarding real estate values in the Wilkes East area. Jim described some of the creative ideas brokers and contractors are using in our area to sell homes. He also mentioned there were no foreclosures recorded for our area.

The debacle continues. Budget overruns, poor leadership, and tough economy plague chronically delayed project in Rockwood.

Source: The Oregonian, Tuesday May 12, 2009
by Nikole Hannah-Jones

Stalled for decades, project now lacks support

Multnomah County Commissioner Diane McKeel told a crowd gathered to fight for a East County justice center in Rockwood that there's not enough board support to build the long-delayed courthouse project anywhere in Gresham because of the economy. The community should stop fighting for location and push commissioners to support building it at all, she said. Editor: Contact the commissioners here.

McKeel, County Chairman Ted Wheeler, Sheriff Bob Skipper, Gresham Mayor Shane Bemis and District Attorney Mike Schrunk sat with a panel of other government officials at a forum Tuesday night where community members were to urge the county board to reconsider building the beleagured project in Rockwood.

Original plans called for a justice center to be built in Rockwood, which has been plagued by crime and disinvestment. But Wheeler proposed the project, which has been stalled for decades, be moved to downtown Gresham because it would save about $7 million.

Clean out the garage! Here come the drop boxes! Wilkes East Neighborhood Clean-Up Saturday June 27, 2009 9AM HB Lee Middle School parking lot

When: Sat June 27, 2008 9:00AM - 12:00PM
Where: HB Lee Middle School
1121 NE 172nd Ave (between Glisan & Halsey)
Get map!

Cost per load:

$15.00 -- auto, standard pick-up truck
$25.00 -- trailer load, large truck

Clean-up Info

"Spring Clean-Up" usually means you discover a lot of things you wish you could take to the dump! Well, now you don't have to take your junk very far! The dumpsters are coming to you!

This event is open to all Wilkes East Neighborhood residents. Click here for a neighborhood map!

Bring all your general debris to the dumpsters located in the parking lot at HB Lee Middle School, 1121 NE 172nd Ave (between NE Glisan & NE Halsey), Saturday June 27th from 9AM to 12PM.

Got Hazardous Waste? Bring it to Metro! Click here for more info!

Join Your Neighbors -- Get involved. Make a difference!

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...

• Meet the Mediators: May 14
• Community Information Fair
• Neighborhood Safety Training
• Workshop: Tools for Resolving Conflict
• Free Recycle Event: April 18
• AmeriCorps Earth Day Symposium
• Kane Drive Preconstruction Meeting: April 23
• Volunteer! Bird Survey Orientations: May 2 and 9
• Natural Gardening Fair and Plant Sale: May 9
• Volunteer! Help Count Bicyclists and Pedestrians: May 12-17
• Wetlands 101 Class and Tour: May 16
• SOLV Take Care of Oregon Days: May 16
• Volunteers Needed to Help Survey Neighborhood Sidewalks
• Hershey’s Track and Field Games for Youth: June 13
• Meet Quarg: Free DVD Features Environmentally-Savvy Puppets
• Transit Boards Promote Public Transportation in Our Community

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

Everyone's invited! Wilkes East Neighborhood Quarterly Public Meeting Monday May 4th 7PM HB Lee Middle School

Join Your Neighbors -- Get involved. Make a difference!

When: Monday, May 4, 2009 7:00PM
Where: H B Lee Middle School
1121 NE 172nd Ave
Click here for map

Be sure to save Monday, May 4th at 7:00 PM for WENA’s Quarterly Public Meeting. This quarter's meeting will be held at H B Lee Middle School, 1121 NE 172nd Ave (between Glisan & Halsey), Portland, Oregon.

Meeting Topics

• Halsey Project
  (Bike lane and light 172nd & NE Halsey St)
  Jonathon David, Gresham Transportation Division
• Is There Hope For Our Parks?
  Understanding the Math
  Kathy Minden, People For Parks
• Nadaka Park Master Plan
  Ric Catron, Gresham Parks and Recreation
• Neighborhood Update
• Nadaka Park
  Lee Dayfield, Friends of Nadaka
• Updates & Earth Day
• Nature in Neighborhoods
  Capital Grants program
• Neighborhood Watch
  Groups in your neighborhood
• And more!

Everyone's Invited to Attend!

This meeting is open to all residents and businesses in the Wilkes East Neighborhood! Be A Part Of Your Community, Plan To Attend.

The Wilkes East Neighborhood is located in the Northwest corner of the City of Gresham, Oregon, and is one of Gresham's sixteen neighborhoods. Wilkes East Neighborhood borders are roughly NE Sandy Boulevard to the north, NE 181st Ave to the east, NE Glisan Street to the south, and NE 162nd Ave to the west. Click here for a map of the Wilkes East Neighborhood.

Mark your calendar and plan to attend this important meeting.