EPAP Plan & Updates

PARKS AND OPEN SPACE

P.1 Increase schools/parks joint use facilities in East Portland

P.1.1 Expand partnerships between school districts and Portland Parks to increase joint use and expand recreation opportunities.

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Janice Jenkins, the new Education Coordinator at Leach Botanical Garden has recruited and met with representatives from school district and other education related groups to explore ways to better use the outdoor spaces at the Garden.

Portland Parks & Recreation carpenters will be installing new park signage and trail distance markers this month at Gilbert Primary Park.
It's part of the city's E205 Initiative to improve existing parks east of I-205!

P.1.2 Develop and implement a school/parks master plan for key opportunity locations.

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The Leach Botanical Garden Board of Directors adopted a Business Plan to guide operational development of the Garden for the period ending in 2014 as a followup to the Master Plan adopted by the City of Portland.

Leach Garden Friends has completed a Botanical Collection Assessment looking at the status and future uses of the unique collection at the Garden and recommending directions for the future. This is a followup step to the City's 2010 adoption of the Leach Garden Master Plan.

P.1.3 Explore partnership opportunities to create and sustain "community-center" activities at key schools.

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David Douglas was used as a meeting space for the mentorship group in the Building Cultural Bridges video project, and we met there approximately eight times over the course of a year. We attended the Parks and Recreation community citizenship class at the East Portland Community and taped the ceremony, as well as interviewed Amanda Fritz. We also attended the International Soccer Tournament and filmed the participants. By basing our community education component within the schools, and bringing the students into community spaces, we cross-pollinated community members with both the schools and parks in East Portland.

P.2 Improve existing parks in East Portland

P.2.1 Seek private funding partnerships for parks improvements, including foundation grants, donations, etc.

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Friends of Gateway Green board members have been meeting with selected individuals and organizations to tell them about the project with the hopes of soliciting a leadership gift to launch a major capital campaign.

As one result of our annual fund campaign, we received a first time gift of $ 8,500 from the Gray Family Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation to support our operations.

P.2.2 Develop and improve facilities at East Portland parks that are currently undeveloped.

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Using funds from the PDC's Community Livability grant program, Leach Botanical Garden has completed the purchase and installation of a new restroom in the Upper Garden, purchase and plan for use of an 800sf tent in the Upper Garden, and completion of an architectural assessment of the Rock Cottage structure in the Upper Garden. These first steps are in preparation for the Design Concept work at the Garden which will take place beginning the end of this year and culminating with adoption of a design in Spring 2012.

The brownfield clean-up at the Gateway Neighborhood Park has been completed, and the fences removed, making the park site available for public use.

On March 2, 2011, Portland City Council approved the master plan for the Gateway Redevelopment, Urban Plaza, and Neighborhood Park project at NE 106th & Halsey street in the Gateway district.

A full survey of Leach Botanical Garden was completed by the PPR contractors at the end of 2010. The abandoned house on 122nd just south of Foster will be removed starting mid-March and that property incorporated into the corpus of the Garden.
A Collection Assessment Committee is forming to evaluate the existing condition and contents of the Leach Garden Botanical Collection and to recommend directions for future focus. All in preparation of design work related to the Leach Botanical Garden Master Plan.

PDC and Parks Bureau collaborating on Gateway Redevelopment & Neighborhood Park Project, a publicly owned, four-acre site at Halsey & NE 106th Avenue that will be transformed into a three-acre neighborhood park and a plaza wtih one-acre of commercial, mixed-use redevelopment.

P.2.3 Improve Lents Park sports fields to optimize play time and children safety.

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P.2.4 Expand community gardens throughout East Portland parks; continue partnerships with farmers markets and Oregon Food Bank.

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Parkrose Community Foundation dba NW Garden Academy has planted a garden at Rossi Farms on NE Shaver St and NE 122nd Ave. Through instruction by a career commercial farmer and organic gardener, the Academy's goal is to teach people how to skip the typical vegetable gardening mistakes and learn to garden efficiently, organically and using the correct seeds best for the Portland area. It is our hope that students will then take this knowledge back to their home, school, church or open space and convert it into vegetable gardens to provide healthy food for themselves and their community. Harvest from the Academy garden will be distributed to local community supper programs (i.e., St. Rita's semi-monthly free community supper) and food banks.

A third community garden is under way on the Furey property, located on the north side of Springwater Corridor adjacent to Zenger Farm. The community garden is the third in Powellhurst-Gilbert and is part of a project that also includes community supported agriculture. The entire Furey property is managed by Zenger Farm.

Glenfair Community Garden is located at 143rd and Burnside in the Hazelwood Neighborhood. This garden was funded through EPAP grant money. At this time we have completed a fence around the 5000 square foot garden, added native plant beds around the outside perimeter on two sides, and built garden beds (about 20) in which our neighbors planted crops last summer. In August Bill Ekroth and three students from David Douglas High School built a shed for the garden. Future plans include two raised beds, a rain barrel, a rotating drum composter, cedar wood around each bed, and a lot more fun learning how to grow edible plants! We have several beds unclaimed at this time. Check out our website at www.glenfaircommunitygarden.com for more information!

P.2.5 Improve facilities that support multi-modal access to parks: bike storage, ADA-compliant and convenient paths, transit orientation.

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On April 18th, 2012, the Portland City Council adopted the East Portland In Motion (EPIM) study, which was put together by PBOT, with the assistance of EPAPbike, the East Portland Land Use & Transportation Committee, and numerous volunteers and stakeholders. The EPIM identifies firm funding for over $25 million in new transportation projects in East Portland for the next five years, including 6 miles of new sidewalks and 35 miles of new bike facilities, as well as bike parking, pedestrian islands, and road rebuilds for parts of Powell Blvd & Sandy Blvd.

Trimet has announced an East Portland/East County transit study for January 2013 through December 2013, from 82nd to 223rd, including N-S bus connections, transit stops & facilities, MAX connections & improvements, and access to transit improvements.

City of Portland Parks & Recreation added an asphalt walking path to East Holladay Park (NE Holladay at 130th) in early 2009. Three benches were added during the summer of 2009, plus a few trees. The path and benches are ADA-compliant.

P.2.6 Increase number of skate parks and other teen-oriented facilities at East Portland parks.

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Portland Parks & Recreation has given approval for Northwest Trail Alliance to construct a dirt "pump track" in Ventura Park, where bicyclists can hone their skills. There will be a small one for beginners, and a larger one for more experienced bicycle riders. It's being built on a "trial basis" and will be closely monitored for compatibility with other park activities. Construction is expected to begin in the fall of 2011.

Ed Benedict Community Park in Powellhurst-Gilbert has a unique and world class skate plaza.

P.2.7 Prioritize funding for development of unimproved park spaces: Beech, Clatsop, Parklane, Eastridge, East Holladay.

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P.3 Improve existing trails in East Portland

P.3.1 Plan and develop Springwater Trailhead facilities at key locations.

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P.3.2 Fill gaps and extend the Columbia Slough Trail.

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P.3.3 Fill gaps and extend the Marine Drive Trail.

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P.3.4 Explore feasibility of a mountain bike area on Powell Butte to reduce conflict with hikers/walkers.

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P.4 Develop new parks and community facilities in facility-deficient areas throughout East Portland

P.4.1 Identify and fund a "community-built park" as per VisionPDX: pilot program in East Portland.

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P.4.2 Study the need for an additional community center in East Portland.

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P.4.3 Develop a community facility and/or outdoor pool in East Portland.

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P.4.4 Continue planning and promotion of "Gateway Green" open area.

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Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) and Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) signed an MOU on March 1, 2012 stating that the City intends to purchase 24 acres at the Gateway Green site, setting a price and outlining the process that needs to be completed in order to complete transfer of the property.

Friends of Gateway Green was awarded a second $10,000 planning grant through Metro's Nature in Neighborhoods program -- to continue the facilitation and staff support services by Oregon
Solutions after the EMSWCD funds have been exhausted.

Planning for the proposed Gateway Green project continues to move forward. The process facilitated by the Oregon Solutions program will be completed in December 2010, with the signing of a Declaration of Cooperation by a large number of stakeholders.

Portland Parks & Recreation has agreed to be the lead agency and committed Operations & Maintenance funds -- with the promise that other stakeholders will step up to provide funds for development and participate in what is tentatively being called the G4 consortium (Gateway Green Governance Group).

P.4.5 Purchase land for park development; prioritize neighborhoods with parks deficiency.

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Portland Parks and Recreation, in collaboration with other city bureaus, purchased a 20-acre parcel in the Wilkes neighborhood. A few acres of the parcel will be developed for active recreation, but the existing natural area on much of the parcel will be enhanced for wildlife habitat. The parcel includes springs, which are the headwaters of Wilkes Creek, one of the few remaining streams on Portland's east side.

Portland Parks & Recreation purchased a residential lot adjacent to Knott Park, expanding the park and evening out its boundary.

P.4.6 Consider and develop 'small-site' park standards and plan for East Portland.

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P.4.7 Continue and expand installing park improvements on Water Bureau properties.

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P.4.8 Prioritize acquiring and developing access to/frontage for existing parks: Bundy Park, Raymond Park, West Powellhurst Park.

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Portland Parks & Recreation purchased a residential lot on the west side of Raymond Park, providing the first public access on that side of the park.

A west side property for Raymond Park has been acquired.

P.4.9 Prioritize acquisition and development of parks in existing underserved areas or where significant residential development is anticipated: Gateway, Powellhurst/Gilbert, MAX station areas.

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In addition to a property acquired to provide west side access to Raymond Park in Powellhurst-Gilbert, additional property has been acquired at the Gates property near the base of Powell Butte, thereby increasing the available land for a park at this location to approximately 10 acres.

P.5 Develop new multi-use trails and green corridors

P.5.1 Identify streets that can provide north-south connections for linear parkways that combine bike trails and walkways (such as 139th Avenue).

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P.5.2 Develop the Sullivan's Gulch trail.

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The results of the feasibility study, including a proposed alignment was adopted by City Council on July 25, 2012.

A contract has been awarded, in late 2010, to CH2M Hill for the preliminary planning work to be done using the Metro regional flexible funds.

Unfortunately, the work under this contract will NOT include the portion of the Sullivan's Gulch Trail between I-205 and the existing multi-use path along I-84 that starts at NE 122nd and goes east from there.

Metro regional flexible funds were allocated for project development of the Sullivan’s Gulch Trail.

P.6 Create access to and develop facilities for water bodies

P.6.1 Develop a low-cost paddling facility near the I-205 bridge to access Government Island.

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P.6.2 Consider, plan, and develop launch points along Johnson Creek.

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P.6.3 Create access to Fairview Lake/Mud Lake for light watercraft.

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P.6.4 Develop access/easement plan to maintain access to Columbia slough and river as area develops.

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Portland Water Works and Portland Bureau of Environmental Services have installed a new canoe/kayak launch pad on Water Bureau property on Airport Way at about 164th Ave -- replacing the one removed several months earlier because the wood was in poor condition. So, once again, there is a public boat launch in east Portland.