PORTLAND PARKS & RECREATION INVITE MEDIA TO PARKLANE NEIGHBORHOOD FAIR: COMMUNITY CELEBRATION AT PARKLANE PARK; PART OF PORTLAND'S E205 INITIATIVE
Posted: August 22nd, 2011 1:25 PM
August 22nd, 2011
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Mark Ross, Public Information Officer
503.823.5300; cell 503.823.6634
Portland Parks & Recreation Invite Media to Parklane Neighborhood Fair:
Community Celebration at Parklane Park; Part of Portland's E205 Initiative
(Portland, OR) -
Media and members of the community are invited to the Parklane Neighborhood Fair, presented in part by Portland Parks & Recreation, on Thursday August 25th, beginning at 4:00pm.
The fair celebrates the first project in the city's E205 Initiative - new equipment and upgrades at Parkland Park - and will feature family activities, a dedication and remarks by City Parks Commissioner Nick Fish, Mayor Sam Adams and City Commissioner Amanda Fritz. The event will conclude with a FREE and wildly popular movie in the park (The Twilight Saga: Eclipse) at dusk.
WHAT: The Parklane Neighborhood Fair; a community celebration of Parklane Park's new facilities, the first of Portland's E205 Initiative.
WHERE: Parklane Park, SE 155th & Main
WHEN: Thursday, August 25th, 2011, beginning at 4:00pm.
Family activities begin and 4pm and include Portland Parks & Recreation's rock climbing wall, a soccer clinic, skateboarding, arts & crafts, face painting, coloring, races, games, a bike skills course, food vendors, and live music!
6pm - Mayor Adams, Commissioner Fish, & Commissioner Fritz speak
6:30pm: Tour - "Inside the Gates" of the future Parklane Park - tour and see what the future holds. Brought to you by the Centennial Community Association/Friends of Parklane Park; followed by the Live Music (PP&R Summer FREE-for-All presents Petty Fever - a band featuring the music of Tom Petty)
FREE Movie begins at dusk - The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
City Parks Commissioner Nick Fish, Mayor Sam Adams and Commissioner Amanda Fritz will celebrate the work to revitalize Parklane Park via a $100,000 commitment of city funds.
As part of the E205 (East of I-205) Initiative introduced by Fish in February 2011, Portland Parks & Recreation is refurbishing Parklane Park's playground.
The E205 initiative aims to make immediate, affordable improvements in existing parks and facilities. In underdeveloped parks, small changes, like a children's playground, can have a huge effect on the community.
PP&R staff members have been painting play structures, and both refurbishing and installing new play equipment, new water fountains, and benches at Parklane Park. The irrigation system upgrade and a new path are scheduled to be complete by October 1st.
In the fiscal year 2011-2012 budget, City Council allocated $500,000 for E205. The Portland Parks Foundation is working with private individuals, businesses and foundations to match the city's funding over the next 18 months.
"The Parklane community was one of the inspirations for the E205 Initiative. There can be no better place to celebrate the first E205 park improvements than with our friends and neighbors at Parklane Park," said Commissioner Fish.
"I am delighted to have Mayor Adams and Commissioner Fritz join the community and Parks team to see the first fruit of our commitment to East Portland parks."
Adds Nick Hardigg, Executive Director of the Portland Parks Foundation,
"As the fundraising foundation for Portland's park-loving citizens, equity of access is central to our mission. We are an eager partner to make these outstanding opportunities become reality."
Partners in the Parklane Neighborhood Fair include the East Portland Neighborhood Office, East Portland Action Plan, CCA/FPP, the NW Trail Alliance, Oliver and Parklane Elementary Schools, SUN Community School programs, Parklane Church, Freedom Foursquare, Rockwood Water PUD, the Portland Water Bureau, the Portland Audubon Society, Rosewood Cafe, the Portland Department of Transportation, Labors Union/Citizens for Portland's Water, Columbia River United Soccer, and Multnomah County Library.
E205 BACKGROUND:
The issue:
Seventy five percent of Portlanders enjoy access to a park or natural area within a fifteen minute walk of their home. Many of the parks provide a variety of amenities from ball fields and playgrounds to pathways and picnic areas. When looking at the park system east of I-205, we see a different picture. Incorporated later into the City of Portland, East Portland does not have the rich tradition of parks and recreational places. Yet, East Portland has experienced population growth and now 40 percent of families with children are living in this area. Demand for equitable recreational services is high. New parks can cost in the tens of millions and Portland Parks & Recreation is looking toward a bond measure in the future to address these service gaps. A bond measure may take years.
The solution:
Portland Parks & Recreation will turn the amenities in existing park master plans into a menu of features. Smaller, affordable basic improvements can make a big difference to a community without waiting for a bond measure.
Under the leadership of Nick Fish, Parks Commissioner, Portland Parks is embarking on the E205 Initiative. Designed to make minor improvements (under $250,000 per site) such as a community gardens, lighting or playgrounds, E205 will leverage City dollars with private dollars to take on projects at five parks (or more) in the next 18 months.
The city council has allocated $500,000 towards immediate improvements for existing East Portland Parks, and the Portland Parks Foundation is working with private individuals, businesses and foundations to match the City's dedicated funding over the next 18 months.
Park and Project Selection Criteria:
* Park has identified service delivery gap
* Park has identified community support
* Project has broad appeal to a wide range of community members
* Project leverages other funding, partnerships, or in-kind materials and services
* Project with no significant site preparation or permitting issues that can be built or under construction within 18 months
* Project cost or total allocation per park is $250,000.
For more information, call 503.823.5300 or visit portlandparks.org.
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Mark Ross Public Information Officer
Portland Parks & Recreation
503.823.5300 (office); 503.823.6634 (cell)
Mark.ross@portlandoregon.gov
Healthy Parks, Healthy Portland
portlandparks.org
Nick Fish, Commissioner | Sue Keil, Interim Director
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