Spring 2021 Small Grant Recipient

Portland Parks Foundation is Excited to Announce our Spring 2021 Grant Recipients

PPF’s small grants program aims to support local organizations that steward public parks, park programs, community gardens and natural areas. This spring our community-based review committee selected five organizations centering equity in their programming. Each organization is receiving $2000 to support general operating or a specific program. PPF is proud to partner with five new organizations committed to increasing opportunities for Black, Indigenous and people of color, immigrant and refugees, disabled, low-income and marginalized youth and their families in public parks and nature.

People of Color Outdoors

People of Color Outdoors (POCO) connects “Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) folks of all ages to the outdoors via BIPOC-led outings; deepening the BIPOC communities’ relationships to the outdoors by learning about basic environmental education, environmental justice, and BIPOC environmental contributions; and connect BIPOC youth to fulfilling careers in parks and nature.” Parks and outdoor areas have not always been a safe place for the BIPOC community. Pamela Slaughter, founder of POCO, started the organization to create a safe space for the BIPOC community to access and connect with nature.

Throughout COVID-19, POCO has successfully brought their members to in-person nature outings and virtual events at no cost to them. The organization operates as a MeetUp group and is quickly expanding. This grant will support POCO's general operating and capacity building by growing their social media presence to reach and engage more community members.

Vernon Neighborhood Association

The Vernon Neighborhood Association (VNA) brings neighbors together to build a safe and resilient neighborhood, rooted in an understanding of its rich cultural history. VNA actively works to “initiate, promote and implement programs that connect the diverse neighbors in this community.” COVID-19 posed great challenges for the community and now VNA is looking at how to safely connect the community to their neighbors and the outdoors. The group is excited to have local historians Anjala Ehelebe and Doug Decker lead walking tours of the Vernon neighborhood, focusing on Alberta Park and what growing up in the northeast neighborhoods as a person of color is like.

Vernon Neighborhood Association will use the grant to support Anjala and Doug in creating and executing walking tours throughout the summer. Walking tours offer an educational and fun experience for the community after a long and hard year.

Doug Decker

Anjala Ehelebe

Friends of Zenger Farm

Friends of Zenger Farm is deeply rooted in the outer southeast community. The 24 acre farm “promotes and educates about sustainable food systems, environmental stewardship, and community building to improve our collective wellbeing.” The organization works to dismantle food inequities created by racism, capitalism, colonialism and other systems of oppression. Friends of Zenger Farm eliminates barriers to food and land access by providing fresh food for low-income Black and Brown families in the community. 

The PPF grant will support their Open Farm Days social media and market delivery. Open Farm Days are regular events that safely bring BIPOC and David Douglas School District families to their farm wetlands. When attending this event, families learn about ecosystems, plant identification and uses, gardening and can enjoy free prepared food made by community chefs.

Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden

Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden will be piloting a program, “Rooting Among Rhodies'' with Latino Network and SUN Community Schools to bring youth to the gardens for fun outdoor learning opportunities. The programing aims to center the experiences of communities of color in our public spaces. Students from Kelly and Bridger elementary schools will visit Crystal Springs for outdoor socio-emotional learning. The program hopes to build cohesion in the children's learning community and help create a stronger sense of ownership and connection to the garden. 

Funds from PPF’s small grant will ensure that the students from the two elementary schools can get to the garden, free of cost to them. Buses will bring the students to Crystal Springs to enjoy, learn and connect with nature.

Friends of Pier Park

Friends of Pier Park is an all-volunteer neighborhood group with the mission of enhancing and advocating for the 85-acre North Portland park, ensuring all visitors feel safe and invited. By including and activating the community, Friends of Pier Park is creating and empowering the diverse community to care for the park. The neighborhood around the park is rich, vibrant and diverse. The park is a place where low-income, immigrant, and culturally diverse families can come together to share ideas and enjoy the outdoors.

Translators and interpreters are an essential part of Friends of Pier Park’s future of ensuring all community members have the opportunity to be involved in the decisions of the park. The small grant will be used for general operating support. This grant will help create the foundation for growth as the organization works on developing new sustainable and inclusive programming.

For more information and to read about past grantees, check out our Small Grants Program page.

Contact Jessica Green at jgreen@portlandpf.org with any questions.

20th Anniversary PPF Parks Poster

PPF is proud to unveil our 20th Anniversary Portland parks posters!

We’re commemorating three classic Portland parks—Peninsula, Laurelhurst, and Alberta—plus the Wildwood Trail, each with a poster by a leading Portland designer,

About the Designers

PPF worked with Design Portland to create a diverse jury and outreach strategy to reach the city’s leading designers. Ninety-seven applied. Our jury selected four. And then we worked with them to select a park. You can meet each of the designers by clicking on the posters.

You can purchase a 28” x 21.5” offset lithograph, available for $25 here – or complementary with a $250 membership.

More about the initial process

Inspired by WPA-era National Parks posters, the Portland Trailblazers Game Day series, and many other great poster traditions, the Portland Parks Foundation (PPF) invited Portland designers to create limited-edition posters for Portland parks as a part of the Foundation’s 20th anniversary celebration in 2021.

Jury

• Central Office: Max Erdenberger and Megan McGinley

• Subashini Ganesan: Creative Laureate of Portland, PPF board member

• Always With Honor: Elsa and Tyler Lang

• Avantika Bawa: Artist and Commissioner (Oregon Arts Commission).

• Martina Bialek: Communications Director, Latino Network, PPF board member

Announcing the 2021 U.S. Bank Parks Champions

The U.S. Bank Parks Champion Award recognizes individuals who provide outstanding volunteer service to a park, community center, natural area or community garden. The two winners each receive the opportunity to direct a $1,500 grant from PPF to a community organization that aligns with our vision: to help Portland communities create more equitable access to nature, play, health, and places of connection.

We had 48 outstanding nominations this year. Please read about each of them here. Get inspired, learn about new opportunities to volunteer and how to support organizations where they volunteer.

Some of the nomination highlights include:

• Service spanning decades to places like Leach Botanical Gardens, Columbia Children’s Arboretum, Mt. Tabor Park, Lan Su Chinese Garden and Terwilliger Parkway, 

• Place justice advocacy in North Portland working to revitalize George Park and downtown

• Reimagining what public space looks like with community-led design and education programs at the Boise Eliot Native Grove

• Advocating for recreation and programming and creating a sense of belonging through biking and soccer and hiking

• Providing safe and inclusive educational and healing opportunities in nature for BIPOC community members

• Maintaining parks and public gardens through pulling weeds, cleaning up debris and invasive species in places like Marquam Nature Park, Portland Japanese Garden, the Lilac Garden at Duniway Park and Forest Park

• Cleaning up trash and graffiti and increasing safety in Laurelhurst Park, the Pearl District and Waterfront District

• Assisting community members to grow their own food by providing accessibility and supplies and general support.

• Advocacy for accessible playground equipment and park improvements all over the city

• Creating and maintaining free, accessible youth recreation programs and educational opportunities in our parks to youth with a specific focus on youth of color and low-income communities in places like Lents Park, Brooklyn Park, Tanner Springs, Whitaker Ponds and the Columbia Slough Watershed.  

• Managing countless volunteer groups and inspiring others to form new friends groups in places like Argay Park, Mt. Tabor Park, Tryon Creek State Natural Area and Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden.

Here are your 2021 U.S. Bank Parks Champions

Donovan Smith and Mat Randol

Donovan Smith

Donovan Smith and Mat Randol have been community advocates for North Portland parks for a long time. Mat, along with Donovan, helped create a Friends of George Park group with a focus on Black and Latinx communities, with goals of upgrading current play structures and making changes to the park as a whole. Donovan is also part of the City Repair mural project for this park and is getting community feedback on the mural there as well as what kinds of services and amenities the site needs

The duo is also hoping to hold an annual music festival in the park in future years. As artists, volunteers, and advocates for change, they’ve worked on a number of projects focused on including communities of color who have traditionally been left out of placemaking and stewardship events.

Mat Randol

Donovan helped promote and start events such as the Illamette HipHop festival and this summer’s following rally concert/march at Cathedral park. The duo have also played an integral role with the local movement Gentrification is WEIRD.

Donovan and Mat would like their $1,500 grant to go to André Middleton of Friends of Noise.

Benjamin Tarne

Ben Tarne runs and helped found Friends of Brooklyn Park (FOBP) back in 2017. He champions local youth and communities in the Brooklyn neighborhood, and played a leading role in continuing the organization’s Summer Youth Program (SYP) when its funding was cut in 2017. In July 2019, he and FOPB led a partnership with the Greater Brooklyn Business Association (GBBA) for the ‘Best of Brooklyn’ community potluck with 30+ businesses hosting information booths and samples, The Aladdin Theater and The Lamp hosting a BBQ, live music, and the SYP all at Brooklyn Park. More than 400 people participated in the event.

Ben is a leader, community advocate, and collaborator who brings in different people, groups, and businesses to all share in common causes. The “Community Potlucks at the Park” effort, a series of monthly community potlucks held at Brooklyn City Park, brings people together, provides an opportunity to learn about FOBP and the SYP, and offers a chance to commune at the park, the center of the community.

Ben would like for his $1,500 grant to go towards Friends of Brooklyn Park.

Read about each of the nominees and the amazing volunteer work they are doing in our city!

2021 U.S. Bank Parks Champion Nominees:

• Allen Field, Sewallcrest Community Garden

• Andrine de la Rocha & Howard Patterson, Boise Eliot Native Grove

• Aubrey Russell, Neglected planters and greenspaces in NW Portland and more

• Benjamin Tarne, Brooklyn Park

• Bill Bannister, Forest Park

• Cesar Huerta, Tryon Creek State Natural Area

• Christie Quinn, Lents Park and more

• Dan McLaughlin, Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden

• Darlene Chirman, Leach Botanical Garden

• Dave Hillman, Mt. Tabor Park

• Dave Manville, SW Portland parks and trails

• David Gutzler, Harper's Playground Arbor Lodge Park

• Donovan Smith, George park, Dawson Park, Cathedral Park, and more

• Duane Hanson, SE Portland around Mt. Tabor

• Gary Quinn, Clinton Community Garden

• Gordon Campbell & Kathleen Madden, Multnomah Arts Center

• Ian Jaquiss, Throughout Portland on Portland Parks & Recreation Board

• Jacob Thoreson, Southwest Community Center/East Portland Community Center

• Jane Roffey Berry, Argay Park

• Jason Baird, Gateway Green

• Jim & Geri Rovello, Berkeley Park, Alex Rovello Memorial Tennis Courts

• Kate Bodin, Portland Botanical Gardens

• Katie & Ron Goodwin, Leach Botanical Garden

• Kay Dannen, Elizabeth Caruthers Park

• Kim Luey, Lan Su Chinese Garden

• Laura Feldman, Columbia Slough Watershed, Nuclear Free NW, CORE, Oregon Hanford Cleanup Board

• Laurie Kitxke, Gabriel Park Community Garden

• Mary Kinnick, Mt. Tabor Park

• Maryhelen Kincaid, Columbia Children's Arboretum

• Masaki Shimada, Portland Japanese Garden

• Mathew Randol, Kidz N The Park Festival/George Park

• Michele Shapiro, Tanner Springs Park

• Mike Street, Pearl District/North Park Blocks

• Nicole Williams, Friendly house

• Pam Slaughter, Whitaker Ponds, Smith and Bybee Lakes, and Oxbow Park

• Rick Pope, Forest Park Conservancy

• Robin Jensen, Marquam Nature Park

• Robin Vesey, Terwilliger Parkway

• Scott McKinley, Gabriel Community Garden

• Tamara Layden, Portland Parks & Recreation Board

• Teresa J Browning, Laurelhurst Park

• The Lilac Garden at Duniway Park Committee of The Portland Garden Club, The Lilac Garden at Duniway Park

• Wes Risher, Terwilliger Parkway
  
  
  

Watch the 2021 Portland Parks Foundation Spring Friends & Allies Summit

Thank you for joining us for our Spring Friends & Allies Summit. We enjoyed hearing from our U.S. Bank Parks Champions, our guest of honor, PPF's founding Board Chair and parks leader extraordinaire, Joey Pope, and Commissioner Carmen Rubio

Interested in learning more about our US Bank Parks Champions? Read about the work our champions and nominees are doing across Portland!

The Joey Pope Legacy

Few private citizens have had more impact on Portland’s parks system than Joey Pope, both as a philanthropist and a super-volunteer. Among her many contributions, the most far-reaching are:

• Holly Farm Park: working with close friend, Joyce Furman, and others, Joey developed Holly Farm in a parks-deficient, ethnically diverse swath of outer southwest Portland — one of the few privately initiated parks in Portland history.

• Hoyt Arboretum Visitor’s Center and the soon-to-be completed all-access Bristlecone Pine Trail for Arboretum visitors.

• Vision 2020: chaired the community task force to create a 20-year blueprint for Portland’s parks system.

• Inaugural chair of the Portland Parks Foundation.

• Leach Botanical Garden: Joey helped it to become the “Hoyt Arboretum” for outer-East Portland launching the soon-to-be-completed $5 million capital campaign for expansion.

“Joey was ahead of what we now call ‘equity,’” according to Zari Santner, for Portland Parks & Recreation Director and Emeritus Board Member of Portland Parks Foundation. “For her, it was a matter of economically disadvantaged people of all races or color having access to parks and all recreation.”

“Joey is somebody who is capable, willing, and interested giving her own money at a generous level, but even more so, giving her time—and for the smallest, most menial task,” says Linda Laviolette, the Portland Parks Foundation’s founding director. “When we were wrapping up fundraising for Holly Farm Park, we collected holly from the farm and Joey made these gorgeous holiday wreaths in her little garden shed. She actually made them! And then I delivered them to the doors, the offices, the homes of the donors to thank them.

Announcing 2021 U.S. Bank Parks Champion Nominees

The U.S. Bank Parks Champion Award recognizes individuals who provide outstanding volunteer service to a park, community center, natural area or community garden. The two winners each receive the opportunity to direct a $1,500 grant from PPF to a community organization that aligns with our vision: to help Portland communities create more equitable access to nature, play, health, and places of connection.

We had 48 outstanding nominations this year. Please read about each of them here. Get inspired, learn about new opportunities to volunteer and how to support organizations where they volunteer.

PPF will announce the 2021 U.S. Bank Parks Champion recipients at our Friends and Allies Summit on May 27 at 5:30pm. Find out more and register here.

Some of the nomination highlights include:

• Service spanning decades to places like Leach Botanical Gardens, Columbia Children’s Arboretum, Mt. Tabor Park, Lan Su Chinese Garden and Terwilliger Parkway, 

• Place justice advocacy in North Portland working to revitalize George Park and downtown

• Reimagining what public space looks like with community-led design and education programs at the Boise Eliot Native Grove

• Advocating for recreation and programming and creating a sense of belonging through biking and soccer and hiking

• Providing safe and inclusive educational and healing opportunities in nature for BIPOC community members

• Maintaining parks and public gardens through pulling weeds, cleaning up debris and invasive species in places like Marquam Nature Park, Portland Japanese Garden, the Lilac Garden at Duniway Park and Forest Park

• Cleaning up trash and graffiti and increasing safety in Laurelhurst Park, the Pearl District and Waterfront District

• Assisting community members to grow their own food by providing accessibility and supplies and general support.

• Advocacy for accessible playground equipment and park improvements all over the city

• Creating and maintaining free, accessible youth recreation programs and educational opportunities in our parks to youth with a specific focus on youth of color and low-income communities in places like Lents Park, Brooklyn Park, Tanner Springs, Whitaker Ponds and the Columbia Slough Watershed.  

• Managing countless volunteer groups and inspiring others to form new friends groups in places like Argay Park, Mt. Tabor Park, Tryon Creek State Natural Area and Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden.

2021 U.S. Bank Parks Champion Nominees:

• Allen Field, Sewallcrest Community Garden

• Andrine de la Rocha & Howard Patterson, Boise Eliot Native Grove

• Aubrey Russell, Neglected planters and greenspaces in NW Portland and more

• Benjamin Tarne, Brooklyn Park

• Bill Bannister, Forest Park

• Cesar Huerta, Tryon Creek State Natural Area

• Christie Quinn, Lents Park and more

• Dan McLaughlin, Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden

• Darlene Chirman, Leach Botanical Garden

• Dave Hillman, Mt. Tabor Park

• Dave Manville, SW Portland parks and trails

• David Gutzler, Harper's Playground Arbor Lodge Park

• Donovan Smith, George park, Dawson Park, Cathedral Park, and more

• Duane Hanson, SE Portland around Mt. Tabor

• Gary Quinn, Clinton Community Garden

• Gordon Campbell & Kathleen Madden, Multnomah Arts Center

• Ian Jaquiss, Throughout Portland on Portland Parks & Recreation Board

• Jacob Thoreson, Southwest Community Center/East Portland Community Center

• Jane Roffey Berry, Argay Park

• Jason Baird, Gateway Green

• Jim & Geri Rovello, Berkeley Park, Alex Rovello Memorial Tennis Courts

• Kate Bodin, Portland Botanical Gardens

• Katie & Ron Goodwin, Leach Botanical Garden

• Kay Dannen, Elizabeth Caruthers Park

• Kim Luey, Lan Su Chinese Garden

• Laura Feldman, Columbia Slough Watershed, Nuclear Free NW, CORE, Oregon Hanford Cleanup Board

• Laurie Kitxke, Gabriel Park Community Garden

• Mary Kinnick, Mt. Tabor Park

• Maryhelen Kincaid, Columbia Children's Arboretum

• Masaki Shimada, Portland Japanese Garden

• Mathew Randol, Kidz N The Park Festival/George Park

• Michele Shapiro, Tanner Springs Park

• Mike Street, Pearl District/North Park Blocks

• Nicole Williams, Friendly house

• Pam Slaughter, Whitaker Ponds, Smith and Bybee Lakes, and Oxbow Park

• Rick Pope, Forest Park Conservancy

• Robin Jensen, Marquam Nature Park

• Robin Vesey, Terwilliger Parkway

• Scott McKinley, Gabriel Community Garden

• Tamara Layden, Portland Parks & Recreation Board

• Teresa J Browning, Laurelhurst Park

• The Lilac Garden at Duniway Park Committee of The Portland Garden Club, The Lilac Garden at Duniway Park

• Wes Risher, Terwilliger Parkway
  

Meet the people who propel PPF!

Adam Wilson

Adam Wilson is the Vice President of Merchandising for Women's Footwear at Nike Inc. He has been with the brand for 17 years, leading businesses around the globe, with a focus on building diverse, high-performing teams, and leading change with an emphasis on sustainable growth. As an Oregon native, Adam has a great appreciation for the power of nature and our green spaces to be positive forces for both physical and mental health. As a proud product of our own public education system, Adam has a passion for coaching and partners with Oregon State University to advise and mentor first-generation students and recent graduates. Adam, with his wife Kristi and son Wyatt, love getting outside to hike or paddle, play basketball and golf, and always cheering for your Portland Trail Blazers.

Why this board?

Having been privileged to visit many of the great cities of the world, I believe great parks and green spaces are what allows people to truly thrive in an urban environment, and are also vital to the long-term sustainability of humanity thriving on Earth. Portland residents have always taken pride in their parks, and I believe we can lead the way for the country on parks as a source of personal activity, renewal, mobility and a safe and welcoming place to gather as a community.

If you could be a Portland park, which one would you be and why?

It's really hard to choose one, as one of my favorite parts of our park system is the variety. I have to go with Willamette Park just for the number of memories I have of biking through it with my family, playing tennis, taking our dogs to the off-leash area, or picnics along the river watching the paddlers, sailboats, and wakeboarders all share the river. It's amazing how quiet it can be throughout the week.

What do you hope to accomplish while serving?

I believe there are four major benefits of parks for our people: a place to move our bodies for exercise and expression, a connection to nature and the land, a safer method of mobility for people looking to walk/bike/roll from one place to another, and a space to gather safely whether that is a birthday party or a cultural celebration. I want to increase access to all four of those benefits to the people of Portland with a focus on greater equity and inclusion. This can result in a Portland that is more active, more mindful, more sustainable, and more connected.

JR Lilly

Ya’a’teeh! (Navajo Greeting) First thing you should know about me is that I am part of the Dine (Navajo) Nation, and more specifically I am part of the Red Running Into Water People Clan and born for the Cliff Dwelling People Clan. As a long-time advocate for Native American families here in Portland, what best describes me is the diversity of communities I am a part of. My day job, volunteer efforts, and play time all include raising our community conscience so that we can all see the beauty of all those around us. My friends would describe me as someone who loves a fun party or enjoys a solid conversation over a cigar. I believe in our collective community power that can create a preferred future for all communities, so most days you will see me advocating for our parks, East Portland issues, or for the local Native American families.

Why this board?

Simply put, Mother Earth needs an advocate. She takes care of us in so many ways it our responsibility to mutually care for her as well. Growing up parks where always a safe place for me and my siblings when we had some violence going on in our home. I remember being able to step away for the craziness of life to enjoy the playground, running in an open field, or just sit on the bench with my grandma. They hold such a sacred space for me to this day in such a way that it only makes sense that I do everything I can to keep them healthy. Not to mention this board shares the same values and love to have fun just like I do.

If you could be a Portland park, which one would you be and why?

Tough one, it would either be Cully Park or Gateway Discovery Park. Cully Park has the Native Gathering Garden where the local Native American Community has helped shape that creation of that space while design input. It a space where I go for some morning prayers to greet the sun in the morning or just for an evening walk reflect on how good life is that day. But I do have so many fun memories with my younger siblings at Gateway Discovery Park. Especially with Summer Free For All events like Movies in the Park, Bubble Soccer, and yummy summer lunch. We could play in that park all day!

What do you hope to accomplish while serving?

#LandBack. Which is the stewardship of our natural areas and park spaces back to the Indigenous Knowledge and Wisdom of the local Tribal Communities. Beyond a Land Acknowledgement and listening to our elders for guidance on planting, harvesting medicine, and ceremony. There is so much we can learn from this viewpoint that will benefit our Plant Relatives, heal all our Communities, and bring us back to what my people call “Walking In Beauty”.

Mary Ruble

Deeply involved in the Portland community during her nearly four decade long career at U.S. Bank, Mary Ruble served on numerous boards including the Portland Parks Foundation, Portland Parks Board, Regional Arts and Culture Council, Nature Conservancy of Oregon, Self Enhancement, Inc, Rose Festival and Portland Center Stage. Now a full time community advocate, Mary is also an avid outdoors person spending time in many of Oregon’s natural and scenic areas.

Why this board?

The Portland Parks Foundation presents an opportunity to support natural areas and parks through public-private partnerships. I strongly believe in this model. Portland’s parks and open spaces are special and they need extra care and feeding. The Foundation helps fill gaps by enhancing the beauty, access and usability of our parks and natural areas. PPF’s work brings joy to Portlanders and those who visit here. I am proud to have been involved in Portland’s parks and recreation system for over 20 years.

If you could be a Portland park, which one would you be and why?

I would be the Hoyt Arboretum. I love the meandering trails filled with hikers, the blooming magnolias in spring, the majesty of the towering pines and redwoods, the simplicity of the ground cover, the views of our great city. These speak to me in all seasons and remind me how lucky we are to live in a place that has kept parks, trails and open spaces sacred so all can enjoy.

What do you hope to accomplish while serving?

My goal in joining this board was to help expand our reach so we could have a more meaningful and lasting impact on our city. I think we have made great strides. We have a strong and diverse board, excellent staff, ideas and opportunities galore, and the will and donor base to achieve goals that might have once seemed out of reach. We are well on our way as we celebrate our 20th anniversary!

Rich George

Rich George works as an Associate General Counsel for Portland General Electric and has worked as an attorney there for nearly twenty years. He is responsible for providing legal advice and analyzing risk to the company for many different areas, including environmental compliance and policy, nuclear, hydroelectric and renewable energy. He often appears before state and federal regulatory agencies, including the Oregon Public Utility Commission, Department of Environmental Quality, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, etc). Rich received a degree in Human Biology from Stanford University in 1993 and attended law school at the University of Oregon, graduating in 1997. Prior to joining PGE, Rich worked as an attorney in both law firms. Rich has also worked for the Oregon Department of Justice.

Why this Board?

I love urban Portland and the outdoors. The parks are the connective tissue for me that combines these two and melds our neighborhoods together. Parks provide the destination, the fresh air and the transportation corridors for me when I’m hiking through the east side of Portland. I recognize the importance of parks to so many people in Portland and I worry about them. I worry about maintaining them, ensuring access and equitable use and distribution. So that’s why I joined the PPF Board.

If you could be a Portland park, which one would you be and why?

Springwater Corridor. This is a park and also a connection of many different parks. A huge number of people use this for recreation, transportation, etc. I like to see myself similarly to this park, as I often act as a facilitator, bringing people together or providing them a direction to go and solutions. Much like this park (also, I’m skinny too) : )

What do you hope to accomplish while serving?

My time is coming to an end after two terms, but I love where PPF is going. I’m leaving it as a solid organization, with an incredibly strong board and staff that has a vision for bringing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to the forefront and making parks more accessible to the underserved parts of Portland. We’ve helped pass the Parks Levy, which will ensure a return to programming and vibrant parks for years to come. I’ve only had a small role, but I am so proud of what this organization has accomplished.

The Fix is On! Barbara Walker Crossing Update + Cool New T-Shirts

We all are anticipating the reopening of the Barbara Walker Crossing. Here’s an update:

• The good news: the bridge was not structurally damaged when the violent January 13 storm caused a landslide and a large tree to fall on the bridge. 

• The be-patient news: the necessary repairs to the damage done by both the tree and landslide can’t happen until April. May 1 is the target for reopening.

• While you wait: consider getting our new Barbara Walker Crossing T-shirt!

Why so long? 

Things were on track for a mid-March reopening. Then the ice storm hit sending trees, powerlines, and Internet cables falling all over the city. City maintenance crews prioritized getting broken trees out of the street and safely restoring electricity and connections for Portlanders. 

Repairing the Crossing requires shutting down West Burnside. That has to be planned well in advance and for a weekend. But the delay is also allowing PPF and its team to get some nagging final finish work done.  

When will it open? 

If all goes as planned, the Crossing will open by May 1! 

What about the t-shirts? 

PPF’s good friend and supporter Ian Walker — whose trails-advocate mom the bridge is named for — put together the design and printing. All proceeds benefit PPF so that we can do more projects across the city. Thank you, Ian!

Need more details?

Lastly, for those who like to go a little deeper on info, some details about the bridge’s damage analysis and repair plan. 

Heavy rain and windstorms caused a lot damage across the city, including flooding and a landslide at Forest Park, on Wednesday, January 13. The landslide brought down trees, power lines and hundreds of yards of debris onto W Burnside Ave near the Wildwood Trail. One large tree fell against the Barbara Walker bridge and it took substantial effort from Portland Parks & Recreation’s (PP&R) Urban Forestry, Professional Repair and Maintenance Services (PRMS), Capital and Land Stewardship staff, as well as Portland Bureau of Transportation’s (PBOT) special equipment to remove the tree without damaging the delicate railing and safety netting of the bridge. Upon removal of the tree, it was apparent that some parts of the bridge were damaged.

Progress on bridge repair to date:

• In the days following the storm, PP&R staff worked on cleaning debris from the site and provided temporary hillside stabilization. There were also minor repairs to secure the bridge railing so that W Burnside Ave could be re-opened. KPFF Engineers used a laser survey and x-ray study to assess the damage to the bridge structure and determined that it was not in danger of collapsing but does need repairs to welds on the structure and railings.

• Original plans were to re-open the bridge for pedestrians in early March. However, the storm and power outages caused a shift in priorities for many City staff. We now have received the repair plan drawings from KPFF, and developed a PP&R team and a plan to move forward on the bridge repairs.

• The PP&R team met on March 2 to finalize the bridge repair process, including the Burnside street closure, the permit for gate storage and trail blocking fencing, along-term landslide repair work plan, communications, and scheduling.

• PP&R is working with PBOT to fast-track the street closure process using some of the traffic planning from the actual bridge construction. They will require a two-week notice ahead of the closure.

• The PP&R team feels confident that the bridge repair and other work can be completed by May 1.

Meet the people who propel PPF!

Mary Anne Cassin

Mary Anne Cassin is a retired parks professional who is passionate about maintaining Portland's special places for future generations. Her career spanned three decades and included service for Metro and private landscape architecture firms as well as her 25 years with Portland Parks. She was honored to be inducted as a Fellow with the American Society of Landscape Architects in 2018 for her contributions to the profession.

Why this board?

She has chosen to work with the PPF because as a separate non-profit organization, it increases the visibility and sustainability of parks as a vital cultural and environmental resource.

If you could be a Portland park, which one would you be and why?

If I could be any park, I would be Pioneer Courthouse Square because I love it when broad swaths of people come together to share joy, the change in seasons, and cultural events... Plus I love a good party!

What do you hope to accomplish while serving?

I would love to see the Foundation complete its evolution into a thriving, well-known organization that helps people help their parks.

Bob Gandolfi

Bob Gandolfi came to Oregon in 1974 to complete a masters degree at the University of Oregon and instantly fell in love with Oregon. He became the Director of Outdoor Recreation for Portland Parks and Recreation and was there for 17 years. In 2001, PP&R contracted him to work on the opening of the Eastbank Esplanade as well as to collaborate on a citywide event called The Illuminata Parade of Light. For the next 15 years he produced events that included private and public openings, nonprofit fundraisers, parties and events for corporate and private clients. In 46 years of living in Portland, he has been involved in civic engagement and has crossed paths with many diverse people who call this great city home. Bob continues to enjoy outdoor pursuits and gardening.

Why this Board?

I was asked by a friend who was serving on the board to join—I had been aware for years about the Foundation and saw this as a good fit and a way to apply my skills and respect for public parks and recreation. 

If you could be a Portland park, which one would you be and why?

I would pick Forest Park—I’ve spent countless hours hiking and biking the trails and it is a wonderful place of refuge for me.  

What do you hope to accomplish while serving?

I hope to expand the reach of the Foundation to a new donor base and to provide equitable access to people in parks and open spaces.

Julie Vigeland

Julie Vigeland

Why this board?

Being appointed to the Parks Board was a game changer for Julie. Yes, she used and enjoyed our city parks but she became informed about the many issues involving parks. Working with Commissioner Fish, as the board chair, gave her an insight to the myriad aspects of the PP&R system. She was hooked. So, when she had an opportunity to further her work for Portland Parks…she jumped. At the time the board was struggling. Being a part of re-building the board and staff has been fulfilling and rewarding. The bottom line? Julie feels as though she can make a difference for Portland and Portlanders given her time spent with the Foundation.

If you could be a Portland park, which one would you be and why?

If she could be a park it would be Alberta Park. On walks with her daughter during the pandemic, they have walked lots of areas of the city and that means…lots of parks. Alberta Park was one they returned to as it was so welcoming. The tall stands of trees, the people (all with masks!) enjoying the dog designated portion of the park, children running free under parental guidance. It is clearly a place of wonder during “normal” times. During a pandemic, it is a place of safety, fresh air, and casual greetings of neighbors and others, like us, who come to visit. I would hope to be like this park -- welcoming, open to all, and fun-loving.

What do you hope to accomplish while serving?

Serving my term and beyond (as past president and now emeritus member,) it has been a privilege to be a part of the growth and regeneration of the Foundation. We’ve built a small but outstanding staff, we have a board that brings diversity of thought and experience to our work, and we are not “stuck” in one place. We are moving forward in creative yet measured ways. It is my privilege to continue to serve as we bring the Foundation further into the consciousness of the community we serve. Together we can do ever greater things for Portlanders and Portland parks!

Jonathan Nicholas

Jonathan Nicholas was born and raised in the coal-mining valleys of Wales. He was 14 years old when his grandfather, a coal miner, first took him 1,500 feet underground. The experience gave him a renewed interest in schoolwork. He graduated from the University of Bristol and then spent four years working on a series of international aid projects in the Himalayas. In 1975, he helped found the first Himalayan National Park. He joined The Oregonian newspaper in 1982 and spent 25 years there. In 1988, Nicholas invited readers to join him on a bicycle ride across Oregon. Each September for 30 years, thousands of cyclists from all over the world participated in Cycle Oregon. Jonathan joined Moda in 2008 and serves as a vice president, helping the company fulfill its mission of building healthier communities.

Why this board?

I work at a health company. We believe Green Therapy is every bit as important as Gene Therapy. Access to nature is critical to public health. Parks are the gateway drug to the great outdoors.

If you could be a Portland park, which one would you be and why?

I’d have to say the Eastbank Esplanade. I have walked or cycled it almost every day for 25 years. It’s a park, a transportation corridor, an urban oasis, a tourist attraction, a selfie station and a swimming hole. It’s everything you want a city park to be.

What do you hope to accomplish while serving?

It’s right there in our mission statement. I want to help people help parks.

Meet the people who propel PPF!

PPF's board members come from many walks of parks and life. This month, we asked four of them why they serve and what park they would be if they could be a park. Read each of their full profiles below.

Karen Kervin

As Community Affairs Manager/Oregon for U.S. Bank, Karen Kervin helps non-profit organizations across the state of Oregon work toward their goals. Karen’s professional contributions to U.S. Bank and its community stakeholders requires a full-time focus on those building blocks that help communities thrive: stable employment, a home to call one’s own and a community connected through arts, culture, and recreation.

Why this board?

The PPF Board is one place I choose to engage as a volunteer, as the work of ensuring our parks and open spaces remain viable and accessible to all is a key component of maintaining a livable and prosperous community. I have seen first-hand the increase in use of Portland parks during this pandemic year. People are using our parks as a way to gather responsibly, enjoy nature and play, and even for a few minutes, perhaps enjoy a sense of normalcy.

If you could be a Portland park, which one would you be and why?

If I could be a Portland park it would be Gabriel Park (or Gabes as we call it). Gabes has it all – hills and flat areas, forest and fields, skateboard park and play structures, a stream, a community center, a community garden and two dog parks. 

What do you hope to accomplish while serving?

In my service as a PPF Board member, I hope to bring whatever time, talent and resources I can to help maintain a healthy and thriving network of parks for all to enjoy. Making connections with community members, thanking donors, raising funds, considering grant awards and planning for events with like-minded individuals are all activities I have enjoyed in my short time on the board. It’s an exciting and challenging time to be part of any nonprofit organization.

Silas Sanderson

Silas Sanderson is a Professional Civil Engineer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers where he works on environmental restoration projects, risk assessments of flood risk reduction structures, and seismic assessments of infrastructure. Originally from Boston, Silas was drawn to the natural beauty of the Pacfic Northwest.

Why this board? 

I love the outdoors and parks are the outdoors at your doorstep. For me they are a place to gather, recharge, and recreate. Portland is fortunate to have so many great parks.

If you could be a Portland park, which one would you be and why? 

Easy. Forest Park. There is nothing more recharging to my soul than a trail run or a post-work ride through Forest Park.

What do you hope to accomplish while serving? 

At PPF, we help people help parks. I'm looking forward to empowering Portland's communities to realize the vision that they have for their parks.

Melissa Naito

Melissa Naito is a Community Advocate who serves on the boards of KairosPDX and The Portland Parks Foundation. She was a staff member to former City Commisioner Gretchen Kafoury and worked for Portland’s Bureau of Development Services for many years. She has volunteered with many organizations in Portland including Catlin Gabel School and the Multnomah Athletic Club. She is a proud soccer mom to a collegiate soccer player.

Why PFF Board?

It is a great way to help shape the City's future by making all our parks and open spaces accessible to everyone no matter where you live.  It is an opportunity to educate the community about our many terrific parks and to advocate for those whose voices are not always heard.

If you could be a Portland park, which one would you be and why? 

I would be Washington Park. It has a little bit of everything! I love the contemplative spaces like The Holocaust Memorial and the Japanese Garden. You can play tennis or practice archery and you can walk on trails and play with children in open spaces and on terrific play equipment.  

What do you hope to accomplish while serving? 

I hope to give all Portlanders a sense of ownership of their parks and open spaces.  I hope to make all of us feel welcome in any of these spaces.  We have so much to offer here in Portland from natural areas, where you can see birds and other animals to more formal gardens where you can touch and smell the beautiful flowers.  We have a rich history of caring for and building parks.  I want to participate in that for the next generation.

Jack Jewsbury

Jack Jewsbury is a real estate broker for the Hasson Company. Prior to joining Hasson, Jack was a professional soccer player in Major League Soccer for 14 years; his first eight seasons were in Kansas City with the KC Wizards (now Sporting KC) before being traded to the Portland Timbers in March of 2011. After six seasons with the Timbers, he retired from professional soccer and joined the club on the business side as Director of Business Development for four years. He is still a Community Ambassador for the Timbers organization but is now working with the Hasson team full-time. 

Jack is originally from Springfield, Missouri, where he grew up before attending Saint Louis University. After graduating from SLU, he married his high school sweetheart. They have been married for 14 years and have two daughters, ages 9 and 11, who keep them busy with their love of dance and soccer. The Jewsbury family has lived in Lake Oswego for the last eight years.

Why this board?

I chose to join the PPF board because when moving to PDX in 2011, parks were crucial in making the city feel like home for our family. We knew very few people in town so parks became that outlet for us to be active and meet others in our community!

If you could be a Portland park, which one would you be and why? 

If I could be one Portland park, it would have to be Holly Farm Park. This park just brings back so many wonderful memories as our kids were growing up. From afternoon picnics, to learning how to ride their bikes and playing soccer in the grass there - Holly Farm Park will always be a special place for us!

What do you hope to accomplish while serving? 

I hope that we can showcase how important Portland parks are to the fabric of our city. Now more than ever, parks can be at the forefront of creating places where all feel welcome and continuing to strengthen our communities in PDX!

(Photo credit: CC BY-SA 2.0)