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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

• Get Outside and Get Healthy
• Skatepark Opening Celebration
• Historic Certified Local Government Project
• Love Your Lawn: Leave It Alone
• Music Mondays at the Center for the Arts Plaza
• It’s Not Too Late to Plant Your Garden
• Seven Mediators Join East Metro Mediation
• Party on the Plaza: Street Dance
• We’d Like Your Green Opinion
• National Night Out – August 3
• Summer Paving Projects Start
• Gresham SmartTrips – Learn How This Summer
• Wanted: Stream Stewards and Watershed Warriors
• Rockwood in Motion – Get Project News by E-Mail Opt-In

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Gresham Neighborhoods listing

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

Nelson Neighborhood Park Master Plan Click to enlarge

Public forums, citizen input and design changes complete City Council approves Nelson Neighborhood Park Master Plan

The Gresham City Council approved and adopted the Nelson Property Neighborhood Park Master Plan at the June 1, 2010 City Council meeting.

About Nelson

The Nelson Property is a 2.0-acre parcel located adjacent to and south of the City-owned Nadaka Nature Park, fronting NE Glisan Street at NE 176th. Click here for a vicinity map of the area.

The second Nelson Property Neighborhood Park Master Plan Community Forum was held March 31st. At this forum the Preferred Design Alternative was presented which took into account comments from the Parks & Recreation Advisory Subcommittee, Urban Forestry Subcommittee, January 20 Community Forum, Metro Parks & Greenspaces, East Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District and City staff.

The Master Plan includes approximately 1/3 of the property to be community gardens and orchard. There will also be picnic tables, a nature-based play area, and public restrooms. A walking loop will connect the Nelson Neighborhood Park with Nadaka Nature Park. (It will be necessary for citizens to obtain addtitional grant monies to develop the Nelson property.) The Nelson Property Summary Report and Community Forum Summary Reports are available on the City's website here.

Background

In 2009 the Wilkes East Neighborhood Association and Friends of Nadaka successfully obtained a Metro Nature in Neighborhoods Capital Grant, a grant from the East Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District and a donation from the Nelson Family Trust to purchase the 2 arce site for use as a neighborhood park. The Trust For Public Lands negotiated the purchase.

Nelson Neighborhood Park Master Plan Click to enlarge

Public forums, citizen input and design changes complete City Council set to adopt Nelson Neighborhood Park Master Plan

When: Tuesday Jun 1, 2010 6PM
Where: Gresham City Hall
Council Chamber
1333 NW Eastman Pky
Gresham, OR
Get Map!

Council to consider plan

The Gresham City Council will consider for adoption the Nelson Property Neighborhood Park Master Plan at the June 1st, 6PM meeting in the City Council Chamber. There will be a public comment period at the start of the meeting. Comments are limited to 3 minutes. Everyone is encouraged to attend this important meeting and show their support for this project.

About Nelson

The Nelson Property is a 2.0-acre parcel located adjacent to the City-owned Nadaka Nature Park, fronting NE Glisan Street at NE 176th. Click here for a vicinity map of the area.

The second Nelson Property Neighborhood Park Master Plan Community Forum was held March 31st. At this forum the Preferred Design Alternative was presented which took into account comments from the Parks & Recreation Advisory Subcommittee, Urban Forestry Subcommittee, January 20 Community Forum, Metro Parks & Greenspaces, East Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District and City staff.

The Master Plan includes approximately 1/3 of the property to be community gardens and orchard. There will also be picnic tables, a nature-based play area, and public restrooms. A walking loop will connect the Nelson Neighborhood Park with Nadaka Nature Park. (It will be necessary for citizens to obtain addtitional grant monies to develop the Nelson property.) The Nelson Property Summary Report and Community Forum Summary Reports are available on the City's website here.

Background

In 2009 the Wilkes East Neighborhood Association and Friends of Nadaka successfully obtained a Metro Nature in Neighborhoods Capital Grant, a grant from the East Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District and a donation from the Nelson Family Trust to purchase the 2 arce site for use as a neighborhood park. The Trust For Public Lands negotiated the purchase.

New MAX Station, 188th & Burnside Click to enlarge

Defining Rockwood's Town Center Change is on the horizon!

Let the projects begin!

Look for big changes starting this summer, as the Gresham Redevelopment Commission begins transforming the face of Central Rockwood with a distinctive urban design.

"Rockwood in Motion" projects will benefit residents and businesses alike by providing a fresh new look for the area, improving safety and access to MAX, and jump-starting investment in the Rockwood Triangle. All while reinforcing the message that Rockwood is a special part of Gresham.

Expect Traffic Delays

Infrastructure improvement projects have already started in some Central Rockwood areas with all projects expected to be underway by June 1.

Click here for Construction Updates.

Burnside widening New Rockwood MAX stations 188th/187th Avenue Realignment SE Stark Boulevard Phase II Former Fred Meyer Site (See project details below)

Construction Map. Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

Just Say No! Then, quickly close your door Don't let these pushy salespeople take "Advanage" of you

Aggressive and rude!

Several Capri Terrace residents in West Gresham's Wilkes East Neighborhood have reported being confronted by "pretty darn aggressive" and somewhat rude salespeople going door-to-door selling ADVANAGE cleaning sprays for Georgia based T&B Sales. This company has a sketchy reputation and many complaints for its over-the-top high-pressure sales tactics - dating back to their beginning in 2000.

One neighbor said "I had to be aggressive right back in order to shoo him away, I thought his tactics were a bit peculiar. His foot-in-the door antics was a bit unnerving to me".

Reports of T&B Sales representatives going doot-to-door selling Advanage cleaner without a permit or license have appeared recently in local newspapers from Portland to Longview and on several television stations warning area residents -- including this May 21st story on KGW TV's website.

"Don't even engage them in conversation," said one local sheriff's community policing office. "Just explain to them that you're not interested and close the door."

T&B sales has a troubled history in Oregon. In 2008, the attorney general's office issued a consumer alert after sales reps were charged with fraud, theft and illegal drug activity.

If a T&B Sales representative comes to your door you should contact your local police non-emergency telephone number. In Gresham the non-emergency number is 503-823-3333.

Joyce Henstrand

Board appoints interim leader for one year beginning July 1 The Reynolds School Board voted unanimously Thursday, May 13, to appoint Joyce Henstrand – currently the interim superintendent – the district’s permanent superintendent until June 30, 2011.

Source: The Gresham Outlook (May 14, 2010)

The board has been searching for a permanent superintendent for the past five months, and Henstrand had not applied for the position. However, Theresa Delaney Davis, the board chairwoman, said the board did not believe any of the candidates it had interviewed “was a perfect match,” and added the board was impressed with Henstrand’s work as interim superintendent.

“Since January 2010, we’ve seen remarkable progress toward our goals,” Davis said. “The district is operating within an improved organizational structure, there was increased transparency in the budget process, staff morale is improving and additional resources and supports for the students are being actively sought.

“We are pleased that Dr. Henstrand will continue the exceptional job she has been doing,” Davis said, noting, for example, that the district expects “significant” improved state test results this year.

Video: KPTV Fox12 Oregon. Click to view

Earth Day 2010 comes early to Nadaka Nature Park Invasives removed, new trees added to the meadow

Earth Day wasn't until April 22nd, but SOLV volunteers got an early start Saturday April 19th by cleaning up 200 sites throughout Oregon -- including Nadaka Nature Park in West Gresham. Check-out this video.

NW View. Click to enlarge

After years of promises and delays Rockwood will finally get it's courthouse - once the funding is approved

Source: Willamette Week, OPB News (April 22, 2010)

After years of delays and missteps, Multnomah County commissioners unanimously approved the design for a new East County Courthouse in Rockwood.

The state ordered the county during the 1960's to have a courthouse in East Multnomah county. And there is a court -- but it's little more than one room in the old Gresham City Hall that's overcrowded and run down. But that's all going to change with the approval of a new courthouse in Rockwood's town center.

“I know this is a building. But it represents more than the stones, bricks and glass we see on paper,” said Commissioner Diane McKeel, who represents East County on the five-member board. “It represents commitment to an area left behind for too long.”

The plans call for a 40,000-square-foot building with three courtrooms (and space for more in the future) to handle misdemeanors and traffic cases.

Judging from Commissioner McKeel’s reaction the East County courthouse construction could start in December 2010

Source: The Gresham Outlook (Apr 20, 2010)

Judging from Commissioner Diane McKeel’s smile following Tuesday’s briefing on the East County courthouse project, the embattled building is likely to become a reality.

The five-member board of commissioners will decide on Thursday, April 22, whether to build the structure, more than 25 years in the works.

During its Tuesday meeting, county commissioners considered both two-courtroom and three-courtroom configurations for the building, which is proposed for county-owned land on SE 185th Ave and Stark St in Rockwood. Get Map!

Depending on the number of courtrooms, the project could cost between $17.4 million and $20.7 million. A few million dollars from selling surplus county land south of Edgefield in Troutdale is earmarked for the courthouse. The rest of the money most likely will be financed through bonds.

County commissioners seemed to like the idea of moving ahead with the project now to take advantage of the weak construction market and low interest rates.

If approved, construction could start in December, with the building finished in early 2012.

The long-running effort to obtain decent court facilities for East Multnomah County is once again coming to a critical decision point

Source: The Gresham Outlook (Mar 31, 2010)

And that means East County citizens and leaders must maintain a sense of urgency about finally pushing this project over the top.

On Tuesday night, Multnomah County officials – including Commissioners Diane McKeel and Judy Shiprack – held a meeting in outer East Portland to update the community on the preliminary design for a courthouse that would be built in Rockwood, at Southeast 185th Avenue and Stark Street. That session will be followed on April 22 with a presentation to the full board of county commissioners, who then will decide how to proceed with the courthouse project.

(Everyone in the greater East County area (especially Gresham & West Gresham) is urged to attend the April 22 meeting (501 SE Hawthorne Blvd., Portland, OR 97214). If you cannot attend please submit written statements by email to the County Commissioners here (http://www.co.multnomah.or.us/cc/) prior to April 22 to be added to the record and show your support for this important project! Ed.)

(UPDATE: View preliminary design photos below. Ed.)