2010 Hillsdale News FLAG
Issue #108
Posted June 11, 2012 
Also in This Issue
* Update on vacant spaces
* New Wilson principal named
* Honors and Milestones

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Commentary

From denial to acceptance  

 

Olympia Typewriter Last year homeowners along the two block stretch of Sunset Boulevard north of the library learned that, like it or not, they would be getting a sidewalk, a bike lane and parking spaces on their street. They were shocked at how the project would change their surroundings.

Now, after months of deliberation with City planners, ever so slowly, they are coming to accept the change that will take place early next spring when backhoes and dump trucks start moving dirt. The work will result in a sidewalk on the north (library side) of the street and parking on the south side.

As I listened to the homeowners express their anger and frustration at the final public session on May 21 at the library, I thought of Elizabeth Kubler-Ross and her ground-breaking book "On Death and Dying" with its five stages of grief.

Kubler-Ross realized that the stages could apply to anyone experiencing loss, and that was clearly what the Sunset homeowners were struggling with at this meeting with city officials.

The homeowners were clearly at varying stages. At one end of the spectrum, some were still in denial; others had arrived at acceptance. But they were all working through their grief.

You may recall that the process starts with "denial." In this case it was a "you've got to be kidding" attitude, that was answered with, "No, we are dead serious. We have the money to do this; your neighbors are concerned about pedestrian safety along the street. It has no sidewalk and now it will get one."

Next comes "anger." "This isn't fair." "I wasn't notified." "How dare you?"

Next is "bargaining." What if you did this...or that? Could we make this look more, well, rustic? What if the sidewalk was more a meandering path than a straight-line ruler of pavement? What if it were on the other side of the street?"

Then comes "depression." "There's nothing we can do; we need to sit with our sadness."

And finally there is acceptance. "I can live with this." "I'll prepare for it." "I'll do the best I can under the circumstances."

All the stages were evident in the library's community room. The city planners, who were left to defend the details of the project, wisely allowed the feelings to be expressed before getting back to the agenda of inviting comment on how the changes might be fine-tuned.

When the meeting was over, I talked with one neighbor, a landscape architect and a Sunset Boulevard resident for 20 years. Yes, he said, he had come to acceptance. After months of opposing the sidewalk, he actually could see that it might be nice to go out his front door and be able to walk safely to the library along a sidewalk. One day his walk would even be shaded by trees. He, unlike most, had seen beyond acceptance and was, to his own surprise, seeing how the change might bring improvement.

My sense is that, with time, the others will join him. 

 

    Rick Seifert, Editor/Publisher

 

Letters to the editor are always welcome. Write  [email protected]
In two or three years, the proposed food cart court at Capitol and Sunset could look like this, according to its developer Richard Stein, who drew this rendering of the layout.
  Neighbors offer praise, criticism for Food Cart plan
 


Hopes and fears surfaced at the June 6 Hillsdale Neighborhood Association as a large gathering of neighbors considered the pros and cons of creating a food cart plaza at the southeast corner of Capitol Highway and Sunset Boulevard.

Hillsdale resident Richard Stein, the plaza's driving force and developer, displayed a rendering of how the court might eventually look with its five food carts. Three cart owners were present to answer questions as well.

At the HNA meeting, Stein explained that the plan is to phase in the plaza to test out the concept incrementally. Starting in late July or August the carts will be placed on a semi-circular pad around the edge of the plaza. At the back of the lot will be two, screened port-a-potties equipped with wash basins.

The complete project might take two or three years to fully develop, he said.

Richard Stein demonstrates
Stein explains his plan.
Stein, an architect who designed the new bike plaza between Baker & Spice and Food Front, said that the carts themselves would have to meet "strict design guidelines."

In its final stage, the court would  include a trellised promenade, bike racks and perhaps twinkle lights in the big tree that is the plot's centerpiece.

He emphasized the need for the design guidelines after resident Glenn Bridger compared food cart lots to tacky mobile home parks.

Stein's proposal varies from other food cart sites in that it isn't located in a parking lot. Presented with his design for a specially designed cart plaza, City planners were forced to rethink what they were allowing for food carts. They have given Stein's design their blessing, he said.

Stein said the design creates an  "attractive and vibrant social space" where the community can gather. He added that it also gives Wilson High students more food choices and would cater to Wilson pool users in the summer months and to the Farmers Market clientele on Sundays.

The corner property is privately owned, zoned for commercial uses, and now is home to a high school sign and no other improvements.

Several outspoken opponents in the crowd of about forty worried about the wrong kind of "vibrant" activity in the new plaza.

A Beaverton High School principal, who declined to give his name to this reporter, called the plaza a clear "attractive nuisance at the entrance to a high school." "Drugs and outside 'elements' will be showing up," he warned.

But others argued that having people gathered at the site would ensure exactly the opposite. Dwayne Beliakoff, one of the cart owners, said that the cart operators would put "five sets of eyes on what's happening" and would control behavior.

The group also discussed how a "Good Neighbor Policy" would help integrate the plaza with the school and the community.

Stein explained that while the carts would be on wheels and be moveable, they would remain at the site. In answer to a question, he said that alcohol would not be served in the plaza.

One local Mexican restaurant owner complained about unfair competition from the carts, but Stein said a cart catering to Mexican food enthusiasts would be limited to being a taco stand and not compete with the full-menu restaurant. He added that he had approached the restaurant about having a cart at the plaza, but had received no response.

Stein said that of the 30 to 35 people who had been in touch with him about the plaza idea, only three or four had opposed it. "It's been about 8 to 1 in favor," he said.

After the meeting ended, he said he was grateful he had put the plaza on the HNA agenda as it highlighted questions that he wants to explore.
Wardin sites

Commercial properties' future
still undecided


The future of two prominent vacant retail spaces remains unresolved in Hillsdale. The vacant shop space just west of Food Front and Other World Games and the empty lot across Capitol Highway belong to Wardin Investments.

The commercial property firm is owned by three sibling descendants of the pioneer dairy family that settled here more than 100 years ago.

One of the three, Ardys Braidwood, manages Wardin's holdings, which account for much of the Hillsdale Town Center.

She reports that the shop space has a "possible" renter and that she has received many inquiries about the location. She said she will announce a renter when the deal is sealed.

In the meantime, Wardin Investments is taking advantage of the vacancy to upgrade the floor and ceiling in the space occupied by Kelly N-I Travel for nearly 26 years.

The vacant lot across the street was the subject of considerable controversy last year when JPMorgan/Chase Bank sought to lease it and met with opposition from the neighborhood. After Chase pulled out, Braidwood returned to the plan of building on the site as well as on the adjacent lot to the west, which now houses a Baskin Robbins ice cream parlor.

Braidwood said that Wardin's accountant is still calculating costs and rental rates in the new building, which may have a partial second story. A major credit union remains interested in locating in the building, but a representative of the credit union, which asked not to be named yet, said that it is waiting to learn leasing costs.

Braidwood said she expects the critical numbers to be available soon.

Parking fence to be removed soon

Fenced lot
Fence will be removed soon, according to Main Street.
After nearly 20 years, the parking lot fence across from the post office and the Jade Dragon is about to be removed. The fence, considered by many to be an eye-sore, is owned by Ardys Braidwood.

The removal is part of a Hillsdale Main Street-initiated project to define a painted walkway through the north side of the commercial area.

Braidwood emphasized that the public needs to honor reserved spaces in the newly unfenced lot and that businesses owners and their employees shouldn't park there unless they rent reserved spaces.

"Otherwise, the fence could go back up," she said. "We'll see how it works." The unreserved spaces are intended for customers of surrounding businesses, she added.
parking lot plan
The Main Street improvement calls for a painted walkway.
Wilson's new principal will come from Grant High

Brian Chatard, a vice principal at Grant High School, has been named the new principal at Wilson High school.

Brian Chatard
Brian Chatard
He will replace retiring Sue Brent, who has been Wilson's principal for six years.


In a letter of introduction to the Wilson Community, Chatard noted that public education "seems beset on all sides by controversy and difficult challenges," but he shared his optimism.

"It will be my strategy to look for opportunities, to build new partnerships and relationships that can strengthen what Wilson does well and to remain optimistic and positive. I believe that the outcomes we seek for students are in our control," he wrote.

Chatard, 42, began teaching in 1994 in San Jose, California, where where he taught middle and high school. He also coached high school baseball and basketball.

He graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and received his a masters in Educational Leadership from San Jose State University.

He and his family moved to Oregon in 2003.
Honors and Milestones....

Rieke teacher honored
as part of Fulbright exchange


Jeffrey Sturges, a fourth grade teacher at Rieke Elementary School, will be teaching in England next year under a Fulbright Classroom Teacher Exchange.

In exchange for Sturges, Rieke will host teacher Robert Pearce from England for a year.

Rieke Principal Andrea Porter said that Sturges, who has taught at Rieke for six years, is "an exemplary teacher." He was one of 45 US teachers chosen this year to teach abroad under the Fulbright program, which was founded in 1946.
 
Since then, 28,000 teachers around the world have participated in the Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program.  The U.S. Department of State sponsors the program, and the Institute of International Education (IIE) in the UK implements it.

VanderVeer named Hillsdale Neighbor of the Year 

Joe VanderVeer has been named  Hillsdale's volunteer of the year for his work on developing the neighborhood's web site.

He and other prominent Southwest Portland volunteers will be honored at a celebratory dinner at the Multnomah Arts Center on Tuesday, June 19, at 7 p.m. The community is invited to attend.

VanderVeer, who was partially paralyzed in a car crash when he was four years old and uses a wheelchair to get around, has made web design his specialty.

He was selected as Hillsdale's volunteer of the year at the neighborhood association's June 6 meeting.

He and his wife, Pam, who also has a disability and uses a scooter, are known for their work on behalf of the disabled community in Portland.

The neighborhood's volunteer of the year for the past year has been Michael Reunert, Hillsdale Main Street board member and devoted school's advocate.

Neighborhood Association adds three to board 

At its June 6 meeting, the Hillsdale Neighborhood Association elected three new members to its board. They are Don Baack, who will serve as treasurer; Carolyn Raz and Corinne Paulson.

They join present members Mikal Apenes, chair; Duane Hunting, vice chair; Lynn Rossing; Robert Hamilton; Peter DeCrescenzo; Aloha Wyse
and Sheila Greenlaw-Fink.

Hennessy has offered insurance here for 30 years 

On July 1, Rick Hennessy will mark 30 years of providing State Farm insurance to Hillsdale-area residents.

Hennessy's 30th
The sign says it all.
Prior to opening shop in 1982 Hennessy taught high school social studies and coached football and baseball in Lebanon and Newberg.

He looks out from his desk in the walk-up space just north of Key Bank and sees a changed Hillsdale.

Most apparent, he says, are wider and better sidewalks, street lights, the signalized mid-block crossing, trees along Capitol Highway, apartments behind the Baskin Robbins, fewer gas stations and more traffic.

Now only a fond memory was having morning coffee at the old Winchell's donut shop (now Papa John's Pizza) with a cadre of World War II vets. All have died over the years.
 
For all that has changed, much as remained the same, he notes. "The Mexican restaurant is still a Mexican restaurant.  The grocery store is still a grocery store. The bank is still a bank."

And Hillsdale is still a great community, he says. "I have met many wonderful people over the years whom I can call my friends.  We have people who come by the office just to say hi and I love that."

Hennessy, who is 56, muses that he'd like to be at his desk 30 years from now.

Sunstone Montessori School to consolidate
at John's Landing's Terwilliger School
 
Sunstone Montessori School will move to the Terwilliger School building in Johns Landing this fall.

The school, which serves many in the Hillsdale community, currently is located in Multnomah Village for children ages 2� - 6 and at a Bridlemile facility near Albertson's on Shattuck for children ages 6 -12.

The schools will be consolidated at the new location, which is leased from Portland Public Schools.

Sunstone Montessori has outgrown its existing facilities, according to school officials.  The Terwilliger School was formerly the site to the Portland French School.


Date Book  

Thursday, June 21

Taste of Hillsdale 

Sponsored by Hillsdale Main Street, many Hillsdale Town Center establishments will remain open until 8 p.m. at this "Third Thursday" event featuring food. For a link to the schedule of events click HERE.

Saturday, July 8


Usual Suspects to collect litter

9 a.m. at Food Front "veranda," meet for an hour of Town Center litter gathering with friends. Post-litter patrol, volunteers will be rewarded with breakfast enchiladas, courtesy of Food Front.

Wednesday, July 11

Hillsdale Alliance takes stock

7 p.m. Watershed community room, 6388 SW Capitol Highway. The coalition of Hillsdale organizations holds its quarterly meeting. All are invited to discuss the community's future.

Sundays, July 15 & 22

Book Sale book collection

10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Hillsdale Farmers Market. Bring boxed books to the northside market collection site. No textbooks, out-dated manuals or travel guides. Books will be sold at the Hillsdale Foundation's annual book sale on July 29.

Friday, July 20 through Sunday, July 22

Terwilliger Parkway
100th Anniversary celebration


Friday

10 a.m. Upper Duniway Park. Centennial Cake cutting and unveiling of Terwilliger Gateway sign.

Saturday

9:30 a.m. to noon, meet behind Wilson HS bleachers. Guided tours by SW Trails.

9 a.m. to noon, Chart House parking. Restoration work party, remove ivy from around Totem Pole.

6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Upper Duniway Park. Concert

Sunday

8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Meet at Upper Duniway Park. Run/Walk

11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday Parkways SW extension. Map below.

Parkway map















A link to a short video about the centennial is HERE

Sunday, July 29


 HBPA Pancake Breakfast & Community Foundation Book Sale


35th Annual Breakfast, staged in the Casa Colima Parking lot, begins at 8:30  a.m. and lasts until noon. The Community Foundation book sale, at the Watershed and along south side of Capitol Highway, begins at 9 a.m. and ends at 1 p.m.