Commentary
Making a place
 I recently got a call from a friend of a friend. My friend and his inquiring friend live in Olympia. My name had come up in a conversation about organizing neighborhoods.
Turns out that my friend's friend has been president of a neighborhood association in a place that is something less than a neighborhood. In fact, it is barely a place.
Hence the call.
I played along with my friend's assumption about my expertise, mostly to see where it might take us.
It took me to Olympia to meet with them.
I found the experience humbling and enlightening. Mostly, it made me all the more appreciative of what we have accomplished in Hillsdale.
The section of Olympia in question is in the northwest part of the capital. It has a school, an extremely funky, '60s-era food cooperative and a busy thoroughfare that runs along the southern border. The traffic is headed somewhere, anywhere, else. The housing stock is pre-mid-century marginal - with a few notable exceptions. And yes, the place is sidewalk-deprived.
The neighborhood struck me as in dire need of "place-making." I suppose the three of us could have Googled the term and found some kind of checklist, but I figured I'd wing it, based on my experience in Hillsdale.
I came up with five suggestions:
* Figure out how to communicate between neighbors. A newsletter (on and off line) is a great resource. Also, create a gathering place. Nurture a "Baker & Spice" or a farmers market. News and food feed community!
* Find your center. Where is the "heart of your neighborhood"? If you don't have one, create one. You may even need to move some boundaries around. Be prepared to test the systems and "stir the pot."
* By all means stir the pot. Nothing involves folks in the neighborhood like constructive controversy. By the way, one of the things schools districts, large corporations and city governments are good at is making a mess of things. Welcome the mess and cheerfully set about cleaning up. Oh, and when large institutions don't screw things up, thank them!
* Don't make enemies. Those who oppose you are like strangers - treat them as friends you haven't met yet. When institutions screw up, help them out. Find a better way. Thank those causing the problem for making your community stronger. Without knowing it, they are. Look for opportunities to collaborate with "trouble-makers." This is a new twist on "sleeping with the enemy."
* Use signs (street sign caps, gateway signs, directional signs) to remind visitors and yourselves that this is the place you call home. It has pride, it has history, it has vision, it is where you and your neighbors live. It is truly a neighborhood - and a community. It is important. Fly its flag!
That's it, at least until you let me know what I've left out....
As usual, I welcome your thoughts.
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Bryn Harding, left, hands over keys to renters of his Mazda wagon.
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Hillsdale neighbors invite you
to rent their cars
What if your car paid for its own gas and insurance when you aren't using it?
That's exactly what a 2003 Mazda 5 wagon is doing for Aubrey and Bryn Harding of Hillsdale as they rent it out through the innovative Getaround program.
By coupling tracking technology, cars and smart phones, Getaround is generating extra income for car owners and on-demand cars for nearby borrowers.
Getaround began earlier this year and now has more than 200 participants in Portland. Hillsdale has five...and counting. The Hardings, who live on SW 30th Avenue, started renting out their Mazda last month.
The program is also reducing the "population explosion" of cars, says Steve Gutmann, one of Getaround's first employees and is its Portland business development manager.
By the end of the year, Getaround hopes to have more cars available than Zipcar, says Gutmann, who worked for Flexcar before it merged with Zipcar.
He prefers Getaround's approach because it offers the same service without putting more cars on the road and without taking up more space. The new company also doesn't have to manage and maintain the vehicles. That's left to the private owners, who pay nothing to participate but must be approved by Getaround.
Car owners can approve or decline any rental request, so they're never obligated to rent out their vehicle. Getaround also checks driving records and uses a peer rating system to keep participants on their best behavior.
Of course those who rent from others don't have car payments, insurance premiums or maintenance and repair costs. Since they often rely on bikes or public transit, they have complete control over how much they spend on driving. The savings can run into the thousands annually, says Gutmann.
He adds that car-sharing creates closer ties between neighbors.
Meanwhile, the Hardings' Mazda is starting to be used by renters. One person rented it for $70 over a three-day weekend when the couple didn't need the car.
The program covers insurance. The renter and owner agree that the tank will be full at the beginning and end of use.
One neat feature is that the company installs a device in the car that allows the owner and the renter to unlock the vehicle using a smartphone app. When the rental time is up, the renter's smartphone app is deactivated. The "Carkit" includes a GPS tracker as well.
Getaround takes 40 percent of the rental charge to pay for insurance, special security equipment and other costs. An older Prius rents for $3 per hour. You can rent an all-electric Tesla sportscar for $50 per hour.
With two more renters lined up for this month, the Hardings say their 60 percent of the fee should pay for their own gas and insurance.
They encourage folks in the neighborhood looking for a reliable vehicle, to go on-line to the Getaround web site, and check out theirs.
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Hillsdale took on the look of Amsterdam during the July 22 Parkways event.
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Sunday Parkway
Thousands pedal and stroll through HillsdaleSome 11,000 hearty souls biked and hiked through Hillsdale for the July 22 Southwest Portland Parkway event, according to Bureau of Transportation estimates.
Among the visitors were six who were attracted by Gifford Family Dentistry's "Toothy" mascot and proceeded to make appointments. Another seven vowed to call in for appointments the following day.
Megan Braunsten, executive director of Hillsdale Main Street, said that Gifford Family Dentistry was among three businesses located on the north side of Capitol Highway who set up tents on the south side to woo business from the passing crowd. The other two were Korkage Wine Shop and Haircolor/Salon Dirk.
While some businesses said the event hurt sales, several were pleased with the exposure to such a large crowd, Braunsten said. She noted that Other Worlds Games did a booming business because it had comic books on display outside its store.
Hillsdale and Multnomah Village were popular stops along the 7.8 mile Parkway route. Much of the activity centered on Gabriel Park.
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French school takes Fulton Park Center back for its future
The Fulton Park Community Center, which became the victim of parks bureau budget cuts this spring, is re-emerging in a form linked to its past.
 If the City of Portland approves a conditional use permit, late this fall, the charming building at 68 SW Miles Street just off Barbur will be used as a school again. That's what it was from 1914, when it was built, to 1958, when the parks bureau leased it from the school district. The bureau purchased the building in 1999 and turned it into a community center.
When the building becomes a school this time, however, students won't be speaking English. Under the circumstances, they may well be reciting: "Plus �a change, plus c'est la m�me chose."
The principal tenant will be L'Etoile, a French immersion school, which will rent three of four classrooms. The building's fourth classroom will be used by a German immersion school.
Mark Ross, spokesperson for Portland Parks and Recreation, said the classrooms rent for $1250 per month each, five days a week.
Rental space is still available in the gym and kitchen for other programs in the evenings and on the weekends, he said. Those interested in renting should call Craig Ward, (503) 823-3180, at the parks bureau.
Ross said that budget cuts caused initial concern that the building would be shuttered. "We've found a solution to keep it open," he said. "We are delighted."
L'Etoile's director, Seema Kathuria, said the school will also maintain classes at 5839 SW Hood Avenue. But the Fulton Park Community Center has facilities suitable for its upper grades, such as a full gym with basketball court, a stage for performances and assemblies as well as a playground with a large grassy field.
She said the addition of Fulton Park means that L'Etoile has the space needed to accommodate pre-school through 5th grade.
The building was designed by Floyd Archibald Naramore, architect and superintendent of school properties for Portland Public Schools from 1912 to 1919. During his tenure, Naramore designed and built many schools including the historic Kennedy School in northeast Portland.
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Good Neighbor Agreement to guide Food Cart plaza
A "Good Neighbor Agreement" (GNA) has been written for the operation of the new food cart plaza at the southeast corner of Sunset and Capitol Highway.
The voluntary agreement arose after several neighbors expressed concerns about potential problems at the new court slated to open this month.
Now the parties are literally on the same pages of the the GNA. Those agreeing to its provisions are Food Plaza developer Richard Stein, the Hillsdale Neighborhood Association, the Hillsdale Business and Professional Association, Portland Public Schools and "neighbors who live in the general vicinity."
The staff of the Office of Neighborhood Involvement and the Portland Police Bureau also helped formulate the agreement.
The stated goals are to "maintain the livability and safety of the neighborhood" and to "minimize nuisance issues, crime and fear of crime" in and around the plaza." It also calls for developing and maintaining "clear communication channels between all parties."
No application for a liquor license is anticipated at this time, according the agreement. The posted hours of operation will be no more than from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. No smoking will be allowed on the premises. The facility must comply with noise ordinances.
Other sections address litter and graffiti control, parking, prevention of disturbances and rowdy behavior as well as dispute resolution that might be needed.
In a separate crime prevention document, provisions were offered for the plaza's design, maintenance and management that would help with crime prevention. Topics included sight lines for monitoring activity, landscaping, lighting, clear delineation of private and public space, rules of conduct and vendor education. |
Southwest Community Connection
hires '08 Wilson grad as lead reporter
Four years ago, Drew Dakessian had just graduated from Wilson High School where she was drawn to journalism. She worked as an intern on the SW Community Connection before going off to college.
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Monday, July 30, she took over responsibility for the monthly paper that is mailed to 8800 homes and businesses in Southwest Portland. Another 3300 are put in boxes for a total estimated circulation of approximately 12,000.
Dakessian's title is "lead reporter."
In the four years since graduating from Wilson, Dakessian earned her degree in journalism at the University of Oregon.
Dakessian, who now lives in the Arnold Creek neighborhood near Jackson Middle School, will also be the education reporter for the Lake Oswego Review and will write for the West Linn Tidings. All three papers are part of the Pamplin Media Group.
Dakessian will replace Claire Oliver, who has been responsible for the Connection for the last two years. Oliver has moved to New York University to earn a graduate degree in magazine journalism.
Dakessian says that she plans to broaden The Connection's coverage to more parts of Southwest Portland like West Portland Park and Garden Home. She adds, "The name 'Southwest Community Connection' says it all."
She says she particularly enjoys weaving her sources' personal stories into her reporting. In general, she believes that community journalism will remain strong because it offers news that affects readers' daily lives. "It's more intimate...in a good way," she says.
Main Street finds new VISTA worker
Hillsdale's Main Street program had to scramble to find a VISTA worker for its office after its first VISTA hire had to back out because of a family emergency.
But the Main Street program, now entering its third year, has made up for lost time by hiring Emily Wilken, who will start work in Hillsdale Sept. 5.
Wilken is familiar with Main Street so she can get up to speed fast on her new job. For the last year, as a VISTA worker, she has helped the business community of Independence, Oregon, near Salem explore how to become a Main Street program.
Main Street is an economic revitalization effort in hundreds of communities. Hillsdale is one of three Main Street areas in Portland and has a full-time director, Megan Braunsten.
In Independence, Wilken helped create a Summer series of concerts and movies in the park, and worked with the Chamber of Commerce to create a tourism marketing plan.
On the side, Wilken, a graduate of Illinois State University, is also an artist who creates large puppets for the stage.
She will work with Hillsdale Main Street for a year and then hopes to become a Main Street manager or help manage an arts non-profit.
Braunsten said that in Hillsdale Wilken will work on fundraising, communications, marketing, volunteer management and a business-owner education program.
VISTAs are paid by Americorps Corporate. Because the VISTA program is intended to help underprivileged populations, Hillsdale Main Street will form an advisory group with representatives from Neighborhood House and Community Partners for Affordable Housing (CPAH operates the Watershed building that provides housing low-income seniors).
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Date Book
Friday, August 10
Watershed Neighbors Night Out
features swing band
7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at The Watershed, 6388 SW Capitol Highway.
Community Partners for Affordable Housing (CPAH) is once again hosting the annual National Night Out, The Hillsdale Book Sale will still be in progress in the Watershed Community Room. The Minidoka Swing Band will perform on the Plaza. The band features Watershed resident George Shimbo as vocalist.
Saturday, August 18 & Sunday, August 19
Multnomah Days 2012
For events, too numerous to list here, go to Multnomah Days web site HERE. Parade, 10 a.m. Saturday.
August 20-24
Robotics Summer Day Camp
Mittleman Jewish Community Center. Science-based, hands-on practical robotic learning. Provides students aged 10 to 14 with opportunities to build a science and technology knowledge
Thursday, August 23
Movie in Dewitt Park
6:30 p.m. Dewitt Park. Live music at dusk followed by the movie "MegaMind."
Saturday, August 25
Work Parties to spruce up schools
9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at at all three public schools in Hillsdale - Wilson, Gray, Rieke. Bring work gloves, tools. Lunch provided. Saturday, Sept. 15
Hillsdale Paella Dinner
6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Visit www.HillsdaleMainStreet.org/Happenings/Paella. The event is a benefit for Hillsdale Main Street and Neighborhood House.
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