By Astrid Furstner | CNA Chair
The Concordia Neighborhood Association (CNA) Board of Directors continues to overcome the challenges the pandemic has thrown on us. We met May 6 for our second virtual meeting, and we accomplished plenty of business.
Four letters were approved and sent to:
- Oregon Cultural Trust in support of Alberta Main Street’s request for a grant to develop a district guidelines and streetscape design plan
- Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) to request open dialogue regarding the sale of the Concordia University property
- City of Portland in support of the Slow Streets Plan to slow or stop traffic temporarily on some city streets to allow for more physical distancing by pedestrians and bicyclists
- City of Portland in support of growing out our urban forest in the form of a revision to the Portland Tree Code
We also discussed a few ideas for the social committee to consider, such as a potential neighborhood scavenger hunt to bring us together, yet distanced. If you have ideas, let us know. Send them to my email address below for ways to keep socializing and getting to know each other, albeit while respecting physical distance.
Additionally we considered a few requests from businesses and organizations for our support regarding their proposed use of Concordia University property and facilities. We determined CNA is not the proper venue for individuals to request use of the land. The university property is privately owned. Any specific requests regarding leasing the buildings or use of the facilities should go directly to the owner of the property, LCMS.
What CNA can do, however, is present our neighbors’ concerns in a unified fashion to university representatives. If you have any concerns you wish to have addressed, please send them to me, again at the email address below, so we can continue to provide that input to LCMS.
The quarantine has not reduced our workload. We can always use assistance. Join us at our next board meeting – details are to the right. If you are interested in what goes on with the Land Use Transportation Committee, that information is in the same column. If you are interested in writing for the paper, contact CNewsEditor@ConcordiaPDX.
If you are interested in helping lead or participate in social functions – even physically distanced ones – contact SoniaGF419@gmail.com. If you have ideas for something new or any concerns, send them to me at Chair@ConcordiaPDX.org.
We are listening and we are here for our neighborhood!
Astrid Furstner is a mother, a wife, an immigrant, a local artist and an artisan. She lives with her luthier husband, Brent, and her artist-in-the-making daughter, Luciana. Together, they call Concordia their home.