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OPINION: Will anything come to be at the Bighouse site except a residential ‘Big Box?’

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, Land Use & Transportation, Opinion

By Spencer Parsons

Quick background

This past spring, I was part of a group of five neighborhood professionals – three architects, a designer / builder, and a land use attorney (me) – who collaborated on behalf of the Concordia Land Use & Transportation Committee (LUTC) to address neighborhood compatibility issues with the proposed Bighouse Development at the corner of NE 30th and Killingsworth Streets. These concerns arose from the drawings developer Brian Spencer of Ascend Holdings and builder Rick Porter of Union Corner Construction provided at the February LUTC Meeting. Mr. Spencer agreed to review any recommendations we might provide.

In early April, the LUTC submitted the “Bighouse Redesign Team’s” conscientiously researched and carefully considered design changes intended to dramatically improve the building’s integration into the long-standing character of this unique intersection at the heart of Concordia – without negatively impacting its functionality or the project’s overall economics.

Problems with the proposed design

The most obvious shortcoming of the planned 4-story, 30 unit apartment building is that the design is totally tonedeaf in relation to the surrounding quaint yet vibrant “mini” commercial node.

First, though the lot is zoned “Commercial Storefront,” it provides a bare minimum of ground floor business space, sacrificing most of this valuable commercial real estate in exchange for three residential units.

Who wants to live on the ground floor at such a busy intersection, with passing pedestrians, a constant stream of cars and busses, and ambient noise from nearby stores and restaurants at all hours? The blinds will be pulled on the first floor residences 24/7. Count on it.

Additionally, none of these units open on to the street, a fatal flaw for any design striving for a compatible character. The stated reason they must face inward, with a single shared outside entrance, is for “security” purposes, though many close-by residential and commercial units open to the sidewalk without a problem.

Compare the Rexall condo building, a few hundred feet south on 30th, where all ground-floor units face outward – some are residential, some commercial, and their use changes periodically as occupants change. Opening the Bighouse ground level units to the street would preserve future flexibility for commercial use. However, walling them off from the outside blocks the building from community integration, both literally and figuratively.

What the regulations say

Portland Zoning Code (PZC) 33.130 calls for new developments that “enhance the economic viability of the specific commercial district” and directs them to “preserve and enhance older commercial areas … compatible with the desired [storefront] character”. It explicitly intends accommodating and fostering “a full range of retail, service and business uses with a local and regional market area” and that all new buildings are “pedestrian-oriented” and built “with a storefront character.”

What we’ve asked for

While the Team determined the development, as proposed, does not progress the City’s vision for commercial use of this site, our list of suggested modest modifications sent by the LUTC to Mr. Spencer and Mr. Porter were prudently crafted to address the design shortcomings without going back to the proverbial drawing board.

The first and most significant item on our list requests conversion of the three ground-floor residential units to commercial use, or at least making them mixed use live/work spaces with separate entrances to the sidewalk.

We also asked that an acoustical engineer be engaged to mitigate Killingsworth’s heavy traffic sounds and noise from nearby businesses, both of which will negatively impact the first floor living experience.

Also recommended are several affordable improvements to the building façade to better link it with the neighborhood, including — but not limited to — delineating the building base, upgrading exterior cladding, adding cornices, improved exterior lighting, and integration of sunshades, awnings, and public art elements to enhance the exterior and deter vandalism. The Team’s complete report is posted under the “Bighouse sidebar” on the CNA website.

Where we are now

Unfortunately, the answer is not clear. Mr. Spencer agreed to respond to our requests in writing at a meeting last month between he, Mr. Porter, CNA Board Chair Isaac Quintero and myself that Concordia University’s CFO Denny Stoecklin facilitated. However, while we appreciate finding out on May 16 that his “design and construction teams have had discussions,” as of press-time we still have not received anything in writing addressing the recommended specifics, other than an email indicating “some of the façade, lighting and shadings enhancements are being considered.”

It is fair to say neither we, nor anyone at CNA, knows what, if any, changes might be incorporated into what is perhaps the most significant new Concordia development since the transformation of 33rd & Killingsworth. It may be time for others to begin asking …

Spencer Parsons is a land use attorney whose home and law office are both in the Concordia Neighborhood. Reach him via email  or call (971) 279-2018.

CNA Land Use, Transportation & Livability update

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, Land Use & Transportation

By Ben Earle

May brought another full slate of issues into which the nine members of your Land Use & Transportation Committee could sink our teeth.

LUTC Mission

We made a first pass at identifying goals and objectives for the rest of the year and beyond:

Development. Implement programs to:

  • Establish Design Guidelines for residential and mixed use development.
  • Encourage developers to comply with demo and construction codes and laws, and establish responsive communications with neighbors and the community.

Good Neighbor Agreements. Renew or create GNAs for:

  • Concordia University’s on & off campus development plans, new buildings, parking, traffic, bicycle and pedestrian passage, and neighbor relations.
  • As many area businesses as possible.

Transportation. Pursue actions to improve:

  • Traffic safety for pedestrians, bicyclists, and vehicles.
  • Alleviation of increased parking.

Homelessness. Work to:

  • Identify temporary “placement” locations and support resources.
  • Promote community awareness and engagement.

LUTC Operations. Work on:

  • Improving administrative and public communications.
  • Reviving the Safety and Livability Committee (SALC).
  • Engaging with like-minded local and city-wide groups.
  • A half-day planning “retreat.”

Bighouse development
See Bighouse Redesign Team member Spencer Parsons’ article (next page) for the status of developer Brian Spencer’s response to the redesign recommendations resulting from his and CNA Chair Isaac Quintero’s meeting with him that was facilitated by Concordia University CFO Denny Stoecklin. For current info, check the CNA website “Bighouse sidebar”.

Residential demolitions

Nice to have some relatively good news to report on this front! On behalf of the nearby neighbors who received a demolition notice for the house at the SE corner of 37th and Killingsworth, I contacted developer Satterberg Construction to find they are using deconstruction to salvage many internal features and materials for use in the four “standalone” 2-story single family residence homes they’ll fit on the property’s R2 zoned lots totaling nearly 12,000 sq. ft. One house has a detached garage with the others integrated, and all have basements, 3 bedrooms, and 2 baths.

Not only do John and Brandy Satterberg, Portland natives who live in Hosford Abernathy, specialize in building classic Portland bungalow style homes with quality construction designed to fit with surrounding older homes, but they are also meeting with the neighbors and a LUTC representative as part of their commitment to establish a positive relationship with the neighborhood throughout the year-long development.

Residential Infill Project

Public outreach meetings to get feedback on proposed residential zoning code updates to improve the scale of houses, narrow lot development, and alternative housing options are slated for June 13 – August 8. For schedule details and more info, see www.portlandoregon.gov/ bps/67728, email , or call Jill at (503)823-7624.

Mixed Use Zoning Project

Though public testimony on the Mixed Use Zoning Draft closed May 24, comments on the resulting Composite Zoning Map can be submitted in writing and via the online Map App until the Planning and Sustainability Commission (PSC) July 12 Hearing. See www. portlandoregon.gov/bps/article/572733, email, or call the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) at (503) 823-7700.

Comprehensive Plan

The final City Council vote on its Comprehensive Plan Amendments will be June 15 and the full package vote is expected in August. BPS is holding “Neighborhood Drop-In Hours” Tuesday June 21 at the Hollywood Library from 5-7 p.m. And you can always contact the City Council directly, call BPS at (503) 823-7700, or go to www.portlandoregon. gov/bps.

Transportation

In response to calls to “provide safe passage for all bicyclists and pedestrians using N.E. Portland Blvd./US 30,” after the tragic bicyclist death last December at the 42nd Avenue crossing, ODOT says its traffic study indicates this “road” is “too busy” to qualify for traffic calming installations. The LUTC is sending letters to elected and bureau leaders at both the City and State to help pressure ODOT to act. We encourage continued citizen requests to “Ask ODOT” at 888- 275-6368 or www.oregon.gov/ODOT.

Concordia residents are always welcome at CNA LUTC Meetings, 7pm every third Wednesday. The June 15 meeting will be in Room GRW 303 at Concordia University Library. For more info see the LUTC section of the CNA website at www.concordiapdx.org/category/landuse-livability, send your questions to landuse@concordiapdx.org, and email lutc_secretary@concordiapdx.org to get on the LUTC notification list.

June dragon street painting project brings beauty, community connections

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News

By Luke Griffin

This year’s street painting bonanza from June 3 – 12 will be the 16th annual Village Building Convergence put on by the City Repair Project. What started as a quirky idea in inner Southeast has turned into a city-wide movement and a source of pride, publicized around the world.

It is not simply about paint. Ours is a society in which individuals find themselves feeling increasingly isolated. We live in close proximity with people, but don’t know each other’s names. These street painting projects serve to bring neighbors together. Not only are these creative murals a thing of beauty that reflect the neighborhood’s spirit and add color to the dull asphalt of the concrete jungle – they are also a source of pride, notable landmarks, and symbols of unity and cooperation.

Last year, my block joined in the fun by creating the dragon on the corner of NE 32nd and Sumner avenues. Our community, led by art designer Taylor Nehrling, came together in planning sessions to discuss design and logistics. Soon, people who had merely waved to each other in passing were now breaking bread together.

After the initial stage, people went door-to-door, contacting everyone within the four affected blocks. In the week leading up to the big painting event, neighbors came out to clean the street, watch for traffic, and trace the design. It was truly a community project.

The weekend of the painting was sweltering and although there were likely a few sunburns, the lack of rain was perfect for painting. The worksite quickly became a festive two-day block party. Everyone helped as best they could. Kids played, adults shared food and drink, and everyone worked as a team. Even people from outside the core blocks stopped by to join in the merry work – the project acting as a magnet for the larger neighborhood.

“It was a perfect weekend of community building,” said Nehrling. “Everyone became a leader and worked together as a team to create something beautiful to claim where we live.”

Since the dragon’s painting, it has appeared on “Portlandia,” in European T.V. shows, and in numerous newspaper and Web articles. But most importantly is what it means to the people who got involved and who now take pride in their work. Though it may not seem like much in the grand scheme of things, it is always good to add beauty to the world.

So if you are out and about at the beginning of June and you see some people painting a street, stop by, say “hello,” and pick up a brush.

*Special thanks to the Concordia Neighborhood Association and Mark Charlesworth for their generous financial support.

Luke Griffin is a native of Northeast Portland. A committed social and environmental activist, he has written for numerous publications, dedicated time fighting for civil rights in housing, served on the CNA board, and utilized world-bridging communication and management skills for the positive betterment of society. He is currently a freelance writer and is completing his Masters of Teaching at Concordia University. Reach Luke by emailing lukeg003@gmail.com.

OPINION-Diary of demolition and development: Part 7

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, Land Use & Transportation, Opinion

By Luke Griffin

This new duplex under construction is the one discussed in this article; the author lives directly north of the new building. The project is located on NE 32nd Avenue between Emerson and Sumner streets. Photo by Susan Trabucco
This new duplex under construction is the one discussed in this article; the author livesdirectly north of the new building. The project is located on NE 32nd Avenue between Emerson and Sumner streets. Photo by Susan Trabucco

Everyone in Concordia has had the opportunity to watch a house be torn down to make way for new houses, duplexes, and “skinnies,” for better and/or for worse. This is the continued chronicle of my personal experience.

The project next door has been going on now for over a year and a half. Very little of it could be described as “good” for our street. Between the profit hungry, rude developers who threaten neighbors, to the out of place monstrosity now looming over the quaint surrounding houses, to the heartless city government with its intentional ineptness—aiding and abetting the project while sacrificing Concordia’s character so as to rake in more revenue—the process has been utterly depressing for this native of NE Portland. Such projects are not simply about demolitions and new construction but instead reflect who we are as a city and sadly, many of the Portland values that led us to love this place are being destroyed as quickly as the old homes.

Positive change

The only good part of this entry is that a new foreman now controls the job site. In an apparent “180” from all past experiences, he seem to actually care about the people impacted by this project. His first day on the job he apologetically came to my door to talk with me. It wasn’t a canned, corporate spiel but a real conversation. He said he was brought on to do the finishing work but would make sure to talk to us about anything from fences to tree lines. He seemed to truly be open to suggestions and indeed worked with me on the shared fence. He also made sure the job site was cleaned up, the outhouse was taken off my property, and the crews polite.

As much as I loathe the cheap monolith next door, he did not design the post modern, San Diego bread box nor did he decide to plant it smack dab in the middle of our quiet block. So how could I dislike him?

And it is exactly this sort of deference, along with an open dialogue with the neighborhood, that is needed to have progressive change in our town while protecting livability, history, and culture.

The finisher says he is like this because he lives in a similar neighborhood in SE and tries to imagine if this was happening next door to his family. Unfortunately, his attitude is rare and there are no regulations from the city to ensure those who care only about ballooning profits without connection to the community will be so thoughtful.

Graveling over paradise path

Like many blocks in Concordia, ours has an alley. It was a green corridor with some unkept places, but pretty with flowers, trees, and grass making it a little nature trail. But not anymore. The City decided the duplex must have off-street parking accessed from the alley; therefore, the entire length had to be leveled, graveled, and at the entry points, paved.

The developers did not want to pay for it and even ironically argued the neighbors wouldn’t like it.  The City inspector said he didn’t care. The alley was City property and they could do with it what they wanted. To the chagrin and detriment of just about everyone, the alley way is no longer green and in the summer the rocks will be piping hot. Because it is still a narrow, hard-to-access alley, we all expect the new owners to park on the street anyway.

Outraged? Here’s what to do

Contact Portland City Council, get involved with the neighborhood association, start a petition. The question is not if we change but how we change.

Luke Griffin is a native of Northeast Portland. A committed social and environmental activist, he has written for numerous publications, dedicated time fighting for civil rights in housing, served on the CNA board, and utilized world-bridging communication and management skills for the positive betterment of society. He is currently a freelance writer and is completing his Masters of Teaching at Concordia University. Reach Luke by emailing lukeg003@gmail.com.

Missing Middle Housing

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, Land Use & Transportation

By Garlynn Woodsong Chair, CNA LUTC

There’s a pretty hot topic being discussed now in Portland and in other cities across the nation. It’s Missing Middle Housing, a term coined only a few years ago, in 2012, by architect and urban designer Dan Parolek of Opticos Design in Berkeley, CA. The term refers to types of housing that are compatible with single-family homes in scale, but tend to provide more than one dwelling unit per lot, including:

  • Townhomes
  • Duplexes
  • Triplexes
  • Fourplexes
  • Bungalow Courts
  • Carriage Houses (Accessory Dwelling Units)
  • Single-room Occupancies
  • Townhome Courts
  • Courtyard Apartments
  • Small Multiplexes
  • Live/work units
  • Stacked Townhomes

These housing types can fill a much needed market gap, not just for young Millenials, but also for empty-nesters who are downsizing; elders wishing to age in communities; teachers, fire fighters, and the middle class; immigrants and others needing multi-generational housing; and families with children. The types all work regardless of tenure to provide both more affordable homeownership options as well as rental housing in smaller-format structures than the larger apartment buildings found on our main streets.

The demographics of Portlanders are changing. While the average number of people per home in the Metro region was 2.43 in 2010, it is projected to drop to 2.38 by 2030. For the average household size across the whole region to drop even this small of an amount (2.43 – 2.38 = 0.05 reduction in average people per household), the average people per home for new growth only will be 1.85.

This means increasing demand for smaller and more flexible housing, including these Missing Middle housing types. This means increasing demand for smaller and more flexible housing, including these Missing Middle housing types.

For more information, see www.portlandforeveryone.org or send an email.

Garlynn Woodsong is a Concordia resident and the Chair of the Concordia Neighborhood Association’s Land Use & Transportation Committee.

LUTC Meeting Agenda – May 18, 2016

Posted on by Posted in CNA, Land Use & Transportation

Land Use & Transportation Committee (LUTC)

Meeting Agenda

May 18, 2016 – 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Community Room – McMennamins Kennedy School

Members:     Steve Elder (CNA Board – E1), Ben Earle (Secretary), Ken Forcier, Sam Farber-Kaiser, Jeff Hilber, Kirk Paulsen, Ali Novak (CNA Board – AL4), Tyler Bullen, Garlynn Woodsong (Chair, CNA Board – SW1)

Contact:    landuse@concordiapdx.org, lutc_secretary@concordiapdx.org

Meeting Participation Guidelines

  • Discussions: Focus on most important issues, stay on topic, be respectful
  • Presenters: Provide written synopsis in advance when possible, or at least at the Meeting
  • Public Commenters: Identify yourself (include where you live), please be brief & to the point

7:00 pm      Welcome & Introductions, Quorum Check, Agenda Review

7:05 pm      Public Comments

7:10 pm      Minutes:  Review & Approve – February, March, & April (LUTC Operations: ACTION ITEMS)

7:15 pm      2016 Goals, Objectives, & Priority setting (LUTC Operations: ACTION ITEMS)

7:25 pm      Demolitions:  3636 NE Killingsworth (Land Use – Residential: POSSIBLE ACTIONS)

7:30 pm      CNA LUTC “Letter to Developers”:  Implementation plan (Land Use – Demolitions & Development: ACTION ITEMS)

7:35 pm      Development:  Redesign Team recommendations; Concordia U GNA (Land Use – Mixed Use: ACTION ITEMS)

7:45 pm      Concordia University GNA (Transportation – Parking: PENDING ACTION)

7:50 pm      Concordia Design Standards: Design Team launch (Land Use – Development: PENDING ACTION)

8:00 pm      NE Lombard / N PDX Hwy (US 30):  Bicyclist & ped. safety (Transportation – Road Safety: POSSIBLE ACTIONS)

8:10 pm      Transportation Updates (Transportation: STATUS REPORT)

8:20 pm      ZipCar Proposal (Transportation – Parking: POSSIBLE ACTIONS)

8:30 pm      Comprehensive Plan  (Land Use – Residential, Mixed Use: STATUS REPORT)

8:40 pm      RIPSAC – Residential Infill Project Stakeholders Advisory Committee (Land Use – Residential: STATUS REPORT)

9:00 pm      Adjourn

——

Pending Items:  To be addressed either “offline” and/or at a future meeting:

Transportation

  • Bikeways: 20s – Traffic Calming / Diversion, SE Uplift Letter; Faubion “through route”
  • Road Safety: Traffic Calming:       Speed Limits  – Alberta & Killingsworth; Ainsworth; 42nd Ave.; North Portland Highway

Left Turn Lanes:      33rd & Prescott

Miscellaneous

  • Alley Naming
  • Fernhill Community Center
  • LUTC Communications: CNews & CNA website; other orgs & groups

Organic Tomato Growing

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, Gardening

By Jolie Donohue

Spring has sprung full force in Portland. In May we are itching to fill up the edible garden for our summer harvest. Tomatoes are a favorite of gardeners everywhere. One of my all time favorite garden quotes comes from public radio show host Mike McGrath “Everybody wants to grow tomatoes. Tomatoes are the gate way drug to all of gardening.”

Lest we get too eager to start planting tomatoes, here are some tips for successful growing in Portland:

  • Tomatoes like warm weather. They need consistent minimal night temperatures of 55 degrees. In Portland this is typically between May 15-June 1. Planting your tomatoes too early will result in stunted or dead plants.
  • Tomatoes like warm soil. They need consistent soil temperatures of 60 degrees. • Plant your tomatoes into the garden by transplants/start s. Portland does not have a long enough or hot enough summer to facilitate direct seeding tomatoes. If you want to start tomatoes by seed start seeds indoors in mid-February.
  • Tomatoes need a full sun location, ideally south facing, where they receive 8-10 hours a day of sun. They will not set fruit in shady areas.
  • Tomatoes are “heavy feeders ” and appreciate being planted with an organic granular fertilizer, which will slow release to your plants through out the season.
  • Tomatoes are prone to blossom end rot. To prevent the disease blossom end rot, add a calcium source into the planting hole, such as a spoonful each of rock phosphate or bone meal and lime.
  • Tomatoes have very long root systems (3-4 feet) and they ne ed plenty of room to grow. Make sure your planting bed is deep enough for the tomato’s roots.
  • Tomatoes are big plants and need proper spacing to thrive. Give the plants plenty of space between each other, at least 4 feet wide per plant.
  • Tomatoes need support. They have dense branches laden wit h heavy fruit. Install a tomato cage or other support system at planting time to preven t later damage to your plant.
  • Tomatoes don’t need a lot of water. Be consistent with a deep watering a few times per week throughout the growing season. Inconsistent watering c ontributes to fruit splitting and blossom end rot.
  • Tomato plants take several months to produce in Portland. Expect your harvest to begin in late August and end in October when cold temperatures ha ve set in.
  • Rotate your crops. Do not grow your tomatoes in the same place every year. This will create disease and pest problems. Use a 4-year rotation for all edible crops.

For more information visit www.jolieanndonohue.com

Part 3: The Alberta District and its bungalow grocery

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, History

The life and times of a neighborhood store and its people

by Doug Decker, historian

This is the third of a four-part series about the early days of the Alberta business district, written by Northeast Portland neighborhood historian Doug Decker. To read more of Doug’s research and writing— or to read the full text of the early news stories mentioned here—visit his blog

The bungalow grocery at NE 27th and Going at low ebb, about 2002. This photograph shows just how far down the building had faded during its later years and why it was a leading candidate for the wrecking ball. Photo courtesy of Chad Crouch.
The bungalow grocery at NE 27th and Going at low ebb, about 2002. This photograph shows just how far down the building had faded during its later years and why it was a leading candidate for the wrecking ball. Photo courtesy of Chad Crouch.

Picking up where we left off, one of our favorite momand-pop grocery stores, at the northwest corner of NE 27th and Going, had risen from a vacant lot in the midst of the Alberta District’s 1909 muddy streets, to a men’s clothing store in 1911, to a vibrant neighborhood grocery run by a local family from 1921 to 1943. The photo featured in the April edition of Concordia News showed proprietor Agnes Coulter out front of the store—Alameda Park Grocery—in its prime.

But during the war years, like so many things, shopping patterns were changing.

In 1943, Isabelle Coulter sold her pride and joy to Charles and Vera Fiebke who held it for just a year before selling it to Henry and Ruth Rieckers, who owned the business until 1953. During this decade, the business was referred to as “Rieckers” and as “Rieckers Grocery.” A classified advertisement in The Oregonian on March 3, 1953 indicated the Rieckers were retiring and putting the business up for sale, asking $6,500.

On June 24, 1953, the property was purchased from the Rieckers by John Henry Moad and his wife Lucy Jane Moad. They operated the store—as Moad’s Grocery—from 1953 to 1961 when it was sold to Robert A. and Louise M. Klatke, who changed the name to Bob’s Quik Stop Market. But the Klatkes didn’t hang on for long.

An article in The Oregonian on June 29, 1962 reports a robbery at Bob’s Quick Stop. Klatke, age 56, was robbed with a knife to his throat. A few months later, he and Louise put the store back on the market, selling it to Agnes Martin on November 2, 1962. Then, sometime during the mid-1960s, the building ceased functioning as a store.

By that time, mom and pop neighborhood grocery stores were having a hard time hanging on. The whole retail grocery business was changing and local grocery stores were quickly becoming convenience rather than primary shopping locations. (To read more about local shops that once served the neighborhood, check out www.alamedahistory.org and click on the story When Mom and Pop Stores Ruled.)

The Martin family owned the property for the next six years and at least one reference to the building shows it as the Mt. Zion Church of God in Christ. The Polk City Directory for 1965 shows the building as vacant, and in 1967, it is listed simply as L.S. Martin. On September 17, 1968, the Martins sold the property to Carl E. Bass (son) and Viola Matheson (mother). Bass, who was a potter, turned the space into an artist’s studio and lived in the property until his death in April 2001 at the age of 73.

The property was purchased from the Bass estate by investor/developers George and Isabelle Zitcak, who held it for just four months before selling it in April 2002 to Chad Crouch and Sheryl Eckrich. This is where the story gets interesting, which will be the subject of our final installment in the next edition of Concordia News.

The new Faubion PK- 8/Concordia University building breaks ground under sunny skies

Posted on by Posted in CNA, Concordia News, Schools

More than 400 students, educators, elected officials, and community members gathered on the warm, sunny morning of April 7 to break ground and celebrate the development of a signature new facility for education in Portland.

“This is how we turn hope into opportunity,” said City of Portland Mayor Charlie Hales.

The new building will combine Portland Public Schools’ Faubion School and the Concordia University College of Education. In addition, Trillium Family Services joins them in collaborating to create 3 to PhD® – a new model for education that aims to create safer, healthier and more educated communities.

Prior to the Groundbreaking Ceremony much construction has happened at the Faubion site. In February demolition crews took down the old building to make way for the new, and within a couple of weeks the buildings were gone. All scrap metals were recycled, thousands of bricks will be reused and all the asphalt and concrete are being recycled and reused on site. At the end of February construction began with foundations for the new building being poured. As March came to an end more foundations were prepared for pouring and seismic sheer walls began to rise from the ground.

Tribute & fundraiser for Melody Winn May 22

Posted on by Posted in Arts & Culture

Key figure in Fernhill Park Playground Project succumbing to cancer

By Rachel Ivey

We don’t always know who to thank for the things that make our community what it is. Some fit in so seamlessly or are so vital that it’s hard to imagine ever having been without them. Yet the playground at Fernhill Park is just such a place. Beautiful, functional, fun. But there was a time when it didn’t exist. Making it what it is today was an uphill battle, championed primarily by two women; one of them was Melody Winn, the former owner and lead teacher of Our Place Preschool.

Opened in 1999, Our Place was home to over six hundred children in the 30+ years it was in operation. In childcare, the days can be long and exhausting, no matter how full of joy. It’s impossible to overstate how impressed I am that Melody found the time to undertake the Fernhill Playground project. Talking with her about the multi-year challenge to raise the funds for it, I came away with a small sense of how she managed.

“I have always been a very positive person and have given 200% all of my life…I worked 60 hours a week with the children and it wouldn’t be unusual…to work another 20 hours in the evenings and weekends,” Melody said.

All of the work she and fellow community member Anne Rothert did paid off eight years later as their efforts, (combined with a contribution from the Parks Bureau) raised over $90,000 for the structure. The voices of Melody and Anne in the community attracted helping hands for all the various hurdles, such as design, and meeting city requirements.

Heartbreakingly, Melody has since been forced to change gears. On April 6th last year, she was diagnosed with terminal cancer and given a year to live. Her decision to close Our Place was a devastating one, but necessary.

“I wasn’t able to offer the children all…they deserved and I didn’t want to be around them if I was going to die quickly,” Melody said.

Despite the sudden change of pace, she hasn’t been bored. As we turned the corner into spring, Melody looked forward to a group of former students coming over to make pizza. There, she told her visitors of finishing her volunteer training at Doernbecher Children’s hospital.

“I have to say that my love for children has paid off…I have so many children who come to visit me… they tell me over an over how much I meant to them…I feel good that I was able to touch other people’s lives and it makes me feel like I did right with my time here.”

I can’t think of a more beautiful legacy than a community of happy children and a place we can all watch them play. Come thank Melody Winn in person at a fundraiser and community party at The Spare Room on Sunday, May 22nd from 6pm-9pm. Proceeds will help Melody with travel expenses for treatment.

Rachel Ivey is a mother, owner and operator of Room To Grow Childcare and researcher of all things home and child. She is proud to have her nest and business in the heart of Concordia. For tips, tricks, and advice on thriving with children, please feel free to contact roomtogrowportland@gmail.com.