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Sinews
I f Y ou B uild I t ...
Portland queer community center inches toward reality
by Sarah Dougher
group of queer leaders met
March 30 at City Hall to discuss
the feasibility of establishing a
Portland GLBT Community
Center.
The meeting was facilitated by City Com
missioner Sam Adams and two committee
members who have been exploring the project
for two years, Gwenn Baldwin and Susan
Bremmers.
The meeting began with an overview of the
history of the project, which began during
Portland Pride 2003. At that time, a group of
interested parties fonned a nonprofit organiza
tion and conducted a survey to assess the feasi
no longer in question, as Adams reiterated,
since 90 percent of the people surveyed want
ed a community center very much. “My con
clusion is that this would grow and strengthen
our community,” he noted.
In the meantime, volunteers have been
kxiking at potential properties around town to
get an idea of what is out there and what kind of
price range the center would need to consider.
“We looked at a handful of sites in a variety
of locations,” Bremmers observed. “Each site
had a lot of possibility.”
Most of these properties were between
4,000 and 6,000 square feet, although some
were 18,000 to 20,000 square feet. “None of
Sam Adams and Gwenn Baldwin facilitate queer leaders in a discussion of community center plans.
bility of such a project. The election inter these are ones we would sign on the dotted line
vened, so the center organizing has been on for, but these are instructional. This is where it
hold until now.
really hits the ground,” noted Bremmers.
The survey had approximately 1,600
There are a number of sites under consider
respondents and gives a clear and consistent ation on both sides of the river, each close in.
message of community desires with respect to a As the different possibilities were weighed, the
center. Community need fell in three main group also discussed partnering with other
areas: HIV/AIDS prevention, civil rights (mar organizations so that some of the space could
riage, health and housing) and a social cen be leased for satellite offices.
ter—a place for meetings, job contacts and
Adams gave those assembled the home
work assignment of kxiking around for poten
resources.
The survey seemed to indicate top priorities tial board members to continue work on the
for center programming, including HIV test project.
“We need money, and we need diversity,”
ing, arts and culture, youth services, business
referrals and activities for queer families.
he said. “We don’t want this to be perceived as
In addition, the initial committee talked a community clubhouse where no straights are
with more than 30 organizations, and their , allowed.... We need a new board of directors.
desires largely matched those indicated in the The old ones have done a great job, but now
survey. They also recommended the center we need to put our egos behind so we can get
this over the finish line.”
address senior services.
For the past two years, a group of core vol
In terms of community involvement, the
unteers has been meeting to discuss the feasi group has approximately 250 organizations
claiming to be supportive. In addition, it has
bility of the community center.
At the heart of the project as it stands now e-mail lists with more than 800 citizens and
is to develop a business plan that not only 300 businesses that receive information about
makes sense to community members but also the centers plans.
Between 100 and 150 people have indicat
to potential donors. When the group began
discussion of the budget, it landed on the figure ed they are willing to volunteer on the project.
of between $225,000 and $228,000 to begin “We didn’t want to contact everyone and say,
the project. To attract potential donors, the ‘We’ll get back to you’ before we were more
group decided that it needed a refined business organized,” noted Baldwin.
Keep kxiking in the pages of Just Out to get
plan with a budget based on real numbers relat
updates about the community center as it
ing to central program offerings.
As it stands, community center planners develops. For more information contact Gor
must work to get donors on board and to refine don Johnson in Adams’ office at
the project plan. The viability of the project is gjohnston@ci.portland.or.us. JF1
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