June 2014
FEATURES
The Southwest Portland Post • 5
Gaddis’ dream at April Hill Park is getting closer to reality
By Lee Braymen-Cleary
The Southwest Portland Post
In 2007, Maplewood resident, Jill
Gaddis and some nearby residents had
a wild thought: They should transform
yet preserve half–the very wild half–of
Southwest Portland’s April Hill Park.
Nestled quietly, nearly secretly, be-
tween homes of all ages and styles, the
park at Southwest 59th Avenue and
Miles Court covers 9.5 acres.
A current scan of the developed
half reveals a well-used soccer field.
Additionally there are childrens’ play
areas and play equipment sprawled
out among walking and biking trails,
and ever-appealing grassy and soft-
rolling hills.
But that wild half, comprised of
casual, man-made and often muddy
dirt trails meandering through cedars,
maples, Douglas firs and other trees
and shrubs houses a symphony of birds.
So does its wetland area, fed by
Woods Creek, a Fanno Creek tributary,
as it rises and falls with the seasons.
Additionally, an array of small reptiles
considers that moist area home.
The dream of Gaddis and her friends
was to provide a boardwalk, two
bridges and an observation deck, all of
which protect what she calls a natural
“nursery” of fragile land, while at the
same time ensuring more safety and
convenience for its human and canine
visitors of all ages.
The addition of a connected observa-
tion deck in the marsh area would again
protect the four-footed wildlife and
surrounding foliage as well facilitate
wildlife study for students of the neigh-
boring Maplewood Elementary School.
At the time, it seemed natural to Gad-
dis with her expertise in native plants
to give up her chairmanship of the
Maplewood Neighborhood Association
and devote her efforts completely to the
park dream.
She knew beginning such a large
project was like riding a train chugging
non-stop from Portland to New York;
there was no getting off.
Friends of April Hill Park was soon
formed and manned by a bevy of vol-
unteers including Anne-Marie Fischer,
Bill Rector, Laurie DeVos, Jean Sea-
man, Jeanne Donaldson, and Karen
Williams.
“Friends” is an amalgamation of the
Southwest Watershed Resource Center,
Southwest Neighborhoods, Inc. and
the Maplewood Neighborhood As-
sociation.
Gaddis is quick to note that it was
extremely fortunate that Sylvia Bogart
and Sharon Keats of Southwest Neigh-
borhoods, Inc. donated a great deal of
time outside of office hours.
Jean Seaman of the Southwest Port-
land Water Center and Virginia Bowers
of the Columbia Land Trust donated
their professional skills--many grant
writing hours--raising $83,059 of the
$250,000 Metro project.
Seaman’s and Bowers’ pro bono work,
along with that of architects Brad Nile
of Andersen Construction and Joanne
Hogarth, a Marylhurst University
faculty member, added up to $134,000.
Roughly and luckily, only $33,000 was
left for Gaddis and “Friends” to raise.
And they have reached their goal!
Three hands-on, fundraising endeavors
organized and overseen by a host of
volunteers did the trick.
The September “Arf in the Park”
event for dog owners—complete with
bandannas for the dogs—and Octo-
ber’s silent auction held at Maplewood
Coffee & Tea both received significant
donations.
The third effort, Indiegogo, an on-
line crowd funding medium for an
assortment of nonprofits has also been
successful.
“Business people in addition to mar-
velous volunteers supported us,” said
Gaddis. “There have been at least 30
of them. They include those from Star-
bucks, Alotto Gelato, Lamb’s Thriftway,
Western Pets, Maplewood Coffee & Tea,
Paloma Clothing, Thinker Toys, and
Annie Bloom’s Books along with many
others. Some of those private sector
members even contributed twice.”
While this community success story
envisioned by Gaddis and friends won’t
undergo construction until summer
2015, educational activities centering on
its architecture are already underway at
Maplewood Elementary School.
Architects Nile and Hogarth are
teaching third graders about architec-
ture by focusing on April Hill Park’s
future boardwalk. Gaddis hopes to get
a peek at the children’s bridge models
soon.
With initial goals met, there are still
opportunities to give to this all-natural
project. The enhanced site will still need
new signage as well as a bench for the
Jill Gaddis gave up her leadership of the
Maplewood Neighborhood Association to
focus on April Hill Park.
(Post photo by Lee Braymen-Cleary)
observation deck.
If you are interested in giving, please
visit April Hill Park’s website and
watch a video about the park’s habitat
at www.swni.org. You will find a “do-
nate” button. There you can also see
the camera-shy Gaddis as well as com-
mentators Seaman and Bowers.
To make a tax-deductible donation by
mail, write a check to Southwest Neigh-
borhoods, Inc., (SWNI) 7688 SW Capitol
Highway, Portland, Oregon, 97219. Be
sure to write “April Hill Park” in the
lower left corner. To contact Friends of
April Hill Park email: AprilHillPark@
gmail.com. Or call the SWNI office at
503-823-4592.
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