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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 14, 2002)
( Olii in i I (*.‘<1 In ( uitin at Diversih August 14. 2002 u u w.portlnndobserver.com ^ o rtía n h (©bseruer C SECTION Metro Governs Green ommunity a le n d a r Local tours help people connect to the natural world Street of Dreams The IT* annual NW Natural Street of Dreams will continue to build on its reputation for showcasing uniquely designed homes, unveiling its 2002 houses daily through Monday, Sept. 2, followed by an “encore weekend” Sept. 6,7 and 8. Each hom e’s design incor porates the latest trends in electronic technology, energy-efficiency, land scaping, consumer products, furnish ings and décor. The tour begins in Atherton Heights in Lake Oswego on the com er of Rosemont and Stafford, from 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. Portland BikeSummer , Dust off your unicycle, dig out your clown noses, and pedal on down to Portland BikeSummer’s much antici pated “Full Moon Treasure Hunt Cycle Circus and Pedal-Powered Bike-In M ovie.” The event will be held on Thursday, Aug. 22,8 p.m. at the Alberta Co-operative grocery parking lot on N.E. 15th and Alberta Street. Elders In Action The Elders in A ction Com m ission w ould like to invite you to jo in a special group o f com m unity leaders in becom ing a m em ber o f the next “E lder Friendly Challenge T eam " to be held from 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. on M onday, Aug. 26. This lively event will be held at the Elders in A ction office, located at 501 S.W . W ashington St. Luch will be served. Blue Lake Park Wednesdays are special this summer at Metro’s Blue Lake Regional Park when Naturally for Kids offers young visitors lots of things to do. Spend the day at the park beginning with nature crafts from 1 0 -1 1 a.m. at the Clatsop picnic Shel ter. On Aug. 14, kids can learn about the dazzling dance and music of Mexico, Brazil and Cuba. For more information, go online to w w , metro-re giQn.org- Fiesta Honors Neighborhood Diversity A northeast neighborhood will host a back-to-school fiesta on Friday, Aug. 23, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at 5600 N.E. 42nd Ave. and Killings worth. T h e o u td o o r e v e n t w ill fe a tu re children’s activities, family and commu nity resources, health and education ser vice providers, school readiness tips, treats and fun surprises. Live performances by Mariachi Viva Mexico, Ballet Folklórico De Woodburn, and Capoeira Regional Do Brasil are scheduled. The fiesta was put together as a way of c e le b ra tin g th e d iv e rsity o f the neighborhood’s residents and everyone is invited to enjoy the fun. Event sponsors include the 42nd Av enue T arget A rea-C entral N ortheast Neighbors Inc., Hacienda CDC, Portland Community College, St. Charles Parish, W hitaker Middle School, and others. Anne Mason eyes a Great Blue Heron through a spotting scope in north Portland's own backyard during Metro's Twilight Tuesday tours at Smith and Bybee lakes. by D avid P i . echi . T he P ortland O bserver James Davis has been giving educational tours through Portland’s parks and green spaces for four years. Employed as a naturalist for the regional government, Metro, Davis says he never understood people who worked in one career for their whole lives, until he found his current job. A former resident of Los Angeles and San Francisco, Davis says he only truly felt at home when he discovered Portland and its bounty of outdoor opportunities. Davis teaches area residents the best techniques for watching wildlife. “We want to be as still as we can,” Davis whispers, leading a handful of curious Portlanders on M etro's Twilight Tuesday tour at Smith and Bybee Lakes in north Portland. “What w e’re trying to be is invisible." D avis' knowledge of the outdoors and enthusiasm for “livability” fits perfectly with M etro’s priorities for protecting natural spaces within and outside the urban boundaries of 24 cities in the Portland area. Through education and instructional tours, Davis hopes people will begin to understand their connection to the natural world and the reasons for keeping it in intact. “Metro has an incredible vision for parks and green spaces in the urban area,” Davis says. But the government ’ s commitment to the preservation of Portland’s high quality of life extends well beyond nature walks and twilight tours. It also provides a forum where cities, counties, and private citizens can collec tively resolve issues related to growth. Metro has the responsibility of providing long-range growth management and transportation planning within the tri-county metropolitan area. W hile local governments carry out local planning functions such as zoning and neighborhood design, M etro’s job is to assure that local planning is coordinated throughout the metropolitan area in order to protect air quality, alleviate traffic congestion, and protect farm and James Davis (left) o f the regional government Metro, leads sightseers on a tour or smitn ana yyoee Lakes in north Portland. The area is an environmental treasure for wildlife and is the largest urban P hotos by D avid P lechi TT he P ortland O bserver freshwater wetland in the nation. forest lands outside the urban growth boundary. Metro also owns and operates the Oregon Zoo, O r egon Convention Center, and Expo Center. It is respon sible for handling recycling efforts, solid waste transfer stations and hazardous waste facilities. The Twilight Tuesday tours are part of the M etro’s Regional Parks and Greenspaces Department's effort to introduce more people to nature and educate them on the importance of conservation. Davis helps point out the birds, bugs, rabbits, ducks and turtles that call the wetland home. He says few people realize that the Smith and Bybee Lakes area is the largest urban freshwater wetland in the nation. Davis thinks the people of north and northeast Portland should come out to explore this treasure in their own backyard. “We want people to bond with nature." Davis ex plains. “This is their wetland.” Nike Court Finished, Others in Line Free Concert Kicks Off Music Series Portland’s Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center will host a free jazz concert on Sunday, Aug. 18 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Patton Park, adjacent to center at 5340 N. Interstate Ave. Headlining the concert is the Augustana Q uartet w ith ja z z greats Ron Steen (drums), George Mitchell (keyboard), Phil Baker (bass) and Shirley Nanette (vo cals). The Quartet has been performing locally for almost 10 years. The event will also feature the 25- member Portland Community College Jazz Band under the direction of Frank Leuck. This popular group recently ap- continued on page B3 1 A 4 new surface made from recycled shoes is spread Thursday across the basketball courts at Irving Park in northeast Portland. Nike is paying for the costs as part o f a $2 million donation to resurface 35 basketball courts in the city, photo by M ark W ashin <; ton /T he P ortland O bserver Local kids test out a new basketball court during dedication ceremonies Thursday at Kenton Park in north Portland. Nike donated the materials and labor to resurface the playing surface with material made from recycled shoes. photo by S teve D ipaola
