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August 14. 2002
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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