February 19, 2014
The
Portland Observer
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The future site o f Thomas Cully Park in northeast Portland looking north toward Columbia Boulevard.
Cully Park Closer to Reality
Northeast site gets $1.25 million for construction
C alendar
C lassifieds
page 16
2014
pages 18-19
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The future building o f Thomas
Cully Park in northeast Portland is
moving ahead thanks to new $ 1.25
million investment by the city of
Portland.
Parks Commissioner Amanda
Fritz announced last week that the
funding comes from System Devel
opment Charges - money raised
from construction development,
rather than general fund tax dollars.
The support comes a week after
Fritz earmarked a significant invest
ment for two other new parks in east
Portland; Beech Park, a 16-acre site
adjacent to Shaver Elementary in
the Argay neighborhood; and Gate
way Park and Plaza, a4-acre park for
the Gateway neighborhood to be
built in partnership with the Port
land Development Commission.
Cully Park is envisioned as a 25-
acre park at Northeast 72nd Av
enue, between Killingsworth Street
and Columbia Boulevard. The parks
bureau contribution will go towards
the first construction phase, and
will address the lack of parks and
natural areas in the Cully neighbor
hood.
“The Cully neighborhood is
unique; it is one of the most diverse
neighborhoods in Portland, perhaps
the state,” Fritz said. “And, perhaps
because of this diversity, Cully is
home to some of the most dedicated
and motivated community advo
cates in the City. I am proud to work
towards our shared goal of complet
ing Thomas Cully Park.”
In June, the Portland City Coun
cil approved an agreement between
the nonprofit group Verde and Port
land Parks & Recreation for devel
oping the park.
“Investment in Thomas Cully
Park will produce multiple benefits
for low-income people and people
Teacher Strike Averted
The bargaining teams for Port
land Public Schools and the Port
land Association of Teacher’s re
spective camps were able to reach a
conceptual agreement on a new
contract on Tuesday, effectively
diverting a planned strike by the
teachers union for just a couple of
days later.
A walkout would have marked
the first-ever teacher strike for the
Portland Public Schools, the largest
school district in Oregon.
After a 23 hour bargaining ses
sion, both teams mutually agreed to
break and convene later Tuesday to
of color,” says Alan Hipólito, Verde
executive director. “This new park
in a park-deprived neighborhood
shows a deep commitment to hun
dreds of our neighbors.”
Verde has successfully raised
over $2.4 million thus far to imple
ment Phase I o f the Thom as Cully
M aster Plan. The property was a
sand and gravel mine, then a con
struction landfill before starting
the process o f becom ing a park.
The city purchased the property
in 2002. A com m unity garden ad
jacent to the site was installed last
year.
The remaining improvements
planned by Let Us Build Cully Park!
include pathways, dog off-leash
area, playgrounds and picnic areas,
tribal gathering area, youth soccer
field, basketball court, parking lot,
continued
on page 5
put the agreement in writing in the
form of a Tentative Agreement that
will require a vote of union members.
School is now set to begin at the
regular time on Wednesday, Feb.
19, and release two-and-a-half hours
early.
Until teachers approve the con
tract, details of the agreement are
remaining concealed.