The GPNA Issues

Grant Park Development Review Committee

May 8, 2007 - General Meeting of the Grant Park Neighborhood Association

Doug Capps, Project Manager of 10 Great High School (HS) Playing Field's Initiative for Portland Public Schools (PPS):

Goals of the initiative are
1. Surface improvements for playing fields
2. Capture needed private financial resources
3. Balance improvements in active and inactive (passive) areas in parks
Grant Park is owned by PPR not PPS
1. Zoned Open Space
2. Community land not school owned
Why PPS involvement
1. They own (small) part of Grant Park which is proposed to be redeveloped
2. Want to be a good neighbor
3. Part of the Community Athletic Facilities Partnership
Doug Zenn's presentation
1. He is responsible for raising funds for the improvement project
2. 80 million required for total improvements
  1. All 10 Portland area HS
    1. 1 completed (Lincoln)
    2. 1 almost done
    3. 8 to go
  2. Equity of improvements across Portland
    1. Safety of all student athletes
    2. Pride for all schools about facilities
    3. Improvement tailored to specific needs of each school
  3. Interior improvements
    1. Lockers
    2. Basketball courts
    3. Bleachers
    4. Other improvements
  4. Exterior improvements
    1. Fields - girls and boys
      1. Soccer
      2. Softball
      3. Fast pitch
      4. Football
      5. Other club sports
    2. Bleachers
    3. Tennis courts
    4. Other improvements
3. Capital campaign starts in the fall of 2007

(Return to Doug Capps)

Grant Park development
1. Changes from original Lloyd Lindley project (started in 2005)
  1. Varsity Football removed from project
    1. Too contentious b. Required Type III Conditional Use Land Use Review (I can/will explain the land use processes later) i. no need for large lights ii. no scoreboard in Bowl
  2. Used as basis for proposed development
2. Bowl improvement overview
  1. Permanent seating might be built into bowl incline
  2. Possible removal of bleachers along path
  3. Artificial turf in bowl
  4. New track around bowl
  5. Field sports improvements
    1. Pole vault
    2. High jump
    3. Other
  6. Localized speakers (questions were raised about if they work)
  7. Pathway lighting around bowl (no nighttime games or events connected to lighting)
3. Boys softball and Soccer Field
  1. Artificial turf for both fields
  2. Berm along NE US Grant
    1. Keep play inside
    2. Keep cars off
  3. Localized speakers for baseball
  4. More garbage cans along NE US Grant
4. Hollyrood Field
  1. Improve field and add Women's Fast Pitch Softball field
    1. Undo compacted ground underneath soccer field
    2. Reseed
    3. No trees would be removed
  2. Women's softball
    1. Two Women's Fast Pitch Softball students spoke about why important
      1. Grant HS girls play at Wilshire Park
      2. Poor condition of field at Wilshire
      3. No one attends games
      4. Must leave classes early
    2. New Fences
      1. Permanent (behind home plate)
      2. Temporary (out field)
  3. Soccer field
    1. Would not change size of soccer field
    2. Still would be used for youth soccer
      (IMPORTANT NOTE BROUGHT UP BY NEIGHBOR: Women's Fast Pitch Softball and Soccer Seasons overlap.)
    3. Walking path lighting continued up to NE 36th Avenue
5. Still developing
  1. Public input is encouraged
  2. Nothing is in stone
  3. No date for release of report
Lisa Turpel's presentation (Portland Parks and Recreation Liaison)
1. Open House
  1. Arranged with GPNA in future
  2. Parks review process will take time
  3. NO ACTION WILL TAKE PLACE IN SUMMER
  4. Try to address all users
    1. Youth and Children are priority
    2. Adults
    3. Other users
2. Improvements would full under Citizen Initiated Projects
3. Looking for community input

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