Latest news with #PortlandParks&Recreation
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Portland councilor floats loaning clean energy funds to city parks
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — One city leader is considering temporarily using money from the Portland Clean Energy Fund to support the struggling parks bureau. District 4 Councilor Mitch Green's Healthy Parks, Healthy Climate Plan would utilize a portion of the clean energy fund as a short-term loan to cover operations for Portland Parks & Recreation. Shuttered Oregon chateau named among America's 'most endangered' historic sites The release of his plan follows the City of Portland's February announcement that it is facing a $93 million budget shortfall for the next fiscal year spanning from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026. More recently, Mayor Keith Wilson proposed an $8.54 billion budget that aims to save money by going 'back to basics' and cutting expenses like staffing within the parks bureau. Wilson also proposed reducing 'underutilized building hours, nonessential property upkeep, arborist hours, facilities cleaning, and non-critical maintenance' for PP&R, while increasing the agency's golf fees. Instead of tightening the bureau's operations, Councilor Green's plan to use the Portland Clean Energy Fund would help keep the investments going. PCEF covers environmental projects in neighborhoods that are disproportionately impacted by climate change. It is funded through the 1% surcharge that is implemented for retailers that earn around $1 billion in nationwide revenue and $500,000 in local revenue. The money has been a strong revenue source, with officials discovering a surplus of $540 million in clean energy funds in late 2023. Green's proposal would allow the city to take out a loan of up to $80 million from the grant program during the upcoming fiscal year, but he says the amount would be repaid before the impacted climate projects begin. Fred Meyer employee stole $60K for gambling 'If we go down this road, and if this is something that the PCEF Committee is comfortable with, then that loan really should be the last resort… if during the budget amendment process, we've tried to find every opportunity to avoid unacceptable cuts,' Green said to the committee during a meeting on Wednesday. 'The mayor's budget gives us a good first starting point, but I think there are areas that I want to restore that are unacceptable cuts.' Mayor Wilson will further discuss the budget proposal at a Portland City Council meeting on Wednesday afternoon. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘Game of whack-a-mole': Audit finds Portland faces $1B infrastructure crisis
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Portland is facing a $1 billion funding gap to address the city's 'infrastructure crisis,' according to an audit released Wednesday by the Portland City Auditor's Office. The focused on ways the city can manage public assets, such as roads, parks, water and sewer systems, along with city buildings and equipment. After years of underinvestment in routine and preventative maintenance for aging infrastructure, the audit warns, 'Portland is facing a backlog of costly and increasingly urgent needs that it does not have the funding to meet.'The auditor's office estimates the city's infrastructure funding gap is over $1 billion per year, which will 'grow exponentially if the City continues to put off investing in the upkeep of its assets.' If the City does not start catching up on its backlog, auditors warn the city will face disrupted or discontinued services, that could lead to 'more serious safety, livability, and economic challenges.' 'For example, in recent years, several Portland Parks & Recreation assets, including pools, picnic shelters, light poles, trail bridges, and playground equipment, have failed and had to be closed or removed to protect the public. Parks predicts that without new, stable funding, 20% of its assets could fail in the next fifteen years,' the audit says. Police seize enough fentanyl 'to kill everyone in Portland twice,' arrest 46 in multi-agency trafficking crackdown An anonymous city employee quoted in the audit explained, 'We are great at buying shiny new things… But we are not good at maintaining, operating, and renovating the assets we already have. So, then the assets end up making the decisions for us when they fail and we must decide to replace them or not. It becomes a game of whack-a-mole.' 'Given the City's estimated $93 million budget shortfall, it seems impossible to find more funding for maintaining the public's assets,' said City Auditor Simone Rede. 'But, without a strategy for closing Portland's infrastructure funding gap, it will continue to grow, and to put more assets at risk of failure, resulting in less services to Portlanders.' According to the audit, much of Portland's infrastructure was built in the mid-1900s and is 'now near or beyond the end of its useful life.' Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now 'As early as 2002, deteriorating infrastructure was reported as a top strategic priority for Portland City Council,' the audit states. 'In 2007, the City estimated that its annual infrastructure funding gap was $112 million. By 2013, that estimate had grown to $287 million, before ballooning to over $1 billion in 2023.' According to the audit, the estimated $1 billion funding gap does not account for parts of the city that do not have basic infrastructure such as sidewalks, paved roads and adequate stormwater systems — posing an equity issue in the 'infrastructure crisis.' 'If the cost of those assets is included, the funding gap is even worse, and decisions about where to direct limited funding become even more difficult to make,' the audit notes. PPS Superintendent discusses 'tough decisions' with 2025-2026 budget proposal Moving forward, Rede recommends the city develops a strategy to address the infrastructure crisis as the city refines its new form of government. A key reason why the city does not already have an asset management strategy, is because of the city's commission form of government, which was in effect until December 31, 2024, according to Rede. 'Management of Portland's public assets was generally up to each infrastructure-owning bureau. No position or office was in charge of taking a Citywide view of asset management or creating a Citywide asset management strategy,' the audit states, noting under the commission form of government, the city did not make infrastructure investments its priority. Lake Oswego introduces new regulations on public lake access Under the new form of government, the city now has a city administrator role, which can direct city services and develop asset management strategies, the audit says, adding that the city could also create an asset management steering committee to direct resources as well. Another recommendation from the auditors is to promote buy-in from city leaders and the public, including presenting their asset management strategy in a public meeting, or developing a web page with asset plans available to the public. City Administrator Michael Jordan agreed with the recommendations, in an April 17 letter responding to the audit. 'The City Administrator greatly appreciates the work of the Auditor's office in assessing the historic challenges the City has had managing its infrastructure in an appropriate and adequate manner and agrees with the general findings of the audit. Charter Reform, resulting in a new form of government, presents a unique opportunity to shift from disconnected and frequently ad hoc management of the City's assets to a more coordinated and strategic approach moving forward. The City of Portland manages a diverse portfolio of natural and built assets including parks and community centers, water, sewer and stormwater systems, civic buildings, bridges, roads, sidewalks, emergency response equipment, vehicles, communications and information technology,' Jordan wrote in part. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Next phase of project boosting Lents neighborhood's tree canopy is underway
PORTLAND, Ore. () — The second phase of a project that aims to boost Portland's tree canopy is underway. has added 15 trees to the Lents neighborhood so far this year. The joint pilot project from the Portland Bureau of Transportation, Portland Parks & Recreation and the Bureau of Environmental Services specifically targeted Southeast Duke Street, from Southeast 82nd Avenue to Southeast 94th Avenue. Two Vancouver schools renamed due to eponymous figures' violent legacies Although a across the city, the Lents neighborhood was specifically identified as an area with few street trees and a lack of space to plant more. Portland agencies plan to launch the next steps of the pilot project this spring, with design development and outreach to the community members in the other targeted areas. Southeast 87th Avenue near Lents Park, and Southeast Steele Street and 101st Avenue near Lent Elementary School and Bloomington Park, are the sites being considered for the second phase. Construction crews could begin adding planting space in the areas as soon as this summer. According to PBOT Transportation Director Millicent Williams, the ongoing project while also mitigating the effects of climate change. 13 international students at Oregon State University face deportation over revoked visas 'A thriving urban forest is essential to the health and well-being of our communities,' PP&R Director Adena Long added. 'PP&R and our Urban Forestry team are committed to growing and caring for our tree canopy so every Portlander benefits from the cleaner air, lower temperatures, and habitat trees provide.' Additionally, the Portland chapter of Women's Transportation Seminar International is slated to present the 'Trees in the Curb Zone' project with its 'Innovative Transportation Solutions' award this month. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
The battle over the Battleship Oregon mast
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The mast of the Battleship Oregon is a popular landmark on the waterfront, but it has fallen into disrepair. Volunteers who look after the mast told KOIN 6 News when they went to the city with their concerns, they were told they would have to fix the mast themselves. owns the mast. The takes care of the signal flags and the United States flag on the mast. They have done it for decades, for free. In summer 2024 members of the council went to the city with a list of suggested repairs that totaled around $50,000. But members of the council said the city told them there was no money in the budget for the repairs and told the council they would have to fund it themselves. Members said the city also asked the council to take a larger role in maintaining the mast, but still work as volunteers. Oregon bill allocating $800M toward Portland MLB team forges ahead Joe Baney with the Navy League has been the one to raise the flags over the years. He said the whole situation is sad because the mast belongs to the city, and the council cannot cover the costs on its own. 'It's hard for us to do the fundraising,' he said. 'So it's something that the city should take over because it reflects on them as well. That they have a nice city that looks, you know, attractive for visitors to come and see our city.' Baney said if nothing else, the council would at least like to see a new sign in the area. In a statement to KOIN 6 News, Portland Parks and Recreation said, 'The Portland/Blueback Navy League of the United States notified Portland Parks & Recreation that the League would no longer support nor be involved in maintenance of the USS Oregon mast after the parties' agreement and activities concluded in January 2025. We appreciate the League's stewardship. 'Portland Parks & Recreation will continue to maintain the site to ensure it remains safe, clean, and welcoming. The City is still working to determine the current state of the mast and potential next steps for its maintenance.' Ex-partner 'sick to stomach' over Vancouver Outdoor Expo Tom Finneran, the council's president, said the city asking this from a group of volunteers is disheartening. 'It felt like, you know, shift their responsibility from them that –- let's be frank, this is a city owned park and the city owns this mast and the Parks bureau, you know, not us. So they want us to take– assume responsibility for something that's not even ours. It's the city's.' Baney said he believes there is room for this to be resolved if the city will work with the council. 'The city has so much money and I don't know where they spent some of their money, but it would be good for recognition for all the veterans in the United States and seagoing service,' he said. 'It would be nice if they could go halfway with us, with the expense at least.' Finneran said something needs to happen soon because the mast is too important to the city. 'It's a real vital part of Portland,' he said. 'A piece of history that I don't want to see, you know, go away or get damaged anymore than it is.' Baney said by mid-April he will still go back up the mast to raise the signal flags and US flag for the summer. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Portion of Tom McCall Waterfront Park will be revamped following design competition
PORTLAND, Ore. () — A portion of Portland's Tom McCall Waterfront Park could get a major makeover in the coming years. Leaders of the Oregon Metro, the regional agency serving Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties, has allocated a $750,000 Planning and Development Grant to Portland Parks & Recreation. The award will go toward revitalizing the waterfront's bowl section, located 'between RiverPlace and the Marina, south of the Hawthorne Bridge on the west side of the Willamette River.' North Portland dumpling spot XLB will permanently shutter in April City officials are launching a competition that asks consultants from near and far to develop a design for the new-and-improved park, which is expected to host more outdoor entertainment and cultural events. The grant backing the competition, which is slated to span across two and a half years, comes from Metro's construction excise tax. The tax is assessed at 0.12% of the total value of improvements for different building permits in the tri-county area. According to the parks bureau, the grant was also a joint effort between the City of Portland and its partners at the Portland Waterfront Pavilion and the Human Access Project — with both organizations aiming to increase access and programming at the waterfront. 'We feel the public is ready for a conversation around revitalizing the Tom McCall Bowl from an underutilized space to a world-class amphitheater and 'toes in the water' river park,' Human Access Project Founder and Executive Director Willie Levenson said in a . 'The objective is to create an iconic Portland park that is both a transcendent event space and green space that leverages its connection to the river — Portland's blue space.' PDX flights to London cancelled after fire causes power outage at Heathrow Airport The redevelopment competition will seek proposals that are ADA accessible, integrate public access to the water with a new design of a Willamette River beach and shoreline, and are environmentally sustainable. Additionally, the design should feature an outdoor stage and connect the river to Portland's downtown core. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
