marisa on Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Spring is coming. Things are stirring, including the community at large.
Right off the bat, Montavilla is updating their bylaws. A copy is posted at the Montavilla Community Center, also filed on our Yahoo list serv, or can be had by contacting Brian, wong.brian57@yahoo.com or calling 971-221-4718. Vote to enact changes is April 12th, 7:30pm, 232 SE 80th Avenue, Montavilla United Methodist Church.
Streets. Unimproved streets. They are scattered throughout the community. Some like them, some are annoyed. One point most may agree on is equity, in terms of who pays to maintain them or bring them up to “city standards.” This issue, at least three decades old, has never been made a priority and is not directly addressed in the current Portland Plan currently under review. Your Montavilla Neighborhood Association is going to begin a grassroots campaign to help to build necessary partnerships, seek solutions and address the issue head on. April 12th, 7:30pm, 232 SE 80th Ave, Montavilla United Methodist Church, Leah Hyman, SE Uplift Land Use and Sustainability Manager, will present her findings working with the Woodstock neighborhood on the same issue. Her work can be found atwww.roadwaynotimproved.com.
Friends of Trees reported that their neighborhood planting on March 6th was a raging success. Montavilla Neighborhood planted around 130 trees! This exceeded last year’s planting of just over 100 trees. Contact, Jennifer,jennifer_montavilla@yahoo.com, or visit www.friendsoftrees.org.
Mark your calendar. May 16th, Creative Science School at 92nd and Main is gearing up to host the first ever Montavillage. This event will be a blend of family friendly entertainment, local foods, bake sales, and gardening activities. Date and time is yet to be determined. Contact Gloria Harrison,happyphantom@earthlink.net.
JOIN, freshly located at 81st and Halsey, is partnering up with Cleveland and Marshall High Schools to paint the northeast corner of their exterior with a mural to “uplift the spirits” states Marc Jolin, Executive Director. The mural will tie in their current landscaping and community garden scheme which will be completed over the coming weeks. JOIN wants a building that adds value to the community while serving a population transitioning out of homelessness. Their official grand opening is April 16th, 2pm – 4pm. City Commissioner Nick Fish is slated to be in attendance. Contact 503-232-7052 for inquiries, donations.
Montavilla Food Co-Op recently was in The Oregonian and the SE Examiner. Right now, they have a food buying group to build the financial base for a true food co-op. Currently, they have a “drop” every third Thursday. Preference is given to local and organic vendors. If you are interested in more information, becoming a vendor or ordering food, please contact them at info@montavillacoop.org. Or visit their website atwww.montavillacoop.org.
Montavilla Neighborhood Association has its next Graffitti CleanUp on Saturday, April 3rd. Meet at Safeway (82nd and Burnside) parking lot, 9am. Sites selected for graffiti removal will be decided by volunteers that day. If you have a site that you really want removed, then come on down! We have the paint and the other supplies. We just need you in your “dirty clothes.” Removal is projected to take 3 to 4 hours. Coffee and donuts provided.
Join your local Stark Street businesses at their next First Friday, April 2nd, 6pm. Retailers stay open later and feature specials on products they’re hoping to promote; bars and restaurants offer specials on drinks, desserts or appetizers; and some business feature art showings with the artist present.
Thatchers has been quietly helping Montavilla Neighborhood Association sponsor projects in the neighborhood. For example, some of the funds have helped pay for some of the Vestal Elementary green space and benches. This was done by indirect means, in that, they donated money to us and it was funneled to various projects. This year, Thatchers would like to directly fund a neighborhood project.
On August 21st, Thatchers will be hosting a BrewFest on their property. This venue is complete with music, local brews, and good eats. The proceeds from that event will be the source of funds for the yet to be decided neighborhood project. Some floated ideas thus far, plaza at Montavilla Park, MilePost 5 (the actual marker, not the condo’s) Historic Marker space, covered prep/play area between the community garden and new greenspace at Vestal Elementary School, and green traffic median on 82nd Avenue between Oregon and Pacific Street. You get the idea.
Submit project ideas to Brian Wong, wong.brian57@yahoo.com or hand to him a Montavilla General Meeting. Submissions need to be in by May 7th, 2010. All submitted projects will be presented at the May 10th general meeting. Winner will be determined by vote at that meeting.
Portland Parks and Recreation is looking at some very heavy cuts to its budget this year. This will be felt at Montavilla Community Center when doors are closed on weekday evenings and all day Saturday and Sunday. These reduced hours will hamper recreational access for working families and teens. The pool will also be closed on Sundays during the summer. Help make the Montavilla Community Center a priority during this budget session and the potential November 2010 Bond Measure by completing the online comment form at www.portlandoline.com/parks and contacting pertinent officials.
Let them know what improvements you would like to see or programs continued at Montavilla Community Center:
Zari Santer, Portland Parks and Recreation Director,pksari@ci.portland.or.us, 503-823-5379.
Nick Fish, City Commissioner, nick@ci.portland.or.us, 503-823-3589.
Montavilla Neighborhood Association is looking for a few good volunteers.
Outreach Committee, which oversees the website, newsletter, social media accounts, creates outreach literature, is recruiting three committee persons to help provide enhanced content and methods to outreach to our diverse community. Volunteers are asked for a one year commitment, 10 to 15 hours a month. We are looking for creative, flexible people to help launch our new website, hone our electronic communication, and organize small community building events.
Land Use and Transportation Committee, monitors zone changes, land and design reviews, city code amendments, is recruiting two committee persons. Montavilla Neighborhood Association is ready to take a real hard and earnest look at its unimproved streets. This issue is complicated, expensive, and is layered in inequity. Committee members are asked for a one year commitment, 15 hours a month. We are looking for energetic, dynamic, fluid persons that can navigate the multiple government bureaus for answers, translate dry data into intuitive points, and help organize workshops.
Liz Sullivan, Sustainability Chair, is looking for volunteers to help collaborate on creating sustainable projects for the benefit of the neighborhood. Looking forward to the nice weather and creating something sustainable for all to share in. ContactMontavilla.Sustainability@gmail.com.
Montavilla Neighborhood Association meets at 232 SE 80th Avenue, Montavilla United Methodist Church as follows:
Board Meeting, 6:30 – 7:20pm, 2nd Monday of every month.
General Meeting, 7:30 – 8:30pm, 2nd Monday of every month.
Committee’s (all MNA committees meet), 7 – 8pm, 4th Monday of every month.
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