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Home > Events > Sharing Ideas Panels
Sharing Ideas July 2010
Grassroots Projects Started by Neighbors
Sharing Ideas is a panel presentation and discussion that showcases the grassroots efforts of neighbors throughout the Portland metro-area. All of the projects are volunteer or non-profit driven, have a community benefit, and could be replicated in other neighborhoods. Our hope is that these events inspire people to initiate similar projects in their own neighborhood. Panelists share the spark that ignited their idea, the tools and strategies they used to turn it into action and their hopes and dreams for their project into the future.
July, 2010 Panelists
NEAR Gardens: Laura Simmons is a part of NEAR Gardens, a group of PSU students who partnered with CNN to make information pertaining to community gardens more easily accessible. In order to create a realistic project, Laura’s professor advised their group to “double the time you expect it to take and half your ambitions”. They launched GardenNet, an online resource with a map of local community gardens, information, and a forum for connecting with neighbors. Bill Barber, with Central Northeast Neighbors (CNN), is coordinating a Bicycle Tour to see four community gardens in their neighborhood. Carrie Jones is a founding member of the Cully Collective Market. They received a small grant from CNN that enabled them to canvass the neighborhood and host community meetings. Trinity Lutheran Church donates their parking lot for the weekly market, which is in its third week. One of the market’s unique features is the community tables where people can sell or trade goods that they grow or make.
Cully Collective Market
Saturdays through September 18th from 9:30am-1:30pm (not August 14th)
Parking lot of Trinity Lutheran Church and School at 5520 NE Killingsworth Street
To learn more, go to Cully Collective Market, Central Northeast Neighbors, or GardenNet.
Sabin Traffic Calming Effort: David Sweet and his Sabin neighbors are working towards pedestrian safety on NE Fremont between 7th and 15th Avenues. For the last 8 years they have requested crosswalks, but all of their requests were denied. David shared, “Asking for crosswalks was our first mistake. Lesson #1: If what you want is pedestrian safety, ask for pedestrian safety!” Another problem, flooding around Irving Park, pointed to their solution. They were approved for the city’s 1% for Green program with the support of Irvington and King Neighborhoods and NECN. They created a design with curb extensions and swales for plantings to absorb the water. The curb extensions narrow the street, slow the traffic, and leave less space for pedestrians to cross. They hope to complete the construction this winter and involve Sabin students in planting next spring.
To learn more, go to 1% For Green Program or contact Ivy Dunlap at 503.823.7754.
Overlook Ice Cream Social: Matt Scoggin has helped to coordinate the Ice Cream Social, celebrating its 10th year. “Kids have grown up attending the social. Two girls are responsible for putting on the toppings.” Matt can count on the dedicated neighborhood volunteers. Last year they had a bubble machine, chalk for kids, and Matt’s IPod because they ran out of time to book a band or an act. “It turned out that was all we needed.” Their goal was to bring people together, and a band would have been a distraction. Matt encourages people to keep things simple, remember what your goal is, and create structures that can be reused every year.
To learn more, go to Historic Overlook House or Overlook Neighborhood Association.
Urban Farm Collective: Janette Kaden is passionate about making vacant lots more productive, increasing food security, and making healthy local food accessible. Janette found there was a lot of interest in growing food in the city and many vacant lots that could be used for food production. They contacted land owners and asked to grow food on their property; some people said no way and others thought it was a great idea. The Urban Farm Collective currently has five lots to produce food within the city and 30-40 people showing up to help in the gardens. At a weekly Barter Market, people can share in the abundance collectively. Anyone who works for one hour in the garden earns one barter buck. People who have extras from their home garden can come to the market to barter too.
Urban Farm Collective—Barter Market
Sundays at 2:00pm
Between The ReBuilding Center and Masonic Temple on N. Mississippi Avenue and N. Fremont St.
To learn more, go to Urban Farm Collective or email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).