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PHILANTHROPY, FOUNTAINS AND FUN |
Summer is the season for parks, with warm weather and outdoor activities for all ages. It's also a time to share the news of two additions to Portland's network of parks, both made possible with the help of Portland Parks Foundation.
HONORING OUR ANCESTORS
Portland Parks Foundation played a part in two new downtown parks that will honor the people who made Portland a vibrant city. Over the next year, we'll watch these parks emerge, the result of public-private partnerships fostered by the
Foundation.
At what was known as South Park Block 5, a parking lot is being transformed into a sophisticated urban plaza named in honor of two people who immigrated to Portland at the turn of the century from Poland and Russia.
In Waterfront Park at the base of SW Ankeny, near Old Town, a new public space is being created with a fountain that will pay tribute to the diverse peoples whose cultural legacies have made a historic mark on our community over the
centuries.
Simon and Helen Director Park
Bounded by Southwest Yamhill and Taylor Streets, and Ninth and Park Avenues, South Park Block 5 was never much to look at; it had been a parking lot. In 2006, developer Tom Moyer donated the surface space to the City for a new park. Later,
he also contributed an additional $1 million to create the park.
After the park was designed, it became clear that the vision could not be realized without additional funds. When the City asked Portland Parks Foundation for help, we knew just who to approach. Jordan Schnitzer, with his deep-seated
passion for Portland's parks, rose to the challenge to the tune of nearly $2 million.
(From left) Linda Laviolette, Executive Director, Portland Parks Foundation; Jordan Schnitzer; Kelsey Green Grout, Board Member
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When complete, the park will be named for Jordan's maternal grandparents – Simon and Helen Director – who emigrated from Eastern Europe near the turn of the 20th century and met and married in Portland.
Moyer's and Schnitzer's magnificent gifts have ensured that this new gathering place, with its honey-colored granite paving, glass-canopied café, amphitheater and fountain, will be a standout among our downtown parks.
Portland Legacy Fountain
Waterfront Park at SW Ankeny, the new setting of the venerable Saturday Market, will be transformed and crowned by a splendid fountain. This interactive water feature will pay homage to the collective contributions of diverse cultural
groups that played important roles in the development of our city.
The late civic leader Bill Naito had long imagined a monument to celebrate the cultural diversity of Portland. Last spring, Anne Naito-Campbell came to the Portland Parks Foundation with the wish to fulfill her father's vision. Together,
friends and family of Bill Naito worked with Portland Parks Foundation to raise the funds needed to enhance the park with this stunning tribute. Donations totaling more than $750,000 will be used to complete the large plaza featuring the
new Portland Legacy Fountain as a permanent attraction in the heart of Portland's downtown. Bill Naito's vision will become a reality in the spring of 2009.
SUMMER IN THE PARKS
Portland Parks Foundation has again received funding, this year from REI, to provide staff for the mobile climbing walls that travel to parks all over the city. A popular sport for children of all ages, climbing offers a range of benefits
including improved physical strength and coordination, greater confidence, enhanced teamwork and increased leadership skills.
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To learn more about the Portland Parks Foundation, visit our website at
www.portlandparksfoundation.org or call us at 503.802.5757.
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Great Parks,
Great Cities |
Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin to appear in PP&R speaker series
Come hear this advocate for city parks speak about how her initiatives to increase parks and greenspaces contributed to Atlanta's revitalization and economic development.
Named one of the nation's top five mayors by Time Magazine, Shirley Franklin will speak on Tuesday,
July 8, at 7 p.m at the First Congregational Church, 1126 SW Park Avenue, in downtown Portland. Lecture tickets are $25, available in advance through
Portland Parks & Recreation or at the door. Enter the code PDX08 when you register for a discount of $5 per ticket.
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PORTLAND LEGACY FOUNTAIN
LEADERSHIP GIFTS
Donations of $50,000 and more
The Naito Family
Jack and Lynn Loacker
Spirit Mountain
Community Fund
The Collins Foundation
The next newsletter will feature a special Project Inclusion update. This Foundation program has contributed $200,000 per year for the past five years so children from low-income families can participate in Portland Parks &
Recreation activities. We are eager to show you how this program is bringing fun and free lunch to kids all summer long.
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