East Portland neighborhood leaders are turning to an unconventional constituency — off-road bicycling enthusiasts — and an unconventional funding source — crowdfunding via the Internet — to promote revitalization of the Gateway area.
Nearly four years after we first reported on Gateway Green — a 35-acre, ODOT-owned parcel at the intersection of I-205 and I-84 that is slated to be developed for off-road bike riding and other recreational uses — the project has just entered a key negotiation phase.
People advocating for development of a unique Northeast Portland park recently got one step closer to realizing their vision.
Thirty-five acres of land in the Gateway neighborhood sit trapped between Interstate 205 on one side and Interstate 84 on the other. The Oregon Department of Transportation owns the land, slightly north of the Gateway Transit Center, but it is cut off from vehicle access and undevelopable by conventional standards.
It appears as if “Gateway Green” – a 30-acre tract of open land south of Rocky Butte, between the I-84 and I-205 freeways, owned by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) – may indeed become Portland’s most unique multi-use park.
An article about the Signing Celebration on 12/10/10 -- and the next steps for the project.
Tomorrow the Gateway Green project will pass its most important milestone since citizen activist Linda Robinson and East Portland developer Ted Gilbert first unveiled their vision back in May 2008. A host of major electeds, supporters, and other bigwigs will come together for a ceremony to officially sign the project’s “Declaration of Cooperation.”
"Portland City Council last week approved a forecast budget package that includes ongoing funding of $198,110 per year for Portland Parks and Recreation to operate and maintain a planned bike park and recreational area in east Portland."
We have reluctantly canceled today's Planting Event at Gateway Green -- due to safety concerns for volunteers using the I-205 MUP to get to the park.
The event has been rescheduled on Saturday, February 24 from 2:00 to 4:00 pm -- right after the Gateway Green Open House. It's essential that we get these bare-root native plants into the ground before the end of the month.
We hope you will join us for both the Open House and the planting event.
