PP&R, Sprite and Blazers Team Up to Revitalize King Basketball Court

Via Portland Parks and Recreation:

Jerome Kersey to Help Celebrate Public/Private Partnership on NE Portland’s King School Park

Beginning this summer, local teens can express their uncontainable moves on a completely renovated basketball court at Portland’s King School Park on NE 6th Ave and Humboldt St. The court will be revamped as a kick-off to the Sprite Spark Parks Project, a program that will refresh an additional 25 basketball courts in public parks and recreation centers throughout the nation.

In partnership with the Portland Trail Blazers, Sprite will donate $20,000 to Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) to refurbish rims, backboards, benches and playing surfaces – sparking new life to King School Park. The park is on Portland Public School property, and managed by PP&R. Work is expected to be complete by the end of summer. Both the park and adjacent school are named for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

“This is another wonderful example of a successful public-private partnership,” says Portland Parks Commissioner Nick Fish. “Sprite and the Trail Blazers are helping us increase the neighborhood’s vitality and livability with their generosity. The King School Park court enhancements will benefit the neighborhood, King School students, and park users for a long, long time.”
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Meeting on 7-Eleven April 18th

Do you want a 7-Eleven in your neighborhood?

What do you want neighborhood revitalization to look like?

The King Neighborhood Association
Invites you to a meeting with representatives from 7-Eleven to discuss their proposal to build a store
at Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd & Sumner.

Residents near the location have adamantly opposed construction of a 7-Eleven.

Our meeting will feature community speakers addressing issues of store-related crime, effects on local minority-owned businesses, an increase in traffic on a neighborhood residential street, what it means to have a chain store sited in an area zoned for the creation and promotion of locally-owned business, and the fact that 7-11 profits from addictive and poisonous products, at the expense of community and individual health & wellness.

Join us as neighbors working with neighbors for a healthy community.
Let 7-Eleven know what you think!

Wednesday, April 18th
6:30 – 8 pm
King Elementary School library
4906 NE 6th Avenue

Land Use Committee Discusses New Seasons Development

Discussion of parking, traffic and design issues of the next New Seasons store to be built just outside of King in the Eliot neighborhood was a main topic at the last Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods land use and transportation committee meeting. Also discussed: the Urban Food Zoning Code, Portland Plan, and Columbia River Crossing. Read the discussion via the draft February minutes below or on the NECN Website:

 

 

Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods

Land Use and Transportation Committee

Wednesday, February 22, 2012, 7:00pm

Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods Office

 

DRAFT MINUTES

 

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Alberta Main Street Extended into King

From Alberta Main Street:

It’s official! The Alberta Main Street target area now includes NE 10-15th Avenues. The original Alberta Main Street target area included NE 15th – 31st Avenues. The stretch of Alberta Street between NE 10-15th Avenues was not originally included in our application due to a restriction regarding Main Street programs operating within Urban Renewal Areas (URA). Last July the URA was expanded to include all of the commercially zoned property along NE Alberta Street. Existing Portland Main Street programs operating within the URA expansion areas have been granted the authority to continue program operations within the URA.

This provided an opportunity for Alberta Main Street to request a target area expansion to include NE 10th – 15th Avenues. Our request was approved in late 2011. A Main Street target area is defined as the geographically defined commercial district with discernible, logical boundaries of a manageable size and configuration. We would like to give a special thanks to the business between NE 10-15th avenues that have supported Alberta Main Street over the last year. Thank you for seeing the value in Alberta Main Street and helping to promote a vibrant business district and strong community.

Vernon Seeks Help Opposing 7-Eleven on Killingsworth

From the Vernon NA:

The Vernon Neighborhood Association Board has officially decided to oppose the 7-Eleven development due to the existence of three locally and minority-owned convenient stores within one block of the proposed location, which would be threatened by a 7-Eleven. We are also concerned about traffic safety impacts on bicyclists and pedestrians, especially the children walking to Vernon School each day and those that use the Number 8 bus. We also feel strongly that a 7-Eleven will not help improve the safety and livability of our neighborhood.

However, according to City officials, the CS zoning at the location allows convenient stores to be built. Our plan is to put pressure on the City and the property owner (who is about to sign a 10 year lease with 7-11) to reconsider their decision. Neighbors around Portland have successfully been able to do this in the past. Your actions count!

How You Can Take Action(if you are opposed to the 7-Eleven)

  1. Please take our survey below
  2. Please consider calling and/or emailing Commissioner Fritz: amanda@portlandoregon.gov
    who oversees the Office of Neighborhood Involvement, and Commissioner Saltzman: Dan@portlandoregon.gov who oversees the Bureau of Development Services about your concerns
  3. You can contact the new owner of the property: MAJ Development: 360-823-5125
  4. If you have not already done so, please Like the Vernon Neighborhood on Facebook so you can stay updated
  5. If you would like to go door-to-door and talk to your neighbors to collect signatures in opposition, contact Adriane: adriane.ackerman@gmail.com, who is heading up our public outreach team.

Take this survey