Through a generous donation from Williams & Dame Development and Block 37 Investors, LLC, a temporary site for the South Waterfront Community Garden is born! The residents of South Waterfront worked with Community Relations to plan and construct the garden this spring, resulting in 13 garden beds on the lot south of Atwater Place. The beds are completely full this year, but don’t despair. If you are a South Waterfront resident you can become a Friend of the Community Garden and help out. Contact the Community Relations office at communityrelations@southwaterfront.com for more information.

We will be providing garden updates in both the E-Current and here on the Green Living Blog: stay tuned for more Garden related news and events

PCC and South Waterfront Community Relations have teamed up to bring continuing education classes to the South Waterfront! Sign up today for one of these three courses being offered during the spring term:

Container Gardening: Hands-on instruction to create lush floral arrangements for your garden or patio. Go home with one planted pot completed in class! For more information: Click Here.

Tai Chi, Beginning: A gentle approach to exercise emphasizing mind/body harmony, relaxation, centering and coordination. For more information: Click Here.

About Your Dog: Gain insight into your dog’s behavior and leave with tried-and-true tools to communicate effectively for a long, happy life with your dog. For more information: Click Here.

Dates and times vary by class.
All classes will be held in the John Ross Plaza Studio.  PCC code: JROSSP
3623 SW River Pkwy., Portland, OR 97239 map it

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC – enrollment through PCC is required

The Daily Journal of Commerce gave us an update last week about the next block to be developed in the South Waterfront.

“A new, mixed-use development has been designed by Ankrom Moisan Associated Architects for the South Waterfront District.  The Tamarack, which will have affordable apartment units as well as ground-floor retail and office space, will occupy what is known as Block 49 at the south end of Portland‘s South Waterfront District.”  For the rest of the article, click here.

At the end of January the South Waterfront Community Relations office invited all of the movers and shakers of South Waterfront to participate in a District Update.  They host these meetings twice a year and it gives everyone a chance to hear from the folks in charge how the district is progressing.  For those of you who did not or could not attend they have released a summary from that event – click Here for a PDF.

The January edition of the Portland Monthly had a nice long expose about our new Mayor – what I find most interesting is the long introduction that takes Amanda Burden on a tour through South Waterfornt.  Definately worth a read – which you can now do online (finally!) – read it here: Becoming Sam Adams.

Every year the City of Portland takes time to recognize those people and organizations that help to make Portland such a great city to live in, these awards are called the Spirit of Portland Awards.  We would like to congratulate the South Portland Neighborhood Association for receiving the “Neighborhood of the Year” award.

http://www.portlandonline.com/ONI/index.cfm?c=43746&a=218694

Thanks for helping to make this city such a great place to live!

You are invited by the Ross Island Vision Team and Portland Parks and Recreation to discuss plans regarding the future management and restoration of Ross Island.  The City of Portland will present the strategies that they are currently in the process of developing for the 45-acre parcel that is now in public ownership and the Ross Island Vision Team will present “Envisioning Ross Island” which takes a broader look at the entire four island complex and nearby Oaks Bottom. This will be an opportunity to learn about, discuss and become actively involved efforts to protect and restore Ross Island and to create a “No Wake” zone in the Holgate Channel. Finally we will be discussing next steps to create a more formal structure for the Friends of Ross Island.

Location:  Lucky Labrador Brew Pub, 915 SE Hawthorne Boulevard | 2 -4 PM | Public Welcome

The Ross Island Vision Team (made up of Audubon Society of Portland, Greenworks, PC, Urban Greenspaces Institute, Willamette Riverkeeper, Melissa Meideros and Christina Frank) invites you to join them, along with Portland Parks and Rec. to discuss plans for the future management and restoration of  Ross Island. Here is the agenda for the meeting:

> Presentation by City of Portland to manage and restore the 45-acre site on Ross Island that are currently in public ownership.

> Presentation by Ross Island Vision Team regarding future restoration and management of entire 4 island complex.

> Volunteer Opportunities at Ross Island

> Strategies to establish a No Wake Zone in Holgate Channel

> Next steps to establish a formal structure for the Friends of Ross Island.

For more information, please click here.

What an amazing inaugural event for the South Waterfront – Riverfest was a big hit on Sept. 6th – with over 2,000 people attending the event to see Bobby Torres…

the Devin Phillips Funk Band….

the Oregon Ballet Theatre…

and much, much more.  In case you missed it, be sure to check out our Community Gallery and click on the Category for “Events.”

However, if you were there and took photos of the event, please feel free to add them to the Community Gallery, just click here.

(photos provided by Kent Anderson.)

On Saturday, during the Riverfest festivities in South Waterfront (pictures to come), Dan Kent, the executive director of Salmon Safe gave a plaque to Homer Williams of Williams & Dame Development officially announcing that the South Waterfront is the first neighborhood to ever receive Salmon Safe certification. Certification means the neighborhood’s design and operations exceed regulatory mandates to protect the Willamette River and is a leader in restoring the health of the Willamette River and tributaries. This is a huge achievement for the South Waterfront district and yet more proof that this neighborhood is working hard to be the “greenest” in the nation.