Jacob Loeb began writing for newspapers in high school, first for the school's publication and then for a Vashon, Washington, community paper. He graduated college with a degree in English Literature and Television Communications. After graduating, Loeb worked in film distribution for a pioneering DVD company that supported independent filmmakers. Years later, he wrote for a weekly newsletter about technology and ran a popular computer advice column called Ask Jacob. Moving to the Montavilla neighborhood of Portland, Oregon, with his family in 2005, Loeb firmly planted roots in the community and now writes for the Montavilla News. He is a Society of Professional Journalists member and volunteers with non-profit organizations serving East Portland.
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This weekend, on June 18th, TriMet will halt MAX Red Line service from the Gateway Transit Center to the Portland International Airport (PDX). Riders looking to travel to and from PDX will need to take the shuttle bus service until the line reopens on October 21st, 2023. This four-month-long disruption is necessary to construct the A Better Red MAX line enhancements and perform other track maintenance.
MAX train map showing shuttle service segment for Red Line. Illustration curtesy TriMet
TriMet’s, A Better Red project began construction in September 2021 and is set to complete in fall 2024. Work on the commuter rail system extends the MAX Red Line west to serve ten more stations in Beaverton and Hillsboro. The project also improves schedule reliability for the entire MAX system by adding a second track near Portland International Airport and Gateway Transit Center. A new bridge spanning Interstate 84 at Gateway is required to support the second track and will provide a multimodal access point to the north end of the Gateway Green off-road cycling park. Prolonged disruptions to public transit are a burden for regular riders, but these improvements should help speed up rail transit and make for a more reliable system.
Rendering of the new Red Line bridge crossing I-84.Image courtesy TriMet
TriMet officials recommend people traveling to or from a destination on the closed segment of the MAX red Line budget 30 minutes additional for their journey. Unlike the majority of the light rail system, shuttle buses must travel in automotive traffic. Riders should expect significant roadway congestion in this area during peak usage times.
By
Jacob Loeb
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After 46 years, Natural Furniture will permanently close its SE Stark Street home decor business. Shop owners Tammy and Rick Slagter plan to retire when the location’s lease ends in September. Store staff are selling through all inventory over the remaining months offering special discounts to clear out household furnishings from both the retail space and company warehouse.
Rick Slagter started Natural Furniture in 1977, and his wife Tammy joined the business in 1989. Seven years ago, the Slagters moved their unfinished-furniture store to Montavilla from its original location in the Lloyd District after losing their lease. “The people that owned the building over on 8th and Broadway sold it. We had been at the other store for 40 years. I was like, ‘Oh no, it’s just terrible.’ I hate change, but it all turned out for the best because this location was so nice,” remembers Rick Slagter.
The move to Montavilla prompted some changes for the business. They began to sell more home accessories alongside the furniture and expanded the number of finished pieces sold in addition to their unfinished product. “We didn’t do accessories at the other location,” explained Tammy Slagter, noting that 95 percent of items sold were unfinished wood furniture before the move. Now she estimates 70 to 80 percent of their business is related to unfinished furniture. They have also expanded to more exotic wood furniture in recent years as the industry shifted to meet changing customer demand.
The decision to close was complicated for the couple as the business is strong, and they enjoy the work. However, after a recent birthday, it seemed like a good time to plan for a new chapter in their lives. “I turned 70 last month in May, and our lease is up in September. I just didn’t want to sign another lease,” said Rick Slagter. “I’m ready to relax and go play, go to the beach, go do things.”
Since announcing the pending store closure, customers have come in talking about how sad this news is for them. Although the Slagters will miss the welcoming community and the multiple generations of customers, this spin-down is a happy event for them. They had not tried to sell the business, but that is still an option they would consider. “It’s been a great business for all these years. We did really well, and it’s a fun store too. There’s no hard sell. You just answer questions and write tickets. The furniture sells itself,” said Rick Slagter.
Some of the four staff have already found new employment, and the Slagters have provided a long lead time for people to find other work. Although the lease ends in September, the store will close to the public when they sell through the remaining inventory. Most of the shop’s 20 vendors have existing relationships with other retailers. However, Carey’s Unfinished Furniture worked almost exclusively with Natural Furniture, and its owner will also take this opportunity to retire.
Tammy and Rick Slagter are grateful for their customers and thank the Montavilla community for the support they have received over the years. They hope to see some of those people stop by before they close and pick up something special. They feel this storefront at 7960 SE Stark Street is a great location and are excited to see another retail business take over the space. Until then, they will be at the shop saying goodbye and letting the items sell themselves.
By
Jacob Loeb
Disclosure: A relative of the author worked for Natural Furniture several years ago.
Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscribers or sponsors. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.
Update October 5th, 2023: The Multnomah County Fire Chiefs recently announced an end to the county burn ban starting October 1st.
This week, the Multnomah County Fire Defense Board Chief Chris Barney announced a backyard burning ban for all areas of Multnomah County. This year’s summer prohibition on burning starts Friday, June 16th, with agricultural burning banned after June 30th. A complete outdoor burn ban begins on July 6th and will remain in effect until further notice.
The complete ban includes recreational campfires, fire pits, and any other open burning. Outdoor barbecuing or grilling in purpose-built cooking appliances is permitted, including smokers. However, officials caution residents to exercise extreme caution during the dry summer months, keeping discarded ashes in a covered metal container away from combustibles. Fire prevention experts also instruct the public to maintain a ten-foot buffer zone between outdoor cooking and anything combustible such as siding, fences, or shrubbery.
The Multnomah County Fire Defense Board chose these phased burning ban dates to address safety concerns arising from the seasonably dry conditions while allowing farming communities time to discard agricultural wastes through burning. These dates may change due to worsening weather conditions. Residents and area businesses should direct questions about the ban to Portland Fire & Rescue’s general information line at 503-823-3700.
By
Jacob Loeb
Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscribers or sponsors. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.
This Friday, Portland Beer Week 2023 starts with several events in Montavilla and across the Portland Metro region. The ten-day-long celebration of beer runs from June 16th through the 25th, offering unique tastings, creative food pairings, and some of the best brews from around the world and around Portland. Area residents do not have to travel far to participate, with three of the nearly 50 events in the neighborhood.
Industry leaders and enthusiasts founded the Portland Beer Week organization in 2011 as a decentralized effort to expand beer education and promote Portland’s brew culture. The group uses sponsorship funds to promote the participating businesses and organize large events like the Brewers Burger Brawl taking place at SE 79th Avenue Montavilla Street Plaza on June 23rd. That is just one of three neighborhood events during this year’s Beer Week.
Sebastiano’s at 411 SE 81st Avenue will offer Italian-style Pilsners from Italy and Portland during their Forza Azzuri! Italian Pilsners from on and off The Boot event. This opening day gathering starts at 5 p.m. on June 16th with a ticket price of $25. Located on Sebastiano’s back patio, this event is co-hosted by Von Ebert’s Sam Pecoraro and Daniel Wavrin of Ferndale Farmstead Cheeses. Ticket price includes five 5oz tastings of Italian Pilsner from Italy and the Pac NW alongside an artisan cheese plate of Ferndale Farmstead cheese.
Neighborhood newcomer StormBreaker Brewing will host a meet-and-greet at their newly acquired tap truck on June 22nd inside The Yard at Montavilla food cart pod at 8220 Northeast Davis Street. Brewery owners, brewers, and the StormBreaker hospitality team will be on-hand to share some beers and delicious food while answering questions.
Image courtesy Portland Beer Week
Then on Friday, June 23rd, Portland Beer Week and Threshold Brewing and Blending present this year’s Brewers Burger Brawl. This marquee event pits five local breweries against one another to present the “best” burger and beer pairing. Threshold was last year’s Judge’s Winner and will compete this year against Grand Fir Brewing, StormBreaker Brewing, Vice Beer, and Great Notion Brewing. Fifty $35 advance tickets are available for those who want a discount and a guaranteed serving of all five pairings. Otherwise, people can show up between 5 and 8 p.m. at 403 SE 79th Avenue, paying $6 per burger or $8 for a burger and 5oz beer pairing.
This year’s Portland Beer Week is on track to becoming the busiest since 2019 and marks another return to successful community events post-pandemic. Montavilla residents are fortunate to have a handful of local events within walking distance this year, and any alcohol-themed event is best enjoyed without needing to drive afterward. However, although beer drinking is encouraged, this is an opportunity to eat a wide range of brew-adjacent foods, and people are also welcome to visit other non-participating beer businesses. The neighborhood has many to choose from.
By
Jacob Loeb
Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscribers or sponsors. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.
On Tuesday, June 13th, at 6 p.m., the Portland Public Schools (PPS) Board will hear public comment and consider the permanent closure of the Harrison Park Community Garden. Community gardeners and Jade District residents who rely on the public green space have initiated a petition urging PPS to reconsider their decision. Removing this urban micro-farming location will severely limit garden access for the culturally diverse population in the community and hamper district initiatives to expand green spaces.
In 2015, the Jade District group initiated the Harrison Park Community Garden‘s creation. It filled a gap in green space for area residents and made urban farming more accessible with multilingual sign-up sheets and instructions. The City of Portland has a long history with community gardens dating back to 1975. Portland Parks and Recreation (PP&R) operates 60 Community Gardens located throughout Portland. However, those facilities are not always reasonably accessible to every Portlander. The closest alternative to the Jade District location is the Berrydale Community Garden, whose limited space may not support the displaced gardeners.
The community garden supporters sent a letter to the PPS Board outlining the importance of the space and suggesting alternatives to a full closure and removal of the public green space. In the public letter, the authors explain that “many residents who utilize the garden do so to grow culturally specific varieties [of produce] that they are otherwise unable to find in Portland. It allows lower-income residents, renters, and those living in apartments to be able to access healthy nutritious foods at a lower cost than grocery stores.” They ask that people support the petition and come to the School Board Meeting held at 501 N Dixon Street or email letters to publiccomment@pps.net.
PPS is removing the garden to make way for expanded education space. If the board does not overturn the PPS staff’s decision, demolition of the now overgrown garden will occur sometime next month. People interested in providing comments should do so before Tuesday at 6 p.m. and look for updates regarding this community garden in the coming weeks.
PortlandMaps Image with Montavilla News illustration showing garden boundary
By
Jacob Loeb
Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscribers or sponsors. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.
This week, demolition crews began deconstructing the former Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) building at 432 NE 74th Avenue. Last month, crews removed asbestos and cleared large portions of the asphalt parking lot surrounding the old television studio. Next week, project participants and funders will gather to officially commence construction on the 137 units of affordable housing planned for this site.
Developers split the residences across a pair of four-story buildings. The combined site will contain a wide assortment of apartments, from studio units to four-bedroom homes. The first building under construction is named Beacon at Glisan Landing. The bar-shaped building offers 41 units of permanent supportive housing for formerly homeless, low-income individuals earning at or below 30% Area Median Income (AMI). Catholic Charities of Oregon will own and operate this site with development support from Related Northwest.
As work is underway on the northwest corner of the expansive half-block property, crews will break ground on the second building called Aldea at Glisan Landing. That larger U-shaped building is co-owned by Related Northwest and Immigrant & Refugee Community Organization (IRCO). This structure will provide 96 apartments, with 41% of units available to people with a 30% AMI.
The Glisan Landing affordable housing development is part of a 2018 voter-approved Metro Housing Bond. Aldea and Beacon represent the sixth and seventh bond-created projects that put the regional housing effort on track to bring over 1,540 affordable homes to Portland, surpassing initial expectations. Ground floor commercial space included in these buildings will offer an onsite cafe with a culinary employment training program run by Stone Soup PDX.
Rendering of Beacon at Glisan Landingcourtesy Related Northwest
These housing developments represent years of planning and community outreach with funding from Oregon Metro, Portland Housing Bureau, and Oregon Housing & Community Services. Over half the units offered in the Aldea building are family sizes with two, three, and four-bedroom homes available. Project planners made significant efforts to include onsite parking for residents, dedicating a large portion of the ground floor to vehicle storage. This design choice and other community-supporting amenities responded to neighbor requests. Construction crews expect to complete work on these buildings by May 2024. Expect temporary sidewalk closures and other building-related disruptions in the project area over the next 12 months.
Glisan Landing Groundbreaking ceremony June 12th, 2023
By
Jacob Loeb
Disclosure: The author of this article served on the Montavilla Neighborhood Association board during the community outreach phase of this project’s development and participated in some of those conversations.
Housing project’s site plan
Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscribers or sponsors. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.
This week, two downtown Montavilla businesses disassembled their outdoor seating structures with doubts about how they will rebuild. Active sidewalk construction on the west corners at SE 80th Avenue and Stark Street required the business owners to remove the parking lane dining areas. However, the new sidewalk design and shelter reconstruction costs may impede the return of covered seating.
Sidewalk construction at this intersection is part of the 70s Greenway Project that broke ground last month. This portion of the infrastructure improvement project will add new curb ramps, Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFB), improved stormwater handling, and crosswalk striping to the west side of this intersection. As part of this work, PBOT will reconstruct the corners and a segment of the sidewalks in front of two businesses, Tinker Tavern and Lazy Susan. The added pedestrian space makes the historically skinny sidewalks wider and shortens the crosswalk distance for people crossing the fast-paced road. The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) must remove a few parking spaces to accommodate the expanded sidewalks.
Deconstruction of outdoor seating shelters
Eliminating parking capacity adjacent to these two restaurants will affect how the business owners implement their Healthy Businesses curbside seating. The extra space can accommodate some additional sidewalk seating. However, the extended sidewalk spans less than the entire width of the parking lane as the outdoor shelters once did. Replacement tables in that space will need to be smaller, seating fewer guests. On the north side of the street, plans call for a new tree well in the expanded sidewalk area. That is a welcomed addition to a section of SE Stark that is often too narrow for street trees, but that further limits the number of tables Lazy Susan can deploy outside their establishment.
The managers at both businesses are unsure what type of covered seating PBOT will allow them to construct on the expanded sidewalk, if any. Hannah Schafer, Communications Director for PBOT, echoed the uncertainty regarding outdoor seating at these two sites. The bureau is currently working on updated guidelines for this program with greater Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance requirements and site visibility standards. Whatever seating is reconstructed by Tinker Tavern and Lazy Susan will need to follow those currently incomplete rules.
Clipping from PBOT intersection design document showing expanded sidewalk and corners
The potential long-term loss of table capacity is of particular concern for the businesses since they have just started paying for outdoor dining permits. In September 2022, PBOT began charging for the parking lane seating options previously offered to restaurants without fee during the pandemic. The permit application costs $150, and a business pays an additional $500 per year for each parking space it occupies with outdoor seating. Schafer explained that the business owners could apply for a prorated refund of the paid fees, as this sidewalk expansion would remove the parking spaces used to determine the price they paid. However, the businesses are more intent on working with PBOT to restore their lost covered seating. Erik Mahan of Tinker Tavern said he could get by with picnic tables during the summer but will need the covered option before the weather turns to rain. Tim Soucie, General Manager at Lazy Susan, said they would have to play it day-by-day.
Excavationpit work in the center os SE Stark Street
Regardless of their future layout constraints, Mahan and Soucie are frustrated with the timing of this work at the height of their busy season. During construction, Tinker Tavern will lose access to five of its nine outdoor tables. Lazy Susan is losing six tables. This diminished seating capacity will cause a short-term loss. Still, the business operators understand that road construction happens and hope workers complete the project before the Montavilla Street Fair in July. However, the cost of reconstructing the covered outdoor seating is challenging to absorb. Tinker Tavern allowed a customer to deconstruct their shelter and reuse it on his property. Mahan had nowhere to store it and knew it could not return to where it was before. Whatever covered area he rebuilds could cost as much as what he gave away. For Lazy Susan, reconstructing their covered seating will also be difficult, but they have no choice but to make the investment. “The cost of this whole project is detrimental to our business,” commented Soucie in an email to Montavilla News.
The conflict between business operations in the public right-of-way and pedestrian infrastructure improvements is one of the challenges PBOT faces when crafting the bureau’s updated rules for this program. The City of Portland must improve accessibility and safety for its residents using sidewalks. However, taxes and fees collected from business help fund those initiatives. Schafer explained that PBOT recognizes each outdoor seating situation is unique and that new rules will require flexibility to balance business needs and pedestrian access. The degree to which these eateries can restore covered seating should illustrate how well the new guidelines support commerce and pedestrian needs.
Crews working for PBOT will continue building the infrastructure enhancements over the next month. Tinker Tavern and Lazy Susan will remain open during construction and provide limited outdoor seating as the construction activity allows. PBOT intends to work on finalizing the Healthy Businesses guidelines and present them to City Council over the summer. Only after that work completes will Tinker Tavern and Lazy Susan staff have a clear path forward for covered outdoor seating.
By
Jacob Loeb
Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscribers or sponsors. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.
The Independent District Commission (IDC) recently released three draft map options for community input. Although the maps differ slightly, each proposed version splits Montavilla’s future City Council representation between two districts. Community members have until July 22nd to share their input ahead of a September deadline for district map adoption.
The three maps propose a majority of Montavilla associated with the predominately Southeast district, while a small 150-acre southeast corner of the neighborhood sits within the East Portland district. The dividing lines run along SE 82nd Avenue south of SE Mill Street with a slight bump north to SE Market Street one block west of Interstate 205. Although IDC commissioners attempted to respect existing neighborhood lines, they had many factors to consider when selecting these proposals, including population equity and mandating communities of common interest. The Commission’s work is necessary to transition to the new form of city government coming to Portland in 2025.
In November 2022, voters approved amendments to the City Charter (Measure 26-288) to create four voting districts for a new 12-person City Council. Residents in the new districts will elect three city councilors through a ranked-choice voting system, also approved by the City Charter amendments. The IDC is a group of 13 community members appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the City Council in January 2023. They were selected through a citywide application process and tasked with finding an equitable division in the city that fairly balances the population while respecting existing community boundaries.
IDC public engagement began earlier this year, generating more than 197 map concepts and 136 public comments. That work led the commissioners to present three options in the Draft District Plan for residents to endorse or critique. People can call 3-1-1 to share comments verbally, email comments to the IDC, or attend one of eight public hearings. Participants without online access can send comments via letter to the Office of Management and Finance, Independent District Commission, at 1120 SW 5th Avenue, Room 901, Portland, OR 97204.
Public hearing dates
Wednesday, July 5th from 6-8 p.m.
Thursday, July 6th from 6-8 p.m.
Saturday, July 8th from 12-2 p.m.
Sunday, July 9th from 1-3 p.m.
Wednesday, July 12th from 6-8 p.m.
Thursday, July 13th from 6-8 p.m.
Saturday, July 15th from 12-2 p.m.
Sunday, July 16th from 1-3 p.m.
At this point, the IDC is unlikely to adjust map lines in a way that will move the neighborhood into a single voting district. However, Montavilla residents are accustomed to division on many levels. East Portland begins at 82nd Avenue, encompassing half the community, and it straddles the Northeast-Southeast sextant lines. Pacific Power serves electricity to buildings north of SE Stark Street, while PGE powers those south of that dividing line. Similarly, residents in Montavilla have different Oregon State Representatives based on what side of SE Stark Street they live on.
The four new city districts have the potential to shift community groupings to meet the new boundaries. Some split communities anticipate a benefit in having six City Council members to work with. However, a person’s home address clearly defines that individual’s vote, and residents can only cast a ballot for the three open council seats in their prescribed district. That electoral segmentation could shift political alignments and priorities experienced in the neighborhood depending on what section someone lives in. As this new form of city government takes shape, Montavilla will have first-hand experience with divided representation and whatever challenges that may create.
By
Jacob Loeb
Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscribers or sponsors. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.
On May 22nd, heavy equipment removed two existing sidewalk corners at SE Washington Street and 80th Avenue. This intersection is a critical crossing point for the new 70’s Greenway project that will allow pedestrians and bicyclists safe travel parallel to 82nd Avenue, connecting residents through a mostly straight north-south route. Contractors working for the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) will reconstruct the westside corners with new curb ramps, Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFB), and crosswalk striping.
The $4.5 million Greenway project will primarily cut through Montavilla along 80th Avenue, adding improved crossing points to the neighborhood’s many collector and arterial streets. Road crews installed temporary asphalt sidewalk corners to cover the site ahead of the concrete work planned in the coming weeks. PBOT will pay for this work through Federal funds and the System Development Charges, which are fees collected from developers constructing projects that increase the use of a property.
Northwest corners at SE Washington Street and 80th Avenue
Over the next few months, PBOT will build new Americans Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant ramps on the west side of SE Stark and Washington Streets at SE 80th Avenue, including RRFBs at both intersections. Hannah Schafer, Communications Director for PBOT, explained that crews would return later in the summer to install pedestrian and bicycle striping across the two busy streets between the new westside corners.
Southwest corners at SE Washington Street and 80th Avenue
The 70’s Greenway project will create a multimodal connector bringing additional people through the core of Montavilla. Additionally, the safety improvements for the Greenway will add enhanced crossings at dangerous streets where residents have advocated for updates. Expect continued work in the neighborhood along 80th Avenue and other nearby streets through the remainder of 2023 as more intersections receive updates.
By
Jacob Loeb
Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscribers or sponsors. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.
Later this Summer, DolFun Swim Academy will open in the former Cascade Athletic Clubs location at 9260 SE Stark Street. The recently shuttered gym will become the swim business’s first dedicated commercial location after nearly three decades of offering classes in private pools and shared spaces. Work is underway resurfacing the existing pool and transforming the now-empty exercise equipment room into an educational gymnastics space. The expanded services will accommodate children and adults, greatly expanding this business’s client base and restoring some gym access for Montavilla residents.
DolFUN’s Director, Stacy Crockett, hopes to open by early July. The existing 13 employees will move to this space when they launch in the new location, and Crockett is still looking for more instructors. Transforming the 20,000-square-foot shopfront will take months of work, but its existing layout works well for their needs. However, Crockett did not lease all of the former gym’s footprint and almost agreed to less. “Really, it was the pool that attracted us to the space. Once we talked with the property owners and discussed the rest of the space, we decided to take on more than just the pool area and expand our programming. We’ve had a long-time vision of being able to open a children’s movement and education center. We’re excited that we’re going to be able to achieve that dream,” said Crockett.
The pool is an essential component of DolFUN’s core programming. The company began offering swim classes to young children in 1994. The current class structure has kids grouped into age brackets. “We work on swim skills with infants into toddlerhood until they’re ready to transition to swimming with a teacher on their own,” explained Crockett. The program leans heavily on a staff’s knowledge about developmental ability within an entertaining environment. “Our main focus is on fun and swimming, learning safety skills through play,” said Crockett.
Part of the available storefront not leased by DolFUN
DolFUN students often remain at the academy for nearly a decade, graduating to more advanced levels throughout their early childhood. “Most of our families stay with us between three and nine years. Babies who come into the program tend to stay with us a little longer. Older kids who start after four, they’ll stay with us for about three to four years,” said Crockett. Parents must participate in swim lessons while their children are young, but children can transition to instructor-only sessions after they turn two and a half or three years old.
Class sizes are small and only increase as students become more confident swimmers. “Our seahorse and turtle classes (intermediate level) class has six swimmers with their teacher, and the other classes depend on the level. For our younger levels and non-swimmers, the classes will have four swimmers to one teacher, and our upper levels will have between five and eight swimmers per teacher,” explained Crockett.
Eventually, Stacy Crockett intends to offer eight simultaneous classes at DolFUN. However, for the launch, the weekend schedule will allow five groups at a time, with just two or three occurring together on weekdays. Crockett is allowing Cascade 205 Orthopedic and Sports Physical Therapy to retain pool access, but that will limit how many DolFUN classes can take place. The pool will also see use from adult students and tri-athletes as part of the new training programs coming to DolFUN. She also anticipates special event classes teaching first aid and CPR to new parents.
Stacy Crockett’s focus has centered on developing young children’s motor skills. Up until now, that work has occurred in a pool. Now the large open room that once housed exercise equipment will support non-swim physical activity. “When you walk in, there’s a huge open floor. So we’re going to have a big tumbling mat with lots of activities for kids to move,” said Crockett. Two educational gymnastic programs will encompass different age groups. “Sweet Peas is targeted for six months to six-year-olds, and our Ninja program is for five to 12-year-olds,” explained Crockett. Adults can sign up for aerobics classes, with cross-training sessions for swimmers and triathletes. Additionally, staff will create a small workout studio with select aerobics and resistance training equipment.
Starting sometime in July, DolFUN Swim Academy intends to open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the weekends, with weekday classes from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday and Thursday. Crockett expects to add more days to the schedule as classes fill up. Existing students will receive priority placement, and then available space will go to families on the waitlist, but they hope to accommodate public registration soon after opening. Interested parents looking to register their child should call (888) 365-3862 or email DolFUN Swim Academy staff.
By
Jacob Loeb
Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscribers or sponsors. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.
Neighborhood news site focused on buildings and changing businesses
