Tag: 8219 NE Glisan

Community, Food and Drink

Free Lunch + Play Returns June 23

On Monday, June 23rd, Portland Parks & Recreation’s (PP&R) Free Lunch + Play program returns to Montavilla Park on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with free lunch from noon to 1:30 p.m. for youth 18 years or younger. For many children, school offers activities and services that extend beyond education. Some students rely on school as their only structured playtime with peers and depend on the free lunch program for a midday meal. Thanks to funds provided by the 2020 voter-approved Parks Local Option Levy, the Free Lunch + Play program offers children weekday activities without registration or cost. From June 23rd to August 22nd, kids can visit 22 parks citywide for recreational activities and a nutritious lunch.

Portland Public Schools close for summer on June 12th, and over half the city’s school-age children qualify for free or reduced-price meals during the school year, making PP&R’s Free Lunch + Play program a critical tool in keeping young people fed during the summer break. However, the free lunches are available to anyone meeting the age requirements, regardless of enrollment in a school district’s free lunch program. Adults bringing 10 or more youth to a location to receive free lunch should contact 503-729-0332 at least five business days in advance so parks staff can accommodate the group. USDA Federal guidelines require recipients to eat their meals on-site in the designated area, and youth are limited to one serving per day. Locations will have a No Thank You Table offering unwanted items from lunches that youth can take to supplement their meal during the designated lunch hours.

A swimming pool area featuring a clean, blue pool with lane markers, a slide, and surrounding grass and trees under a clear sky.

Montavilla Park at 8219 NE Glisan Street, Gateway Discovery Park at 10520 NE Halsey Street, and Lents Park at SE 92 Avenue and SE Steele Street will host Free Lunch + Play activities for Montavilla area residents. Meal times shift based on location, but Parks employees will organize games and other group activities throughout the four-hour sessions. The program staff observe the July 4th national holiday and will take the day off.

Portland Public Schools, Centennial School District, Parkrose School District, and David Douglas School District provide all the meal packs that adhere to the USDA Federal Lunch Program regulations. Youth must attend in person to receive meals and eat all the food on-site. Foodservice occurs only during stated mealtimes. For Montavilla Park, that is from noon to 1:30 p.m. At Lents Park, food is available from 11:30 a.m. through 1 p.m. Gateway Discovery Park has a shorter mealtime window of 11 to 11:45 a.m. Staff will require everyone to wash their hands before receiving food.

Free Lunch + Play is part of Portland Parks & Recreation’s (PP&R) Summer Free For All program, offering more than 40 events for all ages, including multicultural festivals, free outdoor movies, and concerts across the city. It also includes activities at PP&R outdoor pools, opening on June 20th. Six outdoor pools will host a weekly free swim session in addition to its fee-based swim lessons, open play swims, and water fitness. Montavilla’s pool offers free swim sessions on Tuesdays from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. People will find a complete list of Summer Free For All’s inclusive and family-friendly activities on the PP&R website.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Community, Entertainment, Government

Budget Cuts Could Impact Montavilla Community Center

On Tuesday, March 18th, Portland residents will have an opportunity to participate in a District 3 budget listening session and express their community funding priorities to City leaders. Portland is facing a substantial budget shortfall for its fiscal year starting July 1st, and cuts are needed across City operations to balance spending against revenue. Within $16 million of recommended reductions to Portland Parks & Recreation’s budget are possible solutions that would impact Montavilla residents, including the loss of summer programs and the potential closure of the Community Center at 8219 NE Glisan Street.

From 6 to 8:30 p.m. on the 18th, members of the Portland City Council, Mayor Wilson, and representatives from the Budget Office will gather on the University of Western States campus at 8100 NE Tillamook Street to gauge community priorities regarding proposed budget cuts. People can also attend online via the Zoom conferencing app or passively watch on the City’s YouTube channel. Participants attending from the campus or via Zoom can provide two minutes of testimony. In-person speakers will register upon arrival, starting at 5:30 p.m. City staff will post virtual testimony instructions on the City’s website by Sunday, March 16th. Residents who will not attend the event or do not want to speak can submit written comments online via the City’s budget page.

Proposed budget cuts could impact a wide-ranging assortment of city services people have grown accustomed to receiving. In the recently posted Vibrant Communities – Decision Packages v2 budget document, two possible reduction proposals could impact Montavilla Park. One recommended reduction would close a community center, eliminating all current programs and services. The document does not identify which center would close, but the Montavilla Community Center is one of three examples given.

“This package would close a neighborhood community center, eliminating all programs and services currently provided to the community through this facility. Staff reductions will accompany this center closure, and recreation programs, including educational preschool and afterschool programs will no longer be offered. Events, rentals, and other recreational programming will also be eliminated at this location. Examples include, St Johns Community Center, Montavilla Community Center and Peninsula Park Community Center.” – Vibrant Communities – Decision Packages v2

In addition to the possible closure of Montavilla’s Community Center, the document includes recommendations for eliminating youth summer camp programs at ten locations in summer 2026. These reductions would include programs at Montavilla Community Center and the East Portland Community Center at 740 SE 106th Avenue, which is the next nearest parks resource center for people in the neighborhood.

“This budget package would result in the elimination of the youth summer camp program, currently provided at ten locations through five regional community centers (Southwest CC; East Portland CC; Charles Jordan CC; Matt Dishman CC; Mt Scott CC) and five neighborhood/specialty centers (St Johns CC; Peninsula Park CC; Woodstock CC; Montavilla CC; Multnomah Arts Center). Summer
2024 provided camps to 6,949 registered participants.” – Vibrant Communities – Decision Packages v2

These possible Parks department reductions are just two examples of proposed cuts to the City’s budget. People should review the proposed budget for more examples ahead of the listening session. Residents should note that these plans can adjust with community input, and no action is inevitable outside the need to close the City’s funding gap. Montavilla Community Center will close from March 17th to March 22nd for annual building maintenance. This short closure is unrelated to the budget deficit but previews how a possible Montavilla Community Center closure would impact the neighborhood. Organizers have three other listening sessions scheduled throughout Portland, including District 1 on March 20th, District 4 on April 1st, and District 2 on April 3rd.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

History

Montavilla History Questions Answered: Montavilla Pool

Q – When did the Montavilla Park swimming pool open?

A – The public swimming pool in Montavilla Park formally opened on July 28, 1930, nine years after the park itself. In the park’s early years, other types of recreation took priority. Two baseball diamonds were built in 1921, a playground in 1925, and tennis courts in 1927.

Montavilla Pool 2023, photo by Jacob Loeb

Of course, a pool and accompanying building were more expensive, costing $30,000. They were designed by Portland architect Roscoe Hemenway (1899-1959). At the time, Hemenway was just beginning his architectural career, but later, he became a favorite of Portland’s elite. His original building has been added to and altered over the years, so the current Community Center and gym have a much different look.

Group of children at Montavilla Park Pool. August 16, 1935 (Portland Archives)

From the beginning, the Montavilla pool was extremely popular. Soon after opening, it attracted 2,200 bathers a day. Because of its heavy use, a new 1931 state health law required a filtration system to keep bacteria within safe limits. This improvement cost $10,300.

By

Patricia Sanders

This is part of a new segment at Montavilla News called Montavilla History Questions Answered. If you have questions about Montavilla’s past that you’d like answered, local historian Patricia Sanders will investigate your question. Please email your questions to history@montavilla.net and we may feature it alongside Patricia Sanders’ research in a future post on this page.

Community, Entertainment, Event

Delayed Opening of Montavilla Pool

Montavilla Pool will not open on June 20th alongside Portland Parks & Recreation’s (PP&R) other outdoor pools. The seasonal public swimming facility requires the fabrication and installation of a new pool drain cover to meet federal safety compliance for pools and spas. The pool has been closed to the public since August 25th, 2023, when a young swimmer was found unresponsive in the pool and later died. Aquatic maintenance staff could not complete upgrades earlier due to an ongoing independent safety review instigated by last summer’s tragedy. The incident was PP&R’s first fatal drowning in nearly 40 years.

Drain cover crews will replaced seen in lower right

Work at the site will require an excavator and other heavy machinery to open up the pool’s concrete base, exposing the plumbing to maintenance staff. The contractor expects to complete the work at Montavilla Pool on or before July 22nd, 2024. The 2024 pool season concludes on August 23rd for all outdoor swim facilities, so this delay truncates Montavilla Pool’s available class capacity. People who have already registered for a Summer Session 1 lesson from July 1st to 12th can participate in the East Portland Community Center (EPCC) programs. Registrants could also receive a full refund if EPCC is not a suitable alternative. Montavilla Pool staff will temporarily transfer to EPCC pool to assist customers who have signed up for swim lessons and summer swim team activities at Montavilla and have shifted locations during the construction closure.

PP&R will launch a new Safe Swim hub on June 17th, featuring swim safety resources for indoor and outdoor swimmers. Parks leadership expressed a commitment to making the future swimming season safer through equipment upgrades and education. If crews complete pool construction before July 22nd, Montavilla News will update this article.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Disclosure: A family member of this article’s author works for PP&R as a seasonal employee in the Free Lunch + Play program.

Montavilla Pool is located at 8219 NE Glisan St, Portland, OR 97220

East Portland Community Center is located at 740 SE 106th Ave, Portland, OR 97216

Community, Event, Food and Drink, View of Montavilla

Free Lunch and Play Returns in 2024

When Portland Public Schools close for summer on June 14th, families will need a way to fill the gap left in their children’s daytime schedule. For many kids, school offers activities and services beyond education. Some students rely on school as their only structured playtime with peers and depend on the free lunch program for a midday meal. Thanks to funds provided by the 2020 voter-approved Parks Local Option Levy, the Free Lunch + Play program offers children 18 years old and younger weekday activities without registration or cost. From June 24th to August 16th, kids can show up at 22 parks citywide for recreational activities and a nutritious lunch.

Montavilla Park at 8219 NE Glisan Street, Gateway Discovery Park at 10520 NE Halsey Street, and Lents Park at SE 92 Avenue and SE Steele Street will host Free Lunch + Play activities for Montavilla area residents. The Monday through Friday parks program runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with meal service times shifting based on location. Parks employees will organize games and other group activities throughout the four-hour sessions. The program staff will take July 4th and 5th off in observance of the national holiday.

Portland Public Schools, Centennial School District, Parkrose School District, and David Douglas School District will provide all the meal packs that adhere to the USDA Federal Lunch Program regulations. Youth must attend in person to receive meals and eat all the food on-site. Foodservice occurs only during stated mealtimes. For Montavilla Park, that is from noon to 1:30 p.m. At Lents Park, food is available from 11:30 a.m. through 1 p.m. Gateway Discovery Park has a shorter mealtime window of 11 to 11:45 a.m. Staff will require everyone to wash their hands before receiving food.

Free Lunch + Play is part of Portland Parks & Recreation’s (PP&R) Summer Free For All program. It also includes activities at PP&R outdoor pools, open from June 20th through August 23rd. Six outdoor pools will host a weekly free swim session in addition to regularly scheduled swim lessons, open play swims, and water fitness offerings. Montavilla’s pool offers free swim sessions on Tuesdays from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. People will find a complete list of Summer Free For All’s inclusive and family-friendly activities on the PP&R website. The programming celebrates Portland’s diverse cultures and local artists while providing fitness, food, and entertainment opportunities.

Update: Montavilla Pool will open later than other PP&R pools due to planned upgrades. It should open no later than July 22nd, 2024.

Disclosure: A family member of this article’s author works for PP&R as a seasonal employee in the Free Lunch + Play program.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Community, Construction, Infrastructure

New Lamp Poles at Montavilla Park

Recently, crews working with Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) replaced ten lamp posts and ornamental fixtures in Montavilla Park at 8219 NE Glisan Street. This work is part of the PP&R Light Pole Safety Project, which grew out of public objection to the program’s first iteration, which planned to remove 244 light posts in twelve parks without sufficient funds for replacement. Since May 6th, lighting installers have concentrated efforts in Mt. Tabor Park, replacing 88 old and unstable lights. 

On February 22nd, 2023, PP&R began the removal of potentially dangerous light poles in City parks. Engineers determined that some older cast-concrete light poles in Portland Parks have structural anchoring issues that could pose life and safety hazards to the public. This project had limited funding, with just two parks expected to receive new lights within 16 months. Affected parks would have closed at 10:00 p.m., with Park Rangers frequently visiting at night to compensate for the dangers caused by the poorly illuminated facilities. Before citizen groups could mobilize, PP&R crews removed lights in Mount Scott Park, Sellwood Park, and Sellwood Riverfront Park. The maintenance worker’s quick action and the public’s short notice caused anger in the community. 

Within weeks of announcing the Light Pole Safety Project, several community groups asked PP&R leaders and City elected officials to halt the removal and reconsider the process. Among them, Montavilla’s neighborhood coalition Southeast Uplift sent a letter signed by 23 community-based organizations. The letter requested the City find funding to restore all lighting it had or planned to remove. It also asked PP&R to postpone further light removal until they procured replacement units and engaged the community in the replacement lighting process.

At the April 5th, 2023, Portland City Council session, the Mayor and all four Commissioners approved an amended contract with McKinstry Essention for energy savings performance contracting services, including funding for new park lights. PP&R halted light pole removal and sourced replacement lighting that met the community’s requests for replacement.   

Example of old fixture on the left with a new one on the right in Montavilla Park

The new lamp posts feature a similar design and use LED lights that are 66% more efficient than the nearly 100-year-old units they are replacing. Vendors fitted new fixtures with a shield to direct light towards park pathways, lessening light pollution in the night sky caused by upward illumination. Additionally, circuitry in the lights ensures limited operation from dusk to dawn, saving energy while providing nighttime safety. PP&R says they selected new light poles and fixtures to replicate the previous ones as closely as possible. The replica fixtures are objectively equivalent in design, and most parkgoers will not notice a difference other than the new poles look cleaner and more substantial. The fixture connects to the cast concrete pole with the same vertical straps cinched in place with four metal bands. The spacing of each element exactly matches the older version’s proportions. The lamp’s glass-paneled housing differs slightly from the past fixtures seen in Montavilla Park. However, not all park lamp posts are of the same vintage, and the new poles lean towards the classic design found in many older parks. In this instance, Montavilla Park’s lamp posts will better match the neighboring parks.

PP&R will continue to replace the light pole in Mt. Tabor Park through May and then work on the remaining two parks. If the project keeps on schedule, crews will install nine new poles at Lair Hill Park in June, with four units replaced at Ladd Circle Park in August. A year after community groups moved to action, residents are seeing the results of their advocacy, just in time for a season of warm summer night strolls. 

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account or you can pay for a full year directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Community, Infrastructure

Lighting Montavilla Park for Safety and Flair

In January, the Public Environment Management Office (PEMO) installed decorative lighting around the Montavilla Park and Community Center at 8219 NE Glisan Street. This work is an extension of the lighting project led by PEMO that illuminated trees on NE Glisan Street and the Jade District last year. The ongoing project intends to improve pedestrian lighting on sidewalks, storefronts, and other public spaces across the city.

Portland lacks sufficient pedestrian-scale lighting across the city, particularly east of the Central City. Most lights along streets focus illumination on the road surface, aiding drivers and leaving pedestrians in the shadows. Street trees that block the sun on summer days can also block city lights at night. The cost to install lamp posts designed for sidewalks everywhere they are needed would exceed the Portland Bureau of Transportation’s entire annual budget. Lights from local businesses help brighten the pedestrian realm, but stores tend to sit back from the street the further east one travels in the city.

Mayor Wheeler established PEMO through an emergency declaration in May 2022 to address cleaning needs and activating public spaces around Portland. Identifying the lack of light as an inhibitor to Portlanders’ willingness to walk the streets at night, the PEMO staff launched the decorative lighting effort ahead of the 2022 holiday season. “This lighting helps boost not only safety but also adds a welcomeness and artistic flair to the surrounding area,” explained John Roble with the Mayor’s Office. In 2023, the program gained a dedicated staff person and added tree lights to NE Glisan Street and the Jade District in Montavilla.

Recently, PEMO expanded its lighting initiatives to St. Johns and Gateway. Additionally, crews have illuminated pedestrian decorative lighting at Dawson Park, Holladay Park, Dishman Community Center, and now Montavilla Park & Community Center. PEMO selected sites through the Problem Solver Network, which works with local business districts, neighborhood associations, and other stakeholders. Montavilla Park is dark at night, and the lack of consistent lighting can make it uninviting. Working with Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) Urban Forestry, PEMO chose to install holiday-style lights around park trees and hang LED Fireworks lamps from the branches. Installers clustered the outdoor lights around the Community Center building and playground.

PEMO’s decorative lighting is an ongoing program that includes funds for installation and ongoing maintenance. Installing this type of lighting is less expensive than permeant lamp post construction and can occur quickly in response to a community’s needs. The lights are on now and visible to everyone passing NE 82nd Avenue and NE Glisan Street. The subtle flicker of the spherical Fireworks lights is best when experienced at night, but people can also appreciate the new decorations in the daytime.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Disclosure: The author of this article is part of the Problem Solver Network and participated in tree lighting efforts on NE Glisan

Demolition, Infrastructure

A Dim Future for Portland Parks

Starting February 22nd, Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) will remove dangerous light poles in twelve City parks, including Montavilla Park. Six of the seventeen light poles at 8219 NE Glisan Street have structural anchoring issues that make them unsafe. These units could pose life and safety hazards to the public. Maintenance teams must remove them immediately, even though the City parks bureau lacks sufficient funds to replace these lights. Affected parks will close at 10:00 p.m. nightly, and Park Rangers will visit locations more frequently at night.

PP&R recently identified 243 poorly anchored light poles after conducting a system-wide review of 1,000 units in City parks. Some lamp posts are over 100 years old. Many of the older cast concrete light poles are not anchored to the ground sufficiently to avoid tipping over if pushed with horizontal force. Last June, one of the older light poles fell on two people in Irving Park after a hammock was illegally attached. 

Mt. Tabor Park also contains 81 lights that fall into the unsafe category. Park crews will replace some light poles over the next 16 months, with Irving Park and Mt. Scott Park receiving priority based on an equity analysis. However, bureau staff are exploring opportunities to maximize the use of remaining lights to keep affected parks as bright as possible. 

Montavilla Park’s gravel center road lined with older lamp poles

PP&R will require additional funding to replace all the unsafe light poles in the park system. bureau leadership has reallocated $5 million from the major maintenance fund to remove the potentially hazardous light poles and begin the partial replacement process, pulling money away from other projects. Portland parks require $600 million of repair and replacement work beyond what the bureau budget covers. PP&R Director Adena Long is working to address this challenge through its Sustainable Future Initiative to align equitable service with available funding.

This lighting reduction is one of multiple budget shortfalls leaving Montavilla Park with fewer amenities. In 2021 demolition crews removed a dilapidated picnic shelter that park officials intended to replace with a new structure. However, lack of funds postponed that project, and the site is now just another grassy field. Expect fewer light poles in the two area parks over the next few months. Until PP&R funding increases, do not anticipate the restoration of the removed lights or shelter at Montavilla Park.

Update: PP&R will now replace all lights and halt removal until new lights are available.

Twelve City parks with light pole removal planned

  • Colonel Summers Park will have 12 of 16 light poles removed
  • Irving Park will have 73 of 78 light poles removed
  • Ladd Circle Park will have 4 of 20 light poles removed
  • Lair Hill Park will have 5 of 9 light poles removed
  • Montavilla Park will have 6 of 17 light poles removed
  • Mt. Scott Park will have 18 of 22 light poles removed
  • Mt. Tabor Park will have 81 of 216 light poles removed
  • Rose City Golf Course will have 1 of 1 light poles removed
  • Sellwood Park will have 17 of 23 light poles removed
  • Sellwood Riverfront Park will have 14 of 17 light poles removed
  • Woodstock Park will have 8 of 25 light poles removed
  • Wallace Park will have 4 of 6 light poles removed

By

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to please consider becoming a paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Community, Event

Staff Needed for Public Pool Reopening

Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) intends to open all seven outdoor pools on June 22nd, including the Montavilla Outdoor Pool at 8219 NE Glisan Street. They will join the four year-round indoor pools already open to the public. Due to ongoing recruitment and hiring struggles, PP&R will only offer aquatics classes at outdoor pools this summer. Based on data from the parks department, this focus will best meet expected demand with reduced staff.

Registration for this summer’s classes and pool activities begins on Monday, June 27th. People are encouraged to signup online at the PP&R website. However, in-person or phone registration is still available. Spaces could fill up soon after registration opens. Staff members will have a waitlist for those who could not secure their preferred offering. Information about classes and other pool activities is available on the PP&R website.

As part of the Parks Local Option Levy, people of color, seniors, teens, households experiencing poverty, immigrants and refugees, and people living with disabilities will have early access to registration. June 20th, eligible community members can inquire about early registration through the Customer Service Center at 503-823-2525. PP&R provides information on the advanced registration process to local community organizations that share those resources with their community members. Interested organizations can email parks.recreation@portlandoregon.gov to register as partners or to learn more.

For the general public seeking classes, registration for programs running from July 25th through September 4th start on June 27th at 12:30 p.m. Registration for September 5th through October 2nd sessions occur on August 8th at 12:30 p.m. Staffing shortages could prolong the registration process over the phone or at a PP&R facility. Parks staff recommend online registration for the best experience.

The reduction in applicants for open Portland Parks department positions mirrors a nationwide employment trend. In a survey by the National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA), 88% of park and recreation agencies indicated they are not fully staffed for lifeguards this summer season. PP&R is actively recruiting staff for the summer. They offer lifeguard certification, swim instructor training, and water fitness instructor training classes year-round to prepare and train staff. People interested in joining the park’s team should view employment opportunities and apply online.

The staffing shortages will limit some instructor-led activities at Portland’s four indoor pools. However, Montavilla’s only aquatic recreation site should run at full capacity this year. Although the Montavilla pool is only rain-filled at the moment, it will spring to life by the month’s end. Then the community can return for another summer filled with pool activities.

By

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to please consider becoming a paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Construction, Demolition

Demolition at Montavilla Park

Two demolition permits for Montavilla Park were recently submitted. Application 20-159559 and 20-159551 seek to demolish the park’s wading pool and picnic structure. Currently, these structures are fenced off.

Mark Ross, Media Relations with Portland Parks & Recreation, explained that this work is in preparation for a replacement picnic structure. “Portland Parks & Recreation must demolish and remove the existing shelter which had become unstable. The bureau plans to replace it with a similarly sized shelter. The wading pool is not functional and cannot be used per State regulations which went into effect some years ago.”

The picnic structure is visible from NE Glisan Street and is adjacent to the children’s play area. This corner of Montavilla Park is dark and uninviting in its current condition. The demolition should clear the way for needed upgrades to the park.

Top photo is courtesy of Portland Parks & Recreation, Portland, OR.