Bird Alliance of Oregon – Montavilla News

On September 17th, demolition crews razed a long-term nuisance structure across NE 82nd Avenue from Leodis V. McDaniel High School, clearing the way for the Bird Alliance of Oregon’s future facility. In late 2024, the nonprofit organization purchased a 12.51-acre property on NE 82nd Avenue to restore much of the land to its native habitat with nature trails and park space for public use, while creating a habitat for the birds in their care.

A sign that reads 'Miniature Golf' is partially obscured by trees, indicating the former location of a mini-golf course.

For decades, this overgrown field was known for the graffiti-covered remnants of a golf driving range built on top of a landfilled quarry. For most passersby, all they observed was an abandoned building at 2806 NE 82nd Avenue, situated next to a tall, grassy field. Hidden inside the overgrown brush was the collapsing structure of a half-moon driving range. Several fires in the former “Pro Shop” administrative building, located off NE 82nd Avenue, further complicated its demolition, necessitating adjustments to address the disposal of materials. However, last month crews completed the removal of this site’s golf past. Future rehabilitation projects will address its former landfill uses.

A cleared field with remnants of a demolished structure, surrounded by trees and a blue sky, near NE 82nd Avenue. — *_{Light pols mark former golf driving range structure}*

The site originally served as a quarry before its owners began filling the hole with discarded material. The Rose City Sand and Gravel company excavated an 80-foot-deep hole in the center of the site during its many years in operation. Around 1972, site owners converted operations to support the H.G. LaVelle landfill. Over the next ten years, they filled the pit with construction debris, including wood products, metals, and rock fragments, comprising approximately 2 million cubic yards of solid waste. Landfill deposits included rubble from the construction of Interstate-205. When the landfill closed in 1982, operators covered the site with a clay cap, installing a landfill gas extraction unit and methane monitoring equipment to treat decomposing organic material. Building a substantial structure over the clay cap takes significant engineering and costs that are impractical. However, the perimeter of the former pit is stable ground, making it suitable for conventional construction.

Debris from a demolished structure piled high in a construction area, with a sign for 'Great Floors' in the background and machinery nearby under a clear blue sky. — *_{Remnants of golf Pro Shop building at 2806 NE 82nd Ave after demolition}*

The Bird Alliance of Oregon intends to cover the clay-capped landfill with several feet of additional soil to support the root structure of native trees and plants. This phase of work will transform the property’s nature and provide a clean slate for habitat restoration. Later stages will involve the installation of solar panels along the property’s southern edge and the eventual development of a Bird Alliance administrative building and wildlife hospital, which the organization plans to build along NE 82nd Avenue.

The renewable energy production at this site is supported by Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF) grants, with additional support from APANO, the Bonneville Environmental Foundation, and the Bird Alliance of Oregon, enabling the installation of a two-acre community solar array on a sloped section of the property. This solar energy collection program will offset utility costs for around 200 low-income community members over the next twenty years and power the Bird Alliance of Oregon’s new Wildlife Care Center on NE 82nd Avenue.

A sunlit view of a sloped, overgrown field with dry grass and scattered trees, showcasing a residential area in the background against a clear blue sky. — *_{Slopped souther edge of property to support two-acre community solar array}*

Area residents can expect to see more site investments around the Bird Alliance of Oregon’s property, starting with securing access and then earth-moving work to support the organization’s planting initiatives. Eventually, the location will become a learning resource for the area’s schoolchildren and a natural retreat for those living in the vicinity of the vast, undeveloped site.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

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The Bird Alliance of Oregon recently completed its purchase of a 12.51-acre property on NE 82nd Avenue across from Leodis V. McDaniel High School. For decades, this overgrown field was known for the graffiti-covered remnants of a golf driving range built on top of a landfilled quarry. Within the next several years, it will become a new wildlife hospital and nature sanctuary for the 122-year-old organization formally known as Portland Audubon.

The organization plans to restore much of the land to its native habitat with nature trails and park space for public use. The site’s proximity to schools and connectivity to the MAX light rail and Portland’s most active bus line made it an ideal location for the Bird Alliance of Oregon to host educational programs and showcase its wildlife viewing opportunities. Portland has limited sites that offer the continuous acres needed for a wildlife hospital and rehabilitation center. The organization operates year-round, providing injured native birds and other wildlife opportunities to return to the wild. This site will support a new building expected to double the floor area of the Bird Alliance’s current Center with the capacity to treat more than 6,000 animals a year. The site’s topography is challenging for any development, and other potential buyers have failed in past attempts to transform it into a large shopping complex.

The Rose City Sand and Gravel company excavated an 80-foot-deep hole in the center of the site during its many years in operation. Around 1972, site owners converted operations to support the H.G. LaVelle landfill. Over the next ten years, they filled the pit with construction debris, including wood products, metals, and rubble, comprising approximately 2 million cubic yards of solid waste. Landfill deposits included rubble from Interstate-205’s construction. When the landfill closed in 1982, operators covered the site with a clay cap, installing a landfill gas extraction unit and methane monitoring equipment to treat decomposing organic material. Building a substantial structure over the clay cap takes significant engineering. However, the perimeter of the former pit is stable ground and suitable for conventional construction.

*_{Former pro-shop building and offices for golf driving range}*

The Bird Alliance of Oregon embraced the site’s past and actively supports the remediation of brownfield sites like this one, bringing them back to productive use. Earlier this year, the group secured a Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF) grant to restore native habitat across the property. They plan to plant hundreds of native trees and create a pollinator habitat underneath and around a two-acre community solar array on the sloped land at the property’s south side. The multiple PCEF grants received by the organization will power the new structures and offset utility costs for around 200 low-income community members while strengthening the urban tree canopy.

The plans for this site align with the Bird Alliance of Oregon’s commitment to climate resiliency and habitat protection. These principles complement the work that started over a decade ago at the adjacent Dharma Rain Zen Center. That group purchased the nearly 14 acres to the east in 2012, restoring it to an urban greenspace with habitat for native plants and animals. They created walking trails open to the community and built several small buildings at the center of their property. Together, these two organizations and Glenhaven Park across the street will preserve a green band in the urban core that will support the surrounding community with accessible natural spaces.

With grant funding available, work could begin next year, clearing old structures. The group plans to add additional soil to the property, giving tree roots the depth needed above the clay landfill cap. Developing new structures on the site will take years and require additional funding. This location will become the Bird Alliance of Oregon’s second Portland metro area site, and they will continue to operate in Northwest Portland along with this planned new facility.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

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