Marty Stockton – Montavilla News

On September 6th, Government officials and honored community members gathered in front of Erv Lind Field (Normandale Field) to celebrate its listing on the National Register of Historic Places. This community stadium at NE 57th Ave and Hassalo Street is the only sports facility in Oregon constructed primarily for a women’s sports league team. It served for decades as a gathering space for LGBTQ+ Portlanders during an oppressive period of the City’s history.

The event occurred in the stadium seating area surrounded by the annotated pictures of athletic achievement displayed in “Portland’s Hall of Fame and Honor.” Players with the Rose City Softball Association, Oregon’s largest LGBTQ+ sports organization, provided a backdrop to the scheduled speakers, with the Amateur Softball Association’s six-foot-tall World Champions trophy flanking the podium. The Erv Lind Florists won the national women’s softball championship in 1964, bringing the prize to the home field used by the team since 1948.

_{Left to right: Portland City Commissioner Carmen Rubio, Kristen Minor, U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer, Fern Wilgus, Oregon First Lady Aimee Kotek Wilson, Portland City Commissioner Dan Ryan, and Tim Bias}

The story of the field extends beyond its contribution to gender-inclusive athletic achievements. This location also served as one of the earliest and longest-lasting gathering spaces for LGBTQ+ Portlanders when the City was intolerant of known LGBTQ+ venues and community members. U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer noted that hidden history and the importance of surfacing its significance to the City and nation. “I grew up in Portland, and there’s a back story here that I wasn’t aware of as a kid in this neighborhood,” said Blumenauer. “I’m so pleased that we are making this recognition clear. We’ll have plaques that people can see and savor this significant permanent part of Portland’s history, celebrating it all in its rich diversity. As I’m winding down, with 114 days left until I’m a civilian, it’s been delightful to see the progress we’ve made in terms of historic preservation. We are a national leader in recognizing historic contributions of the LGBTQ community.”

*_{U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer}*

Oregon First Lady Aimee Kotek Wilson expanded on the State’s leadership in recognizing places that supported LGBTQ+ communities. “I’m honored to be here to celebrate the addition of these landmarks to the National Historic Registry and want to thank everybody who made this reality. It brings me incredible joy not only to be Oregon’s First Lady but to be a part of our State’s first LGBT First Family. There was a time in my life where I never thought I would have the choice to be married, yet because of the work of so many people that came before me, I am blessed to be married to one of the first out Lesbian governors in the country. Who also plays a little softball. With the addition of the Erv Lind Field and Crystal Hotel, Portland becomes the proud home to 3 of 30 sites of Queer significance on the National Historic Registry. 10% of the nation’s significant gay historic landmarks are right here in Portland,” said Kotek Wilson. “The contributions from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, nonbinary, and queer community cannot be overstated. From fierce advocacy to rich cultural history. Once again, Oregon is leading the way in protecting underrepresented groups, and [Gov.] Tina [Kotek] and I are so proud to be a part of that.”

Fern Wilgus spoke at the ceremony, representing the many softball players who relied on the community around Erv Lind Field to help them express themselves in a restrictive society. She shared decades of stories about players’ accomplishments and dedication to the second families created around the game. Wilgus explained that while telling her stories, she would still honor the trust that had developed among the softball players of her time, even decades later. “Some of these names are going to be full names because they have passed, and I hope I don’t have thunder hitting me, and some of the names are going to be just first names because a lot of people have not yet come out for one reason or another. I did as soon as I got home and out of the military because I was free at last,” explained Wilgus. She also acknowledged that the league was not fully accepting of people’s true selves with rules that required players to dress feminine and, to Wilgus’s heartfelt disapointment, prevented people of color from participating. However, looking back at the transformation and support enabled by Erv Lind Field and the softball players drawn to that place, Fern Wilgus feels her dreams were realized.

Portland City Commissioner Carmen Rubio helped usher in this recognition with a funding package focused on equitable historic preservation. “With those resources, the staff at the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, specifically Cayla McGrail, have spent years working to document LGBTQIA+ historic sites across Portland. Erv Lind Field is more than deserving of that designation,” said Rubio. “Immediately after the inauguration, 44,000 fans came to this field to watch the Amateur Softball Association World Championship women’s softball tournament in 1948. In the years after its inauguration, this field became a place of camaraderie and community for softball players and fans alike.” Portland Parks and Recreation Director Adena Long noted the contribution of historian Kristen Minor in preparing the National Register nomination, along with the contribution of Parks staff Brett Horner and Marty Stockton.

Portland Commissioner Dan Ryan summarized with humor and excitement the importance of landmarks like Erv Lind Field, which have shaped Portland into the more accepting community it has become. “Just this week, under the category of, ‘No kidding,’ there was an article that said this City has the most lesbian couples of any city in the nation. As a safe and welcoming place for lesbian, bisexual, and queer women, Erv Lind Field opened the door to this City that we have today,” said Ryan.

*_{Portland City Commissioner Dan Ryan}*

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Commissioner Carmen Rubio is running for Portland Mayor and Commissioner Dan Ryan is running for Portland City Council in District 2. Montavilla News does not endorse candidates, ballot measures, or government initiatives.

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As a neighborhood whose boundary is set by two freeways and is crisscrossed by major streets, Montavilla is defined by roads. 82nd Avenue has acted as an important bisecting line of the neighborhood for over 100 years. In 2019, 82nd Ave was the focus for both the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) and the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT). The city sees it as an emerging Civic Corridor, and has adopted two plans to address deficiencies in the roadway.

Unlike all our other streets in Montavilla, 82nd Avenue is not currently maintained by the City of Portland. The heavily used roadway is instead an Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) highway and is under that department’s ownership. Many of the changes we will be seeing on 82nd Ave will be in support of an effort underway to transfer ownership of 82nd Ave (OR 213) from ODOT to the City of Portland.

Passed in May 2019, the 82nd Avenue Plan has enhanced pedestrian and bicycle crossings, increased lighting, and traffic signal changes. In addition, enhanced transit priority and bus stop improvements are recommended along 82nd Ave. These changes have the goal to improve the reliability, speed, and capacity of TriMet bus line 72.

In the 82nd Avenue Study, completed last year, the BPS identified infrastructure barriers to development. In addition to some zoning and social barriers, the lack of safe crossing and walkable sidewalks is a major issue along 82nd Avenue. The 82nd Avenue Plan seeks to address this by increasing the public right-of-way from each side of the center line of NE and SE 82nd Ave. New construction would need to provide a setback of 45 feet from the center of 82nd Avenue, or a minimum of 12 feet behind the existing curb line, whichever is greater. This would create 12 foot sidewalk corridors with a 6 feet maintained clear for pedestrians.

Beyond the new increased right-of-way along 82nd Avenue, special Pedestrian Districts will be created to support greater walkability in certain areas. The Montavilla Pedestrian District is centered around Stark street.

Pedestrian District minimums are increased to provide 15 foot wide sidewalk, with 8 feet reserved for pedestrian access. The Remming 7 feet are used for tree buffer and utility equipment along the street edge and a shop frontage buffer.

This interactive map shows where sidewalks will be widened and the property setback required now. Marty Stockton, with the Transportation Planning Coordination / Comprehensive and Strategic Planning for BPS, outlined the two scenarios that will trigger building of these new sidewalks. Speaking via email, Stockton said capital improvements projects by either the City or ODOT would rebuild sidwalkes to these news standards. Secondly, redevelopment that is significant enough to trigger dedication and improvements would also require rebuilding sidewalks to these new standards. Stockton clarified, “it’s highly possible that a property could build an addition or tenant improvement permit that wouldn’t trigger the right-of-way dedication and related improvements.”

In most instances, residents or Montavilla will not see our sidwals transform overnight. These changes will be seen block by block and sporadically over many years. The work is dependent on roadwork projects and private investment in our neighborhood. However, it is through these changes that Portland can incentivise pedestrian friendly development in our area. It demonstrates a collective faith that 82nd Avenue will grow into a Civic Corridor, warranting investment and development.