Hopefully, if you’re ever looking for Gateway Green, Portland’s first mountain-bike park, or the I-205 Multi-Use Path, you won’t have trouble finding them. The last batch of wayfinding signage was been installed to help east Portland residents wander in the right direction. Previously, it was believed the sites were too easy to miss.

This project is funded by a $5,000 PeopleForBikes grant, which was awarded Oct. 2 (“Friends of Gateway Green scores grant,” MCM November 2017).

As previously reported (“Gateway Green receives wayfinding signage,” MCM January 2018), a collaboration between Friends of Gateway Green and the design team of Propel Studio unleashed a first set of wayfinding signage back in January. On Feb. 11, the remaining signs debuted. “We had 80 signs made,” says Linda Robinson, co-chair of the nonprofit Gateway Green, which opened last June. “We installed at least 25 during the first event, and another 50 [on Feb. 11]. We have five left over. There are places we could put up a few more, but the arrows on the remaining ones point the wrong direction. We had 10 volunteers the first time, and 12 volunteers the second time.”

On Feb. 24, Friends of Gateway Green again enlisted volunteers to plant more than 200 native plant seedlings in the ground around Gateway Green. Some species finding new homes included sword ferns, snowberries and vine maples in the relatively flat wooded section at the north end of the woods. The event was originally planned for Feb. 19 but was rescheduled at the last minute.

In other Gateway news, there are other things planned for planting in Gateway by mid-March: trash cans. As part of a Street Furnishings grant—written by Tom Badrick, chair of the Parkrose Heights Association of Neighbors—seven trash cans and seven benches will be coming to various locations around town. They are being funded by Prosper Portland.

“One will go in at Northwest Flyfishing Outfitters (10910 N.E. Halsey St.), one at IRCO, (10301 N.E.

Glisan St.), and one at Atomic Auto (610 N.E. 102nd Ave.),” says Badrick. “Several are destined for the East Island 1017 N.E. 117th Ave., but they won’t get installed right now.”

Along with the trash cans, seven benches have also been ordered. However, Badrick has had issues keeping track of them. “I haven’t heard back about the benches. I care less about when they’ll be installed and more about hearing ‘start.’ Northwest Flyfishing Outfitters doesn’t want one, but I’m putting two in at Atomic. Everybody is volunteering to manage the cans and benches, so they get to choose what they want.”

Badrick has also been instrumental in the potential redesign for “Windscape” at the traffic jug handle at Northeast Weidler Street and 102nd Avenue. Badrick adds that a second open house for the project is in the works, most likely set for April, due to a large amount of community interest stemming from the first open house in January (“Updates to ‘Windscape’ roundabout draw strong reactions,” MCM February 2018).

“We collected all the feedback from the first open house, mostly phone calls, and we want to apply the feedback in revising the designs,” says Badrick. “We’re not going to try and make it the monument that everybody drives to and gets out of their car. We’re going to try to make it attractive and appealing without being a destination. But everybody who did share their opinion, we listened, and we’re modifying [designs] based on their opinions. People in Gateway don’t think the city is listening to them, but I am listening,” he said. Give him your feedback: 971-325-9727.

By next month’s issue, the open house date should be etched in stone. In the meantime, learn more about Friends of Gateway Green and its various community volunteer opportunities via its Facebook page, facebook.com/friendsofgatewaygreen.   n