Neighborhood Notes

This October, Portland Parks & Recreation launches ParkFest: Come Play and Have Your Say, a new event combining recreational fun with an exploration of future park programs, services and policies. How do we plan parks? How do we determine what the needs for parks are in your neighborhood? What is Portland’s next “great park?” This fall Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) is hosting a new event to ask the public these questions and more.

Where: University Park Community Center, 9009 N. Foss Ave in North Portland

When: October, 25th, 9am-3pm

Registration: The event and all recreational opportunities are free of charge, but registration is required. Participants can pre-register for the event beginning September 15 online at portlandparks.org or by calling 503.823.PLAY. Childcare and translation services are available when you register.


In addition to workshops and information tables designed to generate discussion about PP&R’s future direction, the event will also feature an array of fun recreational opportunities from climbing walls and tae kwon do to indoor skateboarding and craft classes. There will also be door prizes, entertainment, and complimentary food and refreshments.

“We want to find a fresh, new way to have a dialogue and discussion with the public about the future of their park system,” says Public Involvement Manager Elizabeth Kennedy-Wong. “Do they want active recreational opportunities, like playgrounds and basketball courts, or do they want more natural areas, trails and walking paths? We want the public to tell us how we determine what goes where, especially when we’re looking at limited funding resources.”