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John Branam: Strong Values, Bold Leadership

[photo: American flag on wall]

Parks and Recreation

Portland is a smorgasbord of outdoor delights. One hour west are unspoiled ocean beaches. An hour in the other direction is beautiful Mount Hood, which is a winter playground six months of the year and in the summer is freckled with mountain lakes. Nearer to home, the Willamette River, in spite of its challenges, is a defining feature for our city and we are home to the largest (and, yes, smallest) urban parks in the nation.

As a city commissioner, I am excited to preserve these outdoor treasures. They are essential to our quality of life. Our park system is also a living testament to our shared values and acute sense of stewardship. I believe that we can be a model for the nation for preserving greenspaces as well as promoting lifestyles that balance urban lifestyles and environmental stewardship.

[photo: child playing in park]

The City’s Parks and Recreation Bureau has done a remarkable job. Our parks are gems. They are integral to our residents’ lives. On any given summer weekend, they host basketball, soccer, softball, kickball and ultimate frisbee games as well as sunbathers, readers and dog-owners. They are remarkable public spaces.

That said, I am looking forward to encouraging specific initiatives which will continue to improve and protect our park system and shared outdoors:

Beyond specific initiatives for the city’s park, I will also encourage a broad plan to address other environmental concerns. Groups like Friends of Trees do a remarkable job increasing the city’s foliage and canopy; these are important steps towards restoring our air quality.

We also have a lot of work ahead of us to cleanup our waterways. The Willamette River remains one of the most polluted rivers in the nation. Over the past few years, there have been several important projects that promise to increase access to the river. These are important steps towards improving citizens’ sense of stewardship over the river.

Most notable is the Holman Building, a four story warehouse nestled under the Hawthorne Bridge, which was converted to shared office space and public boathouse. In 2005, a public dock was installed and several canoe clubs, rowing teams and kayak programs moved into the space. All offer the public opportunities for canoeing, kayaking and rowing. These need to be better promoted.

Moreover, in spite of the promised public nature of the building, Portland Development Commission has retired much of its control over this building to a private entity and, as such, many boaters worry that they will be priced out of the storage space. City Council must watchdog these developments and retain the city’s only public boathouse.

Recently, the city also was presented with a remarkable opportunity to improve access and use of the Willamette River. At long last, Dr. Robert Pamplin restored partial ownership of Ross Island to the City. How this unique space is utilized is vital to the future of the Willamette River. Properly handling community discussions about the best use for this gem will be essential to encouraging community ownership over its future.

The City also can greatly reduce pollution into our rivers by taking measures to minimize oil and pesticide runoff into our waterways. Chicago, for example, has undertaken a program to replace its alleyways and new roadways with permanable surfaces. Portland should consider implementing a similar plan.

We live in a remarkably rich environment. It is our responsibility to preserve and protect it. As your city councilor, I pledge to take initiatives to do so.

Read more of John's thoughts on these and other issues.

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