Friends of Pier Park

Friends of Pier Park is a 501(c)(3 ) non-profit that advocates for and enhances our 75-acre North Portland park

Friends of Pier Park

2019 Year-End Report

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Woo Hoo! Has it really been over 15 years? Why, yes it has.

Friends of Pier Park was rekindled in 2005 when we were fighting to keep Pier Pool open. But, it was started before then. Anyway, 2019 was another banner year for Pier Park.

Steve Davis planting a native tree at Pier Park
Steve Davis, Chair of Friends of Pier Park, planting a native tree during the No Ivy Day event.

Thank You

We want to say thank you to Allison Parker, Parks Services Supervisor for the North Service Zone, who works with tirelessly Friends of Pier Park, attends and reports at most of our meetings, shows up for every big volunteer event, and advocates to her higherups on behalf of Pier Park. Allison is outstanding!

We also want to thank Dave Blado, also with Portland Parks, who is responsible for bringing in new native plants and helping make Pier Park beautiful.

Volunteers gathering before the No Ivy Day event
Volunteers gather before No Ivy Day. Allison Parker is on the far right. Dave Blado stands next to her.

2019 Year-End Report

Accomplishments:

  • Installation of the new restrooms by hole #1 of the disc golf course. This one was a long time coming. We’ve been lobbying City Hall for new bathrooms at Pier Park for over five years. See this post from 2015 showing Pier Park’s “Tin Palace” compared to restrooms at other Portland Parks, Pier Park Restrooms Need and Upgrade.
  • 420 Earth Day Pier Park Pick-Up — April 20, 2019, was Earth Day and the day of our annual SOLVE-IT event. Over 50 volunteers came out, including volunteers from Roosevelt High School, Schnitzer Steel, and Stumptown Disc Golf. Work included removing invasive ivy and blackberries. See the full report in this post, Earth Day Success.
  • No Ivy Day — October 26, 2019, was our best No Ivy Day yet. Disc Golf volunteers worked to improve the course by adding tree protection and gravel to the paths and tee pads while other volunteers planted native trees and shrubs in areas formerly overrun with invasive plants.
  • Playground Improvements — As part of the 2014 Parks Replacement Bond, the Pier Park playground got repairs to the drainage, new wood chips, and fabric underlayment. Ongoing work into 2020 includes an ADA path. Read Temporary Closure of Pier Park Playground for details.
  • Finances — We thank our volunteers and also our donors! Friends of Pier Park is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and donations are deductible. We ended the year with $5,531 funds available to leverage grants, improve the disc golf course, and much more!
  • November Meeting/Party and Board Elections — Yes, we like to have fun! On November 18, 2019, we met for a potluck and to elect our 2020 board. Our new board of directors includes Steve Davis, Chair; Kelly Pergande, Vice-Chair; Collette Peck, Secretary; and Keola Morley, Treasurer. We thank our retiring Chair, Matt Kuntz, for his years of service to Friends of Pier Park.

Enjoy Pictures from 2019

The New Restroom

The line for the new toilet during No Ivy Day and a cross country meet
The line for the new restroom during No Ivy Day, which coincided with a Pier Park cross country meet.

Earth Day Pier Park Pick-Up

  • Volunteers gathering before the Pier Park Pick-Up
    Volunteers gather for instructions from Parks staff
  • Volunteers from Roosevelt HS
    Volunteers from Roosevelt
  • Schnitzer Steel volunteers
    Volunteers from Schnitzer Steel.
  • Stumptown Disc Golf
    Volunteers in back row include Steve Davis, 2020 Chair, and Matt Kuntz, Past Chair.

No Ivy Day

  • Disc Golf volunteer repairing a disc pad
    Stumptown Disc Golf volunteers adding gravel to a tee pad.
  • No Ivy Day tree protection
    Disc Golf volunteers adding tree protection to a young tree.

November Party and Board Elections

  • 2020 Board of Directors
    Board of Directors, Keola Morley, Kelly Pergande, Steve Davis, and Collette Peck
  • Friends of Pier Park holiday party
    Friends of Pier Park folks at the annual party potluck.

Upcoming in 2020

Friends of Pier Parks meets January – October on the third Monday at 6:30 p.m. at Stormbreakers Brewing on North Lombard Street. Check the website events page for details. All are welcome.

Support Friends of Pier Park

If you want to volunteer, donate, or have services to offer, check this link. We want to hear from you!

Temporary Closure of Pier Park Playground

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Pier Park Playground showing standing water.
The playground at Pier Park during the autumn rains.

Drainage repair work will begin around September 24 at Pier Park’s playground, near NE James Street and N Bruce Avenue. This work is funded by the 2014 Parks Replacement Bond. Work will include full removal of all wood chips and fabric, drainage repairs, and replacement of the wood chips and fabric. This will help keep the area drier during our rainy winter months.

During this work, the entire playground area will be closed, approximately September 24th – October 22nd.

Portland Parks wants to thank you for your patience while they improve Pier Park. They expect work to be completed around October 22. (Please note the construction schedule may change due to weather, etc.)

More info about the Bond Drainage Repairs here: portlandoregon.gov/parks/76593\.

Volunteer Opportunity 4/20

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Mark your calendars, we have a volunteer opportunity coming up on SATURDAY, APRIL 20th, 2019  FROM 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM in honor of Earth Day.
 
Since 2007 Friends of Pier Park has hosted the annual Pier Park Pick-Up to help with litter cleanup and invasive plant removal at Pier Park. Some years Stumptown Disc Golf also turns out and, together, we help build new paths or make other repairs on the popular disc golf course.

To get us started in the morning, Starbucks is donating coffee and tea. We will also have pastries and healthy treats from New Seasons. At noon we will host a barbecue for all volunteers.

Itinerary:
9:00am-12:00pm park clean up
12:00pm- 1:00pm barbecue for participants

Wear your work boots as the ground can be slippery and muddy. Dress for cool weather and remember it can be colder under the Pier Park tree canopy than you might expect. Bring gardening gloves. Be prepared to work, socialize with neighbors, and leave knowing you have done your part to improve Pier Park. Kids welcome!

Sign up using the link or just stop by!

FoPP Merchandise Sale

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We are having an FoPP Merchandise Sale all month long! All merchandise is 50% until March 1st. If you have yet to purchase your swag, this is the time. All the proceeds go to maintaining and enhancing the park. Head on over to our shop page to place your order. Merchandise can be picked up at any FoPP board meeting. Mini Marker Discs are now $2.50, tote bags are $7.50 and hats are now $10. What type of products would you like to see next? Let us know!

 

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Happy Thanksgiving

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Happy Thanksgiving from Friends of Pier Park. As the year comes to an end, we get to reflect on all things that we are grateful. Here are snippets of what some of your community members are thankful for. 

Matt Kuntz, Chair : I am thankful for all the trees in the park and for Dave who has made the park more natural, like a forest park.

Kelly Pergande, Vice Chair : I am thankful for the St. John’s community and for all the support; being able to walk around and see neighbors is great.

Keola Morley, Treasurer : I am thankful for the community and everyone who puts their heart and soul into making St. Johns a community.

Steve Davis, Secretary : I am thankful for all the volunteers who come to park days and volunteer.

Sammy McGath, Technology Officer : I am thankful for friends and family, and that I’ll have the opportunity to visit my sister in Thailand this Christmas.

Mary Ann Aschenbrenner, Historian : I am thankful for Friends of Pier Park and how we were able to protect Pier Pool. I am also thankful that I’ve known Keola Morley since 2005.

Allison Parker, PP&R : I am thankful for Friends of Pier Park. It is a very easy and fun group to work with.

Liz Davis, Community Member : I am thankful for family and community. I really wanted to be apart of a community and was very welcomed into St. John’s and into Friends of Pier Park.

Chris, Community Member : I am thankful for dogs.

Jesse Ackles, Community Member : I am thankful for all our neighbors and mutual people who love Pier Park. I am also thankful for dogs. (If anyone knows any dogs who are needing a good home, Jesse is looking for personal recommendations; jesse.ackles@gmail.com )

What are you thankful for this year?

 

Plants Found at Pier Park

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Do you ever wonder what type of plants you can find at Pier Park? Well, here is a list of the plants you may see around! All of these specimens were planted on October 27th, 2018 thanks to our generous No Ivy Day volunteers. 

Plant NameQtyType
Acer circinatum ‘Monroe’9.00 Maple Native 
Vaccinium ovatum9.00 Flowering Shrub 
Vaccinium parvifolium9.00 Red Huckleberry 
Oemleria cerasiformis5.00 Indian Plum 
Philadelphis lewisii3.00 Lewis’ Mock Orange 
Mahonia nervosa21.00 Cascase Barberry 
Gaultheria shallon15.00 Leathery-leaved Shrub 
Garrya elliptica3.00 Silk Tassel Bush 
Blechnum spicant15.00 Deer Fern 
Polystichum munitum50.00 Western Sword Fern 
Ribes sanguinem ‘King Edward vii7.00 Pinkish-Red Shurb 

Can you guess what plant this is?

What plants would you like to see at Pier Park?