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

Pier Park Pick-Up

Earth Day Success

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Thank you to all our volunteers that made Earth Day 2019 such a a success! Over 50 volunteers from Roosevelt High School, Schnitzer Steel, and Stumptown Disc Golf, along with the Friends of Pier Park regulars, all pitched in to help improve Pier Park.

In this short video, Portland Parks employee Dave Blado introduces volunteers to the day’s work.

Thank You To Our Sponsors

The Pier Park Pick-Up is a part of Oregon’s annual SOLVE-IT event where hundreds of volunteers participate in events across the State, cleaning up dozens of sites: removing graffiti, invasive plants, and garbage.

This year we are thanking New Seasons and Waterlink Web, who donated healthy treats and donuts, and Starbucks for donating coffee and tea.

Enjoy the attached gallery of pictures from the event.

  • Roosevelt High School Volunteers
  • Schnitzer Steel volunteers
  • Stumptown Disc Golf Volunteers
  • Pile of ivy and the crew that pulled it
  • Part of the ivy pulling crew with one of the many piles of invasive plants.

No Ivy Day on October 27th

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This year Friends of Pier Park is participating in No Ivy Day on October 27th, hosted by Portland Parks & Recreation. The legacy of invasive English ivy removal in Portland is celebrating their 15th year!

Join Portland Parks & Recreation and Friends of Pier Park in removing invasive non-native species as well as beautification projects around the park and the disc golf course. This event is family friendly, but children must be accompanied by an adult. Please dress for the weather, wear sturdy closed-toed shoes, and bring a water bottle. Instructions, tools, gloves, water, coffee/tea and snacks provided.

To volunteer, please register using the link provided below.

 

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Pier Park Pick-Up 2016 Recap

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Pier Park Pick-Up 2016 volunteers pose for the group phto.
Pier Park Pick-Up 2016 volunteers pose for the group photo.

April 23rd was the perfect day for the annual Pier Park Pick-Up. Volunteers from the disc golf community, New Seasons, TriMet, Community Inspired Professionals, and SOLVE came out. In all, 26 adults and six youth participated, clearing a 1/4 acres of blackberries and ivy and removing 15 bags of trash.

Healthy treats and coffee were donated by New Seasons and Starbucks. Volunteers also enjoyed Tulip Pastry donuts.

Along with the invasive plant and litter removal work, volunteers built a trail for disc golfers between holes 7 and 8 and stairs from an apartment complex to make access to Pier Park easier. For volunteers who wanted to paint there was an additional project – 40 picnic tables were painted and refurbished just in time for warm weather parties and reunions.

The most interesting pieces of litter found were two canisters of paintballs!

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Do Something Good for Earth Day

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Couple kissing at the Pier Park Pick-Up
#1 reason to volunteer at the Pier Park Pick-Up: It makes you hotter! Here young women vie for the attention of one volunteer and disc golfer.

On Saturday, April 23rd, join Friends of Pier Park, volunteers from the neighborhood, disc golf players, and many others to improve pathways through Pier Park, protect trees from errant discs, remove invasive plants, clear the tennis courts, etc.

We will have delicious donuts from Tulip Pastry Shop, coffee from Starbucks, and plenty of smiles!

Fun begins at 9:00 am at the turnaround on N Bruce and James Street. We should wrap-up at 12:30 or 1:00 pm.

Please enjoy these pictures from the 2015 Pier Park Pick-Up!

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Rewards of Consistency

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When we first imagined the Pier Park Pick-Up we knew it would take more than our ragtag board of volunteers to tackle the invasive ivy that covered the hillside along one sheltered valley and was established at the north end of the park as well. We knew we needed help.

The encroaching ivy was a threat to the native understory of ferns, wood violets and trilliums, a threat that could eventually rise to choke the Douglas firs that dominate the Park. One member suggested we call SOLVE to get help. SOLVE staff suggested we schedule our event to coincide with the SOLVE IT Earth Day event sponsored by Portland General Electric.

It was a brilliant suggestion. Over the past six years that we have pulled ivy, blackberries, holly and even Japanese knotweed, it has always been with the help of volunteers from companies across Portland. One year it was Boeing who showed up with 50 volunteers including spouses and children. This year it was a law firm, Perkins Coie, who arrived early and prepared with gloves and tools.

Along with our own volunteers and the support of Portland Parks staff I am proud to say that we have beaten back the ivy and the blackberries are at bay. The knotweed is nowhere to be seen and the holly starts that came up over the past year are removed. In fact, even the amount of litter picked up seems to decline each year.

This is the reward of consistency. In North Portland, in a neighborhood park that features a Sequoia grove and a forest of Douglas Fir, the ivy that is taking over so many of our public forests is virtually gone. Thank you SOLVE. Thank you to the hundreds of volunteers who have come out over the years to Pier Park for the annual SOLVE IT event. You have made a difference!Volunteers at the 2014 Pier Park Pick-Up

Chimney/Pier Park Bridge Project meeting April 24th

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Portland Parks and Recreation is hosting this meeting on Wednesday, April 24th, 6:30 – 8:00 pm at the St. Johns Community Center.

This is your chance to understand how construction of the pedestrian/bike bridge will impact access to and use of both Chimney and Pier Parks from April 2013 to November 2013.

Construction impacts may include:

  • Temporary loss of access to park areas
  • Realignment of disc golf course
  • Reduced size of off-leash area.

Friends of Pier Park board has cancelled the April FoPP meeting because several board members are unavailable to attend on April 16th. In addition, we want you to come to the Pier Park Pick-Up on April 20th and to attend the meeting listed above. The next Friends of Pier Park meeting will be Tuesday, May 21st.