 News media contact:
Dylan Rivera
Portland Bureau of Transportation
(503) 577-7534
dylan.rivera@portlandoregon.gov
@pbotinfo
News Release:
Outer Northeast
Sunday Parkways and the WALK with Refugees and Immigrants celebrate New Portlanders, the diversity of Portland and
the importance of community
(Aug. 15, 2018) Portland Sunday Parkways presented by Kaiser
Permanente launches its fourth event of the season on Aug. 19 with a return
to Outer Northeast Portland. This 7-mile traffic-free, family-friendly route
takes riders, runners, rollers and walkers on a tour of East Holladay, Thompson
City and Knott City Parks and introduces the newly opened Gateway Discovery
Park. Through this event, everyone is invited to the Gateway area to try out
e-scooters, grab a bite to eat, try out Zumba and collect their fourth
neighborhood decal from the popular Kaiser Permanente Sticker Hunt.
 In
keeping with the Portland Bureau of Transportation and Sunday Parkways’ ongoing
partnership with Portland Parks & Recreations’ Parks for New Portlanders, Sunday Parkways will co-host the second annual WALK with Refugees and
Immigrants. This year the WALK falls on World Humanitarian Day, and participants
include Mayor Ted Wheeler, Commissioner Amanda Fritz, Commissioner Chloe Eudaly
and Ruth Williams-Brinkley, the president of Sunday Parkways’ presenting
sponsor Kaiser Permanente Northwest.
The
celebratory one-mile permitted walk will gather community members and elected
leaders at 11 a.m. at Gateway Discovery Park and will conclude at Knott City
Park at approximately 12:15 p.m. During the walk, traffic between Gateway
Discovery Park and Knott City Park will be one-way on the Sunday Parkways route, with thousands of people walking. Participants who will not
participate in the walk are encouraged to travel counter clockwise moving from
Gateway Discovery Park towards East Holladay Park between 11:30 a.m. – 12:30
p.m. The WALK is open to the public and encourages all neighbors, faith-based
organizations, local businesses, neighborhood associations, and nonprofits to
join with its purpose to inspire a more compassionate, generous and welcoming
Portland.
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“This Sunday, I’m proud to walk in
solidarity with our immigrant and refugee communities to honor the rich
diversity they bring to the fabric our neighborhoods,” said Ruth
Williams-Brinkley, president, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals of
the Northwest. “Portland is one of the Top 10 destinations for immigrants and
refugees from across the globe. I am walking to embrace the spirit of diversity
and inclusion that we hope defines our city and our nation, which was built by
immigrants who came here to enjoy, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
“Once
again, Sunday Parkways is bringing together all the things that Portland does best:
Celebrating community, exploring neighborhoods and green spaces, and
discovering new routes, bikeways and businesses that connect us all,” said
Transportation Commissioner Dan Saltzman. “With so many infrastructure projects
slated for Outer Northeast in the next three years, you’ll be sure to discover
new and exciting improvements on your rides for years to come.”
In
addition to introducing a new park, electric scooters will make their debut at
this month’s Sunday Parkways. During the event, e-scooter riders will be
expected to follow state and city laws at Sunday Parkways - including wearing a helmet
while operating the e-scooter and not riding on sidewalks or in
City parks. Bird and Lime will set up next to Gateway Discovery Park and
offer free helmets and demos of the new e-scooters.
This
weekend’s Sunday Parkways will highlight several of PBOT’s upcoming
infrastructure projects aimed at improving safety, access to transit, and
bicycle connectivity. These projects, a combined investment of $21 million over
the next three years, are expected to improve access to jobs, transit,
education and economic opportunity. These projects include: Halsey-Weidler
Streetscape Project, Holladay-Oregon-Pacific (HOP) Neighborhood Greenway, 100s
Neighborhood Greenway, 130s Neighborhood Greenway, and Outer Halsey Safety
Improvements. Sunday Parkways is one of many engagement strategies PBOT is
employing in this historically underinvested area to provide greater multimodal
access for neighbors. Learn more about the work on PBOT’s Gateway to
Opportunity website.
Save the
Dates for Sunday Parkways 2018:
- Outer
Northeast Portland Sunday Parkways - August 19
- Northeast
Portland Sunday Parkways - September 23
For
maps and more information, visit PortlandSundayParkways.org or call 503-823-7599. Follow us on Facebook
at PortlandSundayParkways and on Twitter @Sunday Parkways.
About Sunday Parkways
Portland Sunday Parkways, presented by Kaiser Permanente, is a series of free
community events opening the city's largest public space—its streets—for people
to walk, bike, roll and discover active transportation. The events are beloved
by Portlanders of all ages. Total attendance to date has been 889,035 over 44
Sunday Parkways events. Residents and visitors say they come to enjoy the
traffic-free streets connecting parks and schools filled with activities, music
and vendors. It’s safe, family-friendly and a chance to meet neighbors.
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The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) is the steward of the City’s transportation system, and a community partner in shaping a livable city. We plan, build, manage and maintain an effective and safe transportation system that provides access and mobility. Learn more at www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation
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