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Mill Park has been transformed into a vibrant community hub with a state-of-the-art playground, splash pad, community garden, picnic shelter, and many other amenities. Portland Parks & Recreation planted 74 new trees to complement the mature trees already thriving at the site in East Portland. Portland artist Alex Chiu created the park's public art by weaving neighborhood voices into the design (pictured above). And a newly relocated bus stop will help improve access to this community centerpiece, thanks to collaboration with the Portland Bureau of Transportation and TriMet.
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"There’s something for everybody”
Meet Steve Pixley, volunteer program coordinator for Portland Parks & Recreation
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Photo caption: Steve Pixley is a veteran of almost 30 years with the City of Portland. He oversees the popular Portland Parks & Recreation volunteer program, a series of opportunities which helps about 15,000 people give back to our community.
They say good neighbors are the riches of the city. No one knows that better than Steve Pixley. As the coordinator of Portland Parks & Recreation volunteer program, he oversees roughly 15,000 volunteers who show up in Portland’s parks to give back to the community and make Portland a better place.
Those volunteers work on a wide range of activities, from coaching youth volleyball in community centers to pruning roses in Washington Park to removing invasive plants in Forest Park to tutoring math in local schools.
It takes a lot of organization to make the program fly. Pixley works with dozens of PP&R employees who plan the projects, provide the tools, guide the work, and help volunteers make the most of their time.
What kinds of things do PP&R volunteers do? We have the best volunteer program in the region, because we have great professionals leading volunteers. They are the real volunteer managers who keep people coming back, I just support their efforts. We have such a wide range of opportunities. We had 300 people who reconstructed pitchers’ mounds out of clay brick. We have 320 volunteers coaching basketball for around 2,000 kids. We have people coaching soccer, people teaching arts and crafts, and people teaching carpentry. We have people working on restoring natural areas so salmon can swim up Crystal Springs Creek and eagles can fly around downtown.
What’s the most surprising opportunity? I’m pretty sure we’re the only city in the nation that has volunteers who maintain and drive vintage steam locomotives. The city owns three locomotives and the Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation takes care of them for us.
What’s the hardest thing to recruit volunteers for? It’s not so much about the work, it’s about the time they’re available. Lots of people are willing to do homework tutoring, but we need them on weekday afternoons from 2 to 4pm when the kids get out of school. That’s a pretty tight window. So it’s really about filling a niche in a window of opportunity. There’s something for everybody.
What do you like about your job? I’ve been doing this for 29 years. I get to work with people all over the city. I work with people who want to volunteer. They are great people. I’ve made hundreds, maybe even thousands of friends. And the thing that keeps me going is, when my phone rings, the person on the other end isn’t calling to complain. They’re calling to say, “How can I help?” And that really makes my job easy.
Why do people volunteer? Volunteering means different things for different people. Some folks just want to give back to the community. Some want to learn a new skill. Some want to share a skill they have, and teach somebody something they’ve been doing all their life. Most people enjoy the social aspect—getting out and making new friends.
Can you give us an example from your own life? Well, I love to coach. I loved coaching my kids when they were younger. I coached Little League and basketball. Then they got older and they got too good for me—too fast for me! So I continued to coach lacrosse with younger kids for several years. It gives you a feeling of accomplishment. It makes me feel younger. It’s just a blast.
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Resources and engagement opportunities |
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Multilingual resources are available for when winter weather is in the forecast. We want all Portlanders to get home safe in severe weather and ensure multilingual Portlanders have the same access to critical information. This season, Portland Bureau of Transportation has updated resources, along with snow and ice travel tips in English and 9 additional languages.
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The Portland Office of Violence Prevention is accepting applications for the 2025 Spring Break Youth Safety Initiative Grant to help reduce gun violence through collaborative community-based prevention efforts during Spring Break (March 22-30).
Deadline to apply is February 13, 2025, at 5 p.m.
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Environmental Services has sewer, stormwater, and watershed restoration projects throughout the city. Stay informed about an individual construction project or all projects in your neighborhood by signing up for updates.
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Join Community Organizations Active in Disaster for a winter preparedness presentation. We are excited to have the Community Energy Project share tips on how to keep our homes warm while saving energy. Please invite your family and friends to attend this free event.
Virtual meeting on Tuesday, February 4, 3-4 p.m.
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Meetings and Ongoing Opportunities
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entry Outreach Centers operate the Bybee Lakes Hope Center facility, which opened in October 2020, providing transitional housing and other services to the most vulnerable. Read more below about Mayor Keith Wilson's pilot program that adds 50 addiction recovery, 24-hour shelter beds at the center.
Thanks to a grant from the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF) and the work of the nonprofit Forth, two ADA accessible electric shuttle buses and 30 sturdy electric bikes will now get residents where they need to go.
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Portland's homelessness problem is "the biggest humanitarian crisis our city has ever faced," says Mayor Keith Wilson. He has an ambitious plan to end unsheltered homelessness, focused on two key initiatives: more overnight shelters and more day centers. Wilson outlined his strategy in a recent work session with Portland City Council.
As part of his proposed plan to end unsheltered homelessness in our city, Portland Mayor Keith Wilson today announced the addition of 50 beds to the Bybee Lakes Hope Center facility. These 24-hour shelter beds will serve homeless individuals recovering from substance use disorder with wraparound services, including transportation.
Last week, Environmental Services, Portland's sewer and stormwater utility reached a milestone: one full year without a combined sewer overflow into the Willamette River. By reducing combined sewer overflows, the Big Pipe Project has revitalized river recreation in Portland. With a significant drop in combined sewage came a reduction in E. coli bacteria – a major health concern and long-time barrier for river recreation. Today, the river's water quality is safe for recreation most days throughout the year, and swimming, kayaking, and paddle boarding have become commonplace.
The city develops a legislative agenda to help identify shared priorities for Mayor Keith Wilson and the City Council and guide its work with the state legislature. The legislative agenda allows the city to speak with one voice on a host of critical issues ranging from housing and homelessness to infrastructure and more.
Following nearly 18 hours at the bargaining table Wednesday, the City of Portland and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) reached a tentative agreement – averting a potential strike. Bargaining teams for both sides are finalizing the details and final cost figures, which AFSCME members and the Portland City Council will need to vote on. More details will be released when they are available.
Fire veteran AJ Jackson will lead the bureau starting March 4, replacing retiring Chief Ryan Gillespie.
Mayor Keith Wilson recommends keeping Michael Jordan as City Administrator and Robert Taylor as City Attorney. The Portland City Council will vote Wednesday on both appointments.
City Administrator Michael Jordan reaffirmed Portland’s core values in a memo to City employees last week, as a series of executive orders, directives, and initiatives from the presidential administration created confusion around the nation.
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The 10th annual Winter Light Festival runs from February 7 - 15. Explore the Electric Blocks (pictured above), a dazzling display of light art, interactive installations, the Silent Disco and food carts in Southeast Portland. The festival attracts thousands of visitors and features captivating light installations and performances across the city. This year, four public plazas will host Winter Light installations and performances, adding more life to Portland Bureau of Transportation's downtown plazas. Photo by Marc Leglise
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Request an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for any City of Portland program, service, event, or activity. To ensure the best response, please make your request at least five business days before the program or event, if possible. |
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Volunteer events
Admission pricing
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Your Portland moment
Students thank firefighters for their service
Students at Holy Cross School enthusiastically thanked the members of the Multnomah County Strike Teams that recently returned from battling the wildfires in Southern California. The teams, which included Portland Fire & Rescue personnel, were honored to receive so many fun cards from the students.
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A fire engine strike team and a water tender strike team deployed for over two weeks and worked 24-hour shifts, alternating a day of work with a day of rest. Despite the hard work and time away from families, these firefighters are ready to help our neighbors to the south at any time, just as California firefighters have traveled to Oregon to help fight wildfires.
A kindergartener, pictured here, drew a picture of the fire engine that was scheduled to attend the thank you ceremony, but which was called to a house fire instead. The student thought the truck should be part of the day.
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Traducción e Interpretación | Biên Dịch và Thông Dịch | अनुवादन तथा व्याख्या
口笔译服务 | Устный и письменный перевод | Turjumaad iyo Fasiraad
Письмовий і усний переклад | Traducere și interpretariat | Chiaku me
Awewen Kapas
Translation and Interpretation: 3-1-1
The City of Portland ensures meaningful access and reasonably provides: translation, interpretation, modifications, accommodations, alternative formats, auxiliary aids and services. To request these services, call 311 for Relay Service or TTY: 711.
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