 Last month City Council’s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passed a resolution for the Sidewalk Improvement and Paving Program, which will address sorely neglected pavement maintenance deficiencies throughout Portland, particularly in District 4 and District 1. I co-sponsored the resolution with Councilors Loretta Smith, Mitch Green, and Eric Zimmerman.
 This week I joined Hayhurst and Multnomah neighborhood leaders for a traffic safety event aimed at encouraging drivers to slow down to promote safe routes to school, including West Hills Montessori School, St. John Fisher School, and Kinderprep Preschool at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church. After a student and parent were almost struck by a speeding vehicle, the surrounding community recently mobilized to take action.
Special thanks to the Portland Bureau of Transportation for working with these neighborhood leaders to create safe traffic environments and to the Portland Police Bureau’s Traffic Division for increased traffic enforcement during this event. In total 9 drivers were cited or warned for speeding, operating a vehicle while using a cell phone, or failing to stop for a pedestrian.
 It is essential to restore a sense of safety and vitality to the Central City – and Downtown Portland Clean & Safe is a key part of the solution. This week my staff met with leaders of the program, which provides enhanced services to the people, places, and businesses within a core 213-block district.
In partnership with Central City Concern’s Clean Start, the program trains, mentors, and employs workers who are formerly homeless or have other barriers to employment. Its janitorial crews sweep sidewalks, remove graffiti, pick up litter, and respond to immediate service requests from participating businesses.
We also visited the program’s public safety vendor, GardaWorld, which helps resolve safety concerns in public spaces while answering questions and offering social services, as well as the City’s Day Storage Program, which provides a secure space for nearly 500 individuals experiencing homelessness to safely store their belongings throughout the day.
 Last month I toured the future home of Steel Bridge Skatepark, which is coming to the Old Town neighborhood on the west side of the Willamette River.
For 20 years, the Portland skating community has envisioned a world-class attraction to help revitalize this area of downtown and strengthen the local economy. This new public park was advanced in Portland Parks & Recreation’s 2008 Skatepark System Plan after extensive community input. It will be an exciting asset to the Old Town area.
 Old Town is getting new investments! Last month I learned about plans from Made in Old Town to create a campus where footwear and apparel creatives can innovate more quickly and efficiently. By concentrating hands-on makers spaces, studio spaces, office spaces, research labs, and material and process suppliers in close proximity to each other, the goal is to improve collaboration and efficiency while helping to redevelop a cherished neighborhood.
 Portland is experiencing a housing crisis. We must address it with urgency. This week I was happy to meet with Luke Norman and Rob Hemphill of Portland: Neighbors Welcome, which is working to address policy barriers to housing production. P:NW believes every neighborhood should be available to people with diverse backgrounds, incomes, and household sizes; they updated me about advocacy efforts to make Portland a fairer and more sustainable city.
 Last month I met with Human Access Project founder Willie Levenson, who is leading heroic efforts to transform Portland’s relationship with the Willamette River, which he considers our strongest “liquid public space.” He is the man behind The Big Float; Poet’s Beach, the city’s first official public beach in a hundred years; and popular swimming docks at the Eastbank Esplanade and Cathedral Park.
Willie has had state legislation introduced to provide funding for a flushing channel to address harmful algal blooms in Ross Island Lagoon. He also is part of the plan to redevelop Tom McCall Bowl into a “world-class, toes-in-the-water” park, and he is passionate about Portland joining the international Swimmable Cities alliance in support of urban swimming culture.
 Music brings us all together. Last weekend I attended “Our New World,” an unprecedented joint effort from Portland Gay Men’s Chorus, Portland Lesbian Choir, and Rose City Pride Bands at Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. More than 400 talented performers presented a love letter from the queer musical community. It was both moving and inspiring.
As a member of City Council’s Arts and Economy Committee, I encourage everyone to take advantage of Portland’s vibrant arts scene, which is a huge driver of our local economy.
 As Portland’s representative on the League of Oregon Cities board, I welcomed League President and North Bend Mayor Jessica Engelke this week to Portland City Hall. She was accompanied by members of the Junior Chamber of Commerce at Southwestern Oregon Community College. The future is in strong hands!
 At a recent constituent happy hour in the Bridlemile neighborhood, I learned about an innovative program to help older Portlanders find meaningful pathways to volunteer in their communities.
As a SAGE Community Connector, you can receive training to encourage neighbors, newcomers, colleagues, faith members, and others who would like to get involved with nonprofit partners and social causes that focus on education, the environment, the economy, civic leadership, and more. The ultimate goal is to inspire and support people to apply their experience, wisdom, and resources to strengthen our communities.
 I hope you were able to check out one of District 4’s world-class attractions: the cherry blossoms at Tom McCall Waterfront Park! The 100 ornamental cherry trees that line the path were a gift from Japan for the dedication of the Japanese American Historical Plaza in 1990. It’s been so wonderful to see hundreds of people enjoying our beautiful downtown!
 OPB reported on serious concerns about earthquake risks at the Critical Energy Infrastructure (CEI) hub, which could lead to the worst public health crisis in North American history. At a recent work session, I expressed my frustration about how unprepared we are for such a catastrophe and urged our government partners to work together to find a solution.
Meanwhile, City Council passed a resolution last month to demand an investigation into violations of Zenith Energy’s franchise agreement at the CEI hub. As quoted in The Oregonian, I made it clear that we must invest in strategies to lower our use of fossil fuels while also doing everything possible to mitigate the threats posed by both oil trains and the CEI fuel tanks.
Longtime transportation activist Lisa Caballero, who recently spoke before Council’s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, wrote in BikePortland about the pro-bicycle infrastructure of Geneva, Switzerland. There are so many examples for Portland to consider following as we work to make our streets safer while encouraging climate-friendly transportation options.
KGW interviewed Portland Timbers CEO Heather Davis about the soccer club’s 50th anniversary and its economic impact on District 4. According to the report, Providence Park’s urban location “creates a ‘ripple effect’ of economic activity for local businesses around it,” amounting to $34 million in annual visitor spending. “About 40% of that was within walking distance, within neighborhoods like Goose Hollow, Northwest, downtown, and the Pearl District — all areas that have been trying to recover since the pandemic.”
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