Portland Parks & Recreation
{{Infobox government agency
| name = Portland Parks & Recreation
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| formed = {{Start date and age|1903|1|26}}
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| jurisdiction = Portland, Oregon
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| headquarters = Portland Building
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| motto = "Healthy Parks, Healthy Portland"
| employees = 4,366 (March 2019)
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| chief1_name = Sonia Shamanski
| chief1_position = Deputy City Administrator for Vibrant Communities
| chief2_name = Adena Long
| chief2_position = Director of Recreation
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| parent_agency_type = Service Area
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| website = {{URL|https://www.portland.gov/parks/}}
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Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) is a Bureau of the City of Portland, Oregon that manages the city parks, natural areas, recreational facilities, gardens, and trails; properties that occupy more than {{convert|10000|acre|ha}} in total. The bureau employs a total of 4,366 people as of March 4, 2019. 3,752 are casual, 559 are regular and the remainder are other categories.{{Cite web|url=https://www.portlandoregon.gov/oehr/article/595121|title=City of Portland Demographics Dashboard|date=March 4, 2019|access-date=March 5, 2019|archive-date=March 6, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306044333/https://www.portlandoregon.gov/oehr/article/595121|url-status=live}}
The bureau revised its mission, values, and direction in 2020, implementing "Healthy Parks, Healthy Portland,” a strategy centering underserved communities,{{Cite web|url=https://www.southeastexaminer.com/2023/07/healthy-parks-healthy-portland-report/|title=Healthy Parks, Healthy Portland Report|date=July 28, 2023|access-date=February 25, 2025|archive-date=February 25, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250225193727/https://www.southeastexaminer.com/2023/07/healthy-parks-healthy-portland-report/ |url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.oregonlive.com/environment/2023/07/portland-parks-recreation-commits-to-centering-underserved-communities-in-new-report.html |title=Portland Parks & Recreation commits to centering underserved communities in new report|date=July 19, 2023|access-date=February 25, 2025|archive-date=February 25, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250225194020/https://www.oregonlive.com/environment/2023/07/portland-parks-recreation-commits-to-centering-underserved-communities-in-new-report.html|url-status=live}} intended to increase responsiveness to “diverse community needs."{{Cite web|url=https://www.portland.gov/parks/documents/healthy-parks-healthy-portland-2023-report/download|title=Healthy parks, Healthy Portland 2023|date=January 1, 2023|access-date=February 25, 2025|archive-date=February 25, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250225192706/https://www.portland.gov/parks/documents/healthy-parks-healthy-portland-2023-report/download|url-status=live}}
Agency
In 2025, management of the Parks Bureau was passed from commissioner Dan Ryan to Deputy City Administrator for Vibrant Communities Sonia Shamanski.{{Cite web |title=City Leadership Team |url=https://www.portland.gov/hello/city-leadership |access-date=2025-02-24 |website=Portland.gov |language=en |archive-date=2025-02-24 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250224194056/https://www.portland.gov/hello/city-leadership |url-status=live }} The current Director of Recreation is Adena Long, who has served in this position since 2019.{{Cite web |title=Appointment of Adena Long as the new Director of PP&R |url=https://www.portland.gov/parks/news/2019/2/7/appointment-adena-long-new-director-ppr|access-date=2025-02-24 |website=Portland.gov |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Portland looks to New York City for its next parks director|url=https://www.oregonlive.com/travel/2019/02/portland-looks-to-new-york-city-for-its-next-parks-director.htmlp |access-date=2025-02-24 |website=Oregonlive.com |language=en |archive-date=2025-02-24 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250224210124/https://www.oregonlive.com/travel/2019/02/portland-looks-to-new-york-city-for-its-next-parks-director.html#selection-435.0-435.59 |url-status=live }}
The PP&R Board has 14 members. Its monthly meetings are open to the public, both in person and over Zoom.{{Cite web |title=Portland Parks & Recreation Board |url=https://www.portland.gov/parks/portland-parks-board#toc-portland-parks-recreation-board-members |access-date=2025-02-25 |website=Portland.gov |language=en |archive-date=2025-02-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250225042313/https://www.portland.gov/parks/portland-parks-board#toc-portland-parks-recreation-board-members |url-status=live }}
The number of park rangers on staff has expanded from 10 in 2015{{Cite web |title=10 rangers for 200+ Portland parks: 'Can't be everywhere, all the time' |url=https://katu.com/news/local/10-rangers-for-200-portland-parks-cant-be-everywhere-all-the-time|access-date=2025-02-25 |website=Portland.gov |language=en |archive-date=2025-02-25 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250225053426/https://katu.com/news/local/10-rangers-for-200-portland-parks-cant-be-everywhere-all-the-time |url-status=live }} to enough to handle "3,000 calls and 11,000 rules violations" in 2022.{{Cite web |title=Portland Park Rangers - Frequently Asked Questions|url=https://www.portland.gov/parks/rangerfaq|access-date=2025-02-25 |website=Portland.gov |language=en}}
= Charter Reform =
A November 2022 election initiated a charter reform moving city bureaus out of the direct management of Portland City Council (Oregon).{{Cite web |title=Portland’s political makeover, and the plan to create 4 new districts, is underway |url=https://www.opb.org/article/2023/05/26/portland-political-makeover-new-districts-maps/|access-date=2025-02-24 |website=Opb.org |language=en |archive-date=2023-08-20 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230820155013/https://www.opb.org/article/2023/05/26/portland-political-makeover-new-districts-maps/#selection-271.0-271.82 |url-status=live }} The last city council member to oversee Portland Parks & Recreation was commissioner Dan Ryan who served from 2023 until the end of 2024.{{Cite web |title=City Council Bureau Assignments for the New Year Provide Some Surprising Reshuffles |url=https://www.wweek.com/news/2023/01/03/city-council-bureau-assignments-in-the-new-year-provide-some-surprising-reshuffles/ |access-date=2025-02-24 |website=Willamette Week |language=en |archive-date=2025-02-24 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250224221816/https://www.wweek.com/news/2023/01/03/city-council-bureau-assignments-in-the-new-year-provide-some-surprising-reshuffles/ |url-status=live }}
= Finances =
The bureau proposed a tax levy which passed in 2020 to procure an average of $48 million a year,{{Cite web |title=Voters pass Portland parks tax levy |url=https://www.opb.org/article/2020/11/04/parks-levy-portland-pass-fail-result/ |access-date=2025-02-24 |website=Opb.org |language=en |archive-date=2025-02-24 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250224222328/https://www.opb.org/article/2020/11/04/parks-levy-portland-pass-fail-result/ |url-status=live }} and an independent audit in December 2024 showed those funds were clearly and transparently tracked and commitments made in the proposal were adhered to.{{Cite web |title=Audit: Portland Parks & Rec used 2020 levy funds well
|url=https://www.portlandtribune.com/townnews/politics/audit-portland-parks-rec-used-2020-levy-funds-well/article_3e886fde-bc97-11ef-930a-ab878fdfa2df.html |access-date=2025-02-25 |website=Portland Tribune |language=en |archive-date=2025-02-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250225165224/https://www.portlandtribune.com/townnews/politics/audit-portland-parks-rec-used-2020-levy-funds-well/article_3e886fde-bc97-11ef-930a-ab878fdfa2df.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Performance Audit of the 2020 Parks Local Option Levy
|url=https://www.portland.gov/parks/parks-levy-audit-2024 |access-date=2025-02-25 |website=Portland.gov |language=en |archive-date=2025-02-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250225165814/https://www.portland.gov/parks/parks-levy-audit-2024 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |author1-link=Portland Parks and Recreation |title=Portland Parks and Recreation Board Meeting - January 2025|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njZJUz9nCtA |website=youtube.com |publisher=Portland Parks & Recreation |language=en |format=video |date=January 1, 2025}} As of 2025 PP&R faces a deficit which would decrease service by 25% if further funding isn’t obtained.{{Cite web |title=Portland to delay placing pricey new parks levy on ballot |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2025/02/portland-to-delay-placing-pricey-new-parks-levy-on-ballot.html|access-date=2025-02-24 |website=Oregonlive.com |language=en |archive-date=2025-02-05 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250205143327/https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2025/02/portland-to-delay-placing-pricey-new-parks-levy-on-ballot.html#selection-401.0-401.57 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Portland voters may be asked to renew, and maybe increase, parks levy in 2025 |url=https://www.opb.org/article/2024/11/29/portland-voters-parks-levy-renewal-increase-may-be-on-2025-ballot/|access-date=2025-02-24 |website=Oregonlive.com |language=en |archive-date=2025-02-24 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250224221215/https://www.opb.org/article/2024/11/29/portland-voters-parks-levy-renewal-increase-may-be-on-2025-ballot/ |url-status=live }} Reductions could include loss of programming, pools, community centers and trash pick up.{{Cite web |title=Portland leaders prepare for potential $100 million budget shortfall |url=https://www.opb.org/article/2025/01/17/portland-city-budget-shortfall-department-funding/ |access-date=2025-02-24 |website=Opb.org |language=en |archive-date=2025-02-24 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250224224356/https://www.opb.org/article/2025/01/17/portland-city-budget-shortfall-department-funding/ |url-status=live }}
= Inclusion =
The 5-year Racial Equity Plan, in place from 2017 - 2023, addressed gaps in parks services for Portland’s communities of color.{{Cite web |title=Portland parks officials, advocates aim to make the outdoors more accessible to BIPOC |url=https://www.streetroots.org/news/2020/08/23/portland-parks-officials-advocates-aim-make-outdoors-more-accessible-bipoc |access-date=2025-02-24 |website=Streetroots.org |language=en |archive-date=2025-02-24 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250224215710/https://www.streetroots.org/news/2020/08/23/portland-parks-officials-advocates-aim-make-outdoors-more-accessible-bipoc |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Five-Year Racial Equity Plan |url=https://www.portland.gov/parks/documents/ppr-five-year-racial-equity-plan/download |access-date=2025-02-24 |website=Oregonlive.com |language=en |archive-date=2025-02-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250224220355/https://www.portland.gov/parks/documents/ppr-five-year-racial-equity-plan/download |url-status=live }} In September of 2024, the three-person DEI team was placed on leave, with only the manager remaining.{{Cite web |title=Here Are the Shake-Ups Hitting Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Offices Across Oregon |url=https://www.wweek.com/news/2024/12/11/here-are-the-shake-ups-hitting-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-offices-across-oregon/ |access-date=2025-02-24 |website=Oregonlive.com |language=en |archive-date=2025-02-24 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250224225546/https://www.wweek.com/news/2024/12/11/here-are-the-shake-ups-hitting-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-offices-across-oregon/ |url-status=live }}
History
Portland’s first parks, the Plaza Blocks and two of the South Park Blocks, were established in 1852. Both came from land owned by William W. Chapman and Daniel H. Lownsdale.{{cite web |url=http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/index.cfm?c=39473&a=95955 |title= PP&R from 1852-2000 (1852-1900) |date=2007 |publisher=portlandonline.com |access-date=2025-02-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929111252/http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/index.cfm?c=39473&a=95955 |archive-date=2007-09-29}}
The development of Portland's park system was largely guided by the Olmsted Portland park plan, outlined in 1903. The Board of Park Commissioners submitted its first receipts to the city on January 26th, 1903{{cite web |url=https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1006&context=oscdl_planning|title=Annual Report of the Park Board |publisher=library.pdx.edu |access-date=2025-02-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250225175706/https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1006&context=oscdl_planning|archive-date=2025-02-25}} and opened its membership to women later that year.{{cite web |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070605151830/http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/index.cfm?c=39473&a=95956 |title= PP&R from 1852-2000 (1901-1920) |date=2007 |publisher=portlandonline.com |access-date=2025-02-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929111252/http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/index.cfm?c=39473&a=95955 |archive-date=2007-09-29}}
The first director of recreation within the bureau was Dorothea Marie Lensch in 1937.{{cite web |url=https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/lensch-dorothea/ |title=Dorothea Marie Lensch |publisher=oregonencyclopedia.org |access-date=February 22, 2025}} As part of her work in this position, she founded the Portland Children's Museum{{cite web |url=http://www.portlandcm.org/about-us/our-history |title=Our History {{!}} Portland Children's Museum |author= |date=|publisher=Portland Children's Museum |access-date=June 17, 2017}} which closed permanently in 2021.{{cite web |url=https://www.wweek.com/culture/2021/03/25/the-portland-childrens-museum-is-closing-after-75-years/|title=The Portland Children’s Museum Is Closing After 75 Years |last=Singer |first=Matthew |date=March 25, 2021 |publisher=Willamette Week |access-date=February 24, 2025}}
Between 1976 and 1979 PP&R conducted the Portland Neighborhood History Project, collecting oral histories from locals who arrived in the early to mid 1900’s including first PP&R Recreation Director Dorothea Marie Lensch{{cite web |url=https://digitalcollections.ohs.org/sr-9634-oral-history-interview-with-dorothea-m-lensch |title=Oral history interview with Dorothea M. Lensch, by Mischa Creditor and Carol Spellman, SR 9634, Oregon Historical Society Research Library. |author= |date=|publisher=Oregon Historical Society |access-date=February 25, 2025}} and Margaret M. Cabell, who contributed to founding the Portland Japanese Garden, and was a founding member of the Portland Garden Club and board member of the Garden Club of America.{{cite web |url=https://digitalcollections.ohs.org/sr-9608-oral-history-interview-with-margaret-m-cabell |title=Oral history interview with Margaret M. Cabell, by Gail H. Evans, SR 9608, Oregon Historical Society Research Library. |author= |date=|publisher=Oregon Historical Society |access-date=February 25, 2025}}
Actions
Following a City Council decision, smoking, vaping and marijuana use have been entirely banned since July 2015 in all Portland city parks and nature areas.{{Cite web |last=Theen |first=Andrew |date=2015-02-19 |title=No smoking allowed: Portland City Council approves smoking ban for city parks, nature areas |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2015/02/no_smoking_allowed_portland_ci.html |access-date=2020-08-15 |website=The Oregonian |language=en |archive-date=2020-11-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201126020322/https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2015/02/no_smoking_allowed_portland_ci.html |url-status=live }}
In March 2021, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality fined PP&R nearly half a million dollars for failing to establish a storm water control system to prevent toxic runoff water from an industrial land the park purchased in 2004 and 2009 for building new entrance and trailhead to Forest Park.{{Cite web|last=Kavanaugh|first=Shane Dixon|date=2021-03-25|title=Portland parks bureau fined nearly $500k for toxic runoff that drains into Willamette River|url=https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2021/03/portland-parks-bureau-fined-nearly-500k-for-toxic-runoff-that-drains-into-willamette-river.html|access-date=2021-05-10|website=The Oregonian|language=en|archive-date=2021-05-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210510081528/https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2021/03/portland-parks-bureau-fined-nearly-500k-for-toxic-runoff-that-drains-into-willamette-river.html|url-status=live}}
In 2022, the parks bureau was criticized for its role in not renewing a longstanding partnership with local non-profit Friends of Trees.{{Cite web|last=Erhlich|first=April Dixon|date=2022-07-11 |title=Portland’s unfriendly treatment of Friends of Trees|url=https://www.opb.org/article/2022/07/11/portland-oregon-tree-canopy-city-contract-friends-of-trees/|access-date=2025-02-24|website=Opb.org|language=en|archive-date=2025-02-24|archive-url=https://archive.today/20250224223619/https://www.opb.org/article/2022/07/11/portland-oregon-tree-canopy-city-contract-friends-of-trees/ |url-status=live}} In 2023, many trees the city planted died due to lack of water and other causes.{{Cite web|last=Peel|first=Sophie |date=2024-08-14 |title=The City Plants Trees to Shade a Cooking East Portland But Can’t Seem to Keep Them Alive |url=https://www.wweek.com/news/2024/08/14/the-city-plants-trees-to-shade-a-cooking-east-portland-but-cant-seem-to-keep-them-alive/|access-date=2025-02-24|website=Opb.org|language=en|archive-date=2025-02-24|archive-url=https://archive.today/20250224230850/https://www.wweek.com/news/2024/08/14/the-city-plants-trees-to-shade-a-cooking-east-portland-but-cant-seem-to-keep-them-alive/ |url-status=live}}
See also
{{Portal|Oregon}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Wikisource|Olmsted report on Portland, Oregon parks}}
- [http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/ Portland Parks & Recreation]
- https://www.portland.gov/service-areas/vibrant-communities
{{Government of Portland, Oregon}}
{{Parks in Portland, Oregon}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Portland Parks and Recreation}}