By Carol McCracken (Post # 435)

The public is invited to attend the first ever city-wide parks forum on Thursday, April 29th from 6 pm – 8 pm at Ocean Gateway Terminal on the waterfront. The “Green Space Gathering” will be hosted by the Portland Parks Commission.

The multi-purpose forum is intended to inform the public about the many open spaces and parks within the city and how the public can get involved in maintaining them.

Representatives of non-profits such as Friends of the Eastern Promenade and Spirits Alive will be there to talk about their organization and answer questions. Spirits Alive is a three year old nonprofit dedicated to the protection and preservation of Portland’s historic Eastern Cemetery. (Please see Post # 422, dated March 26th, for more on Spirits Alive.)

According to Nicole Clegg, Director of Communications for the city, this Green Space Gathering “forum was set up independently by the Parks Commission. That said, it is very timely as the budget calls for a reduction of maintenance for many of the smaller parks and the forum will provide lots of information to people that are aware of the cuts and interested in starting a Friends group or adopting the park. Certainly a focus of the forum will be the reduction in service and ways to get involved/volunteer.”

In his presentation to the city council earlier this week of his proposed budget for the fiscal starting year July 1, city manager Joe Grey requested that “Friends” groups help take up the slack in care of the city’s open spaces and parks. He also suggested that some source other than the city fund this year’s Fourth of July Fireworks on the E. Promenade.

(Editor’s Note: Perhaps Anthem/Blue Cross would volunteer to fund the Fireworks in an attempt to improve its self-image.)