Take a second to imagine this: A paved trail that connects Cathedral Park (under the St. Johns Bridge) with the Eastbank Esplanade! Monday night, 30 people put that image into motion by attending the first public meeting of the Friends of North Portland Willamette Greenway Trail.
The “Friends of the Greenway” told us about their vision for the trail and asked for our feedback and input. We heard that northern sections of the trail could be funded “sooner rather than later” and that with enough involvement and participation from the public, additional portions of the trail (which would help fill a large gap in the 40 Mile Loop) could become a reality.
The trail would be part of the North Reach portion of the City of Portland’s ambitious River Renaissance Initiative.
According to trail advocate Pam Arden:
“The attendance and response showed there is more than casual interest in the prospects of a trail that would connect North Portland to the central eastside.”
And Friends of the Greenway member Scott Mizee said:
“Many things have fallen into place over the past year that align with our goals for this trail. This further strengthens our commitment to building a multi-modal path connecting the St. Johns Bridge and the Eastbank Esplanade. We strongly believe that this will be a win/win situation for the city, its industry and its residents.”
The Friends of the NoPo Willamette Greenway Trail are excited about the future but they need your help in making this trail a reality. If you’d like to get involved, stay tuned to this site for updates or email Pam Arden or Scott Mizee for more information.