Gateway Green wins $1 million Metro grant

Gateway Green and I-205

The southern tip of the Gateway Green parcel seen from the NE Halsey overpass.
(Photo by J. Maus/BikePortland)

Gateway Green, a 38 acre parcel in east Portland that’s slated to become a bike park (along with other things), came away as the big winner in Metro’s “Nature in Neighborhoods” grant program. $5.2 million in awards were announced last week and Gateway Green received all of the $1 million they had requested — an award larger than any of the other 9 projects.

The grant is just the latest boost for a project that first came into focus in 2008 when neighborhood activist Linda Robinson and Gateway area real estate developer Ted Gilbert partnered up to push a vision for the currently neglected parcel of land between I-84 and I-205.

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Robinson, who’s now chair of the board of the non-profit Friends of Gateway Green, says while she’s thrilled with the Metro grant, the money isn’t in their bank account yet. The Nature in Neighborhoods program requires a 2-to-1 local match. That means Robinson and Gateway Green proponents have to come up with $2 million of their own money in order to accept Metro’s $1 million. The good news, says Robinson, is that they can count existing grants and contributions, volunteer time, and in-kind donations from the past two years toward that total.

A crowd-funding campaign in fall of 2013 raised over $120,000. When all added up, Robinson estimates they’ve probably raised somewhere on the order of about $400,000. “That gives us a good head start on raising the match,” she shared last week.

Robinson also says that the official transfer of the Gateway Green property from ODOT to Portland Parks & Recreation (a necessary step to moving forward) is expected next month. There will be a celebration event at the site after the Portland City Council votes on the transfer.

Once the remainder of the matching funds are secured, the $3 million will go toward construction of the park. Stay tuned for more updates and opportunities to volunteer and donate.

— Learn more at GatewayGreenPDX.org and by browsing the 16 stories in our coverage archives.

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Founder of BikePortland (in 2005). Father of three. North Portlander. Basketball lover. Car driver. If you have questions or feedback about this site or my work, contact me via email at maus.jonathan@gmail.com, or phone/text at 503-706-8804. Also, if you read and appreciate this site, please become a paying subscriber.

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BIKELEPTIC
10 years ago

there’s usually 2 or 3 tents on that hilltop.

q`Tzal
q`Tzal
10 years ago
Reply to  BIKELEPTIC

Annnnd?

Scott H
Scott H
10 years ago

*pops the champaign*

jocey
10 years ago

So excited about this development! Congrats, Gateway Green!

Josh Gold
10 years ago

What is a bike park? Do they mean mountain bike trails?

davemess
davemess
10 years ago
Reply to  Josh Gold

yes

Aaron
Aaron
10 years ago

As long as NWTA is involved in the park design, I am 100% behind this effort!

Ryan Francesconi
Ryan Francesconi
10 years ago

Why do they need this much money? We need trails now, not more fund raising. How much did sandy ridge cost total? around ~1 million ?

Joseph E
Joseph E
10 years ago

The plans are for more than mountain bike trails. Eventually the whole area will be turned into a park.

davemess
davemess
10 years ago
Reply to  Joseph E

Will this cover construction of the 205 underpasses linking to Rocky Butte?