A key step toward making Gateway Green a reality was taken today when Portland City Council voted unanimously to authorize a land transfer from the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). Portland is now the official owner of the 25 acre property that’s slated to become what Portland Parks & Recreation referred to today as an “off-road biking facility.”
The City of Portland acquired the land from ODOT for $19,300, money they received from developers via System Development Charges (SDCs).
In a statement released today by PP&R, City Parks Commissioner Amanda Fritz said,
“The location between I-205 and I-84 will boost Portland’s visibility as a world-class bike-friendly city, and is a tremendous use of the underutilized land… I admire how neighbors and cyclists have come together to see their vision for Gateway Green move forward… It will be an important addition to our infrastructure that enhances wildlife habitat and recreation for children, families and seniors.”
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And PP&R Director Mike Abbaté said the new park will fill some of the demand from Portlanders who have been clamoring for more off-road biking opportunities. “The Portland cycling community has long asked for more recreational opportunities across our system,” he said, “Gateway Green will provide a place where bicyclists of all ages can gather, develop their skills and enjoy the outdoors, all while increasing their physical health.”
Last month, Gateway Green won a $1 million grant through Metro’s Nature in Neighborhoods program.
Linda Robinson, who along with developer Ted Gilbert, has been working toward this vision for over six years, said today was an exciting day and a “perfect example of how ‘patient persistence’ can pay off.”
— Learn more at GatewayGreenPDX.org.