Wait and See

I attended a Portland Development Commission meeting last night concerning the Burnside Bridgehead Development and the market impact it may have on the community. It really had nothing to do with the skatepark, but in going to the meetings, I am making sure that the skatepark is always represented in the whole process.

In going to the meetings and talking to Michael O'Connell, project manager, I have come to the realization that all of the plans for the park need to stay in a holding pattern. The request for proposals will be going out in the near future and depending on what proposals come back, and what the design looks like, will decide what we will go after.

When I say go after, I am speaking about additional land, lighting, and permanent bathrooms. My initial idea was to submit our own proposal at the same time as the major developers do, but after talking to Mr. O'Connell last night, I think it would be best to wait. Once we know what the proposed design will look like, we can then design the addition to the park to complement the developers design. Mr. O'Connell said that he could not take anything to the board concerning the park yet, due to the fact that there are no proposals. In fact, there is a slim chance that no proposals will be returned and, in that case, the development would be put on hold until further notice, if not killed.

No matter what happens though, the park will still be here and going strong. E-mail me if you have any questions or would like to help out in some way. It is a slow process and takes some patience, but in the long run, will benefit us all.

That's it. Go skate!