Portland Parks & Recreation Revives 2021 Summer Programming

Portland Parks & Recreation Revives 2021 Summer Programming

Portland, OR. Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) will bring back programs including some Fitness in the Park classes as seen above. The city is restoring 2021 Summer programming and will be designing classes and events to meet public health regulations. Programs will also be as flexible as possible in case conditions change. This means a return of programs like Free Lunch + Play, summer camps, art center classes, swimming, movies in the parks and more.

Portland City Commissioner, Carmen Rubio, proposed PP&R Fiscal Year 2020-21 Supplemental Budget ordinance to City Council and was unanimously approved.

“This budget charts a new approach for Portland Parks & Recreation,” said City Commissioner Carmen Rubio. “It centers racial equity and lays the foundation for a Sustainable Future where all Portlanders’ feel safe and welcome in our parks system and where everyone can access programs that bring us together, help us heal, and make our whole community healthier.”

During this public health crisis, access to nutritious food has proven to be one of the highest needs in the Portland community. PP&R will play an important role in keeping kids healthy this summer by moving forward with the Free Lunch + Play program. Youth will be able to count on FREE lunches and safe outdoor recreation—citywide—from June through August.

Portland voters passed the Parks Local Option Levy (Parks Levy) in Nov. 2020 enacting a tax at the rate of $80 per $100,000 of assessed property value for five years in order to fund recreational programs and park services.

The funds from the Parks Levy usually wouldn’t become available until Nov. 2021 however, the Portland City Council also approved an interfund loan to let PP&R access resources early from the Parks Levy.

With Parks Levy resources, PP&R’s recreation program will transition from a model that depended on charging fees to a service-driven model that focuses on racial equity and eliminating cost as a barrier for Portlanders’ who need programming the most.

In 2013 Portland Parks & Recreation held its yearly Summer Free for All, a popular annual series of free outdoor concerts, movies, playground programs, and more. The Portland community will be able to attend this program again in summer 2021.

“I want to thank Portland voters for investing in their parks system through the Parks Levy,” said PP&R Director Adena Long. “We will use these community resources to provide recreation programming for kids, families, and older Portlanders’ in safe, outdoor, physically distanced settings across the City this summer. We will help our community reconnect, exercise and play, and learn and grow. And none of this would be possible without Portlanders’ investment in parks, thank you.”

Some PP&R sites and programs may need to operate at reduced or restricted capacity due to COVID-19 guidelines when summer arrives. For all summer programs, participant capacity limits and locations are subject to change based on the most current public health guidance.

Kids on scooters play together while receiving free food from Portland Parks & Recreation programs before the pandemic. Photo courtesy of Portland Public Schools.

Portland Parks and Recreation plans to keep the Portland community updated about the summer programming throughout the winter and spring as more details become clear. Below is the list of programs set to run this coming summer.

Portland Parks & Recreation’s COVID-19 Responsive Summer 2021 Programming

  • Free Lunch + Play: PP&R will serve over 100,000 meals to alleviate hunger in our community by continuing a critical, decades-long program of distributing free meals to enjoy in parks or take home. Families will also receive free art and music activities at Free Lunch + Play sites.
  • Summer Camps: Outdoor day camps, sports, and art camps will be available at 20 locations across the City.
  • Environmental Education: Nature day camps (info below), guided Ladybug Nature Walks, and family programs will connect young Portlanders to our natural environment.
  • Nature Day Camps for ages 5-12. The PP&R Environmental Education program will offer summer day camps full of hiking, exploration, nature-based activities, and more; groups of campers will adhere to COVID-19 guidelines with other participants of similar ages. Camps offer job opportunities as nature educators for qualified people aged 16 and older.
  • Environmental Education jobs and volunteering – the next generation of environmental leaders start with us. Paid work programs, volunteer naturalist training, and more. The Teen Nature Team (TNT) is a free program for middle school students connecting young people to nature, environmental careers, and college programs. The Youth Conservation Crew (YCC) provides jobs and training for a diverse population of 14-19 year-olds in the Portland area.
  • Fitness in the Park: Expansion of outdoor fitness programs, including yoga, exercise, and Zumba classes.
  • Swimming: Outdoor pools will open in summer 2021 for life-saving swim lessons, water fitness classes, lap swims, and swim team activities. Indoor pools will only open if public health conditions allow.
  • Community centers: Outdoor programming is prioritized to protect public health; community centers will provide staging for outdoor events and access will be limited.
  • Arts centers: The Multnomah Arts Center and the Community Music Center will offer outdoor camps and classes.
  • Art performances: Free art and music activities at Free Lunch + Play sites and small-scale pop-up performances will be available across the City.
  • Gateway Discovery Park: Art and cultural activities will be hosted all summer long at this East Portland park.
  • Splash Pads: Interactive (play) fountains and park splash pads (water play features) are anticipated to re-open.
  • Lifelong Recreation (formerly known as Senior Recreation): Virtual programs and outdoor activities will be available to older Portlanders.
  • Teen Force: Outdoor, drop-in programs designed for young adults will be provided in coordination with Free Lunch + Play events.
  • Stay and Play video series: Free arts, fitness, education, and music videos will help Portlanders stay active and connected to PP&R throughout the summer. Videos are available at Portland Parks & Recreation’s YouTube channel, youtube.com/pdxparksandrec/videos.
  • Virtual Programming: PP&R’s Adaptive & Inclusive Recreation (AIR), Lifelong Recreation, Portland Parks Preschool, and Arts & Culture programs will offer live virtual programming online.
  • SUN Community Schools: SUN Schools, a collaboration between Multnomah County and PP&R, will offer outdoor summer camps.

From Portland Parks and Recreation website: Portland’s parks, public places, natural areas, and recreational opportunities give life and beauty to our city. These essential assets connect people to place, self, and others. Portland’s residents treasure and care for this legacy, building on the past to provide for future generations. Making Portland a great place to live, work and play. Healthy Parks, Healthy Portland.

Girl Scouts Luncheon Honors Community Leaders and Raises Record-Breaking $180,000 

Girl Scouts Luncheon Honors Community Leaders and Raises Record-Breaking $180,000 

Portland, OR. Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington presented its 2019 Marie Lamfrom Women of Distinction awards to Portland Police Chief Danielle Outlaw and Carmen Rubio, executive director of Latino Network. The women were honored during a luncheon at the Downtown Hilton on September 24th. The event raised a record-breaking $180,000 for girl leadership programming in Oregon and SW Washington. Outlaw and Rubio are being recognized for “demonstrating courageous leadership, serving as role models for girls and women, and working to make the world a better place,” according to the Girl Scouts. (Photo credit, Andrea Lonas)

Past and current honorees, Dr. Melody Rose, Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, Justice Adrienne Nelson, Governor Barbara Roberts, Barbara Alberty, Chief Danielle Outlaw, Carmen Rubio, Victoria Lara and DJ Wilson

“Chief Danielle Outlaw and Carmen Rubio exemplify just what Girl Scouts hopes to inspire in all girls: the courage to take action, make a difference and be the leaders our world requires. We’re pleased to recognize these extraordinary women,” said Karen Hill, chief executive officer for Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington. Past honorees of the award include Gov. Barbara Roberts, Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum and Oregon Supreme Court Judge Adrienne Nelson.

Harlan Levy, Andrew Tweedie, past board member Tracy Curtis, Hugh Harris, Jason Lim and Chabre Vickers

Cheryl Brendle, Patti Moller, Katherine Phillips, Francine Read and Board Member Jane Drew

Chief Wanner, Chief Burgard, Chief Morrisey and District Attorney Rod Underhill

“It is deeply humbling to be recognized as a role model for girls and young women by an organization that is helping build many of the leaders of tomorrow,” Outlaw said.
Outlaw was sworn in as Portland’s police chief on Oct. 2, 2017, becoming the first African American woman to lead the city police force, after spending 19 years with Oakland Police Department.
Rubio joined Latino Network as its executive director in 2009, working to advance the Latino community in education, leadership, and civic engagement in Oregon. During her tenure, the group’s staff has grown from less than 10 to 115, working out of three offices in Portland, Gresham, and Hillsboro.

Rubio said, “The values I carry for myself as a leader truly align with the mission of Girl Scouts – to lift up the confidence and courage of our young leaders so that they can help make our communities thrive.”
The award is named in honor of Marie Lamfrom, who served as a troop leader for a special needs troop at Shriners Hospitals in Portland for 35 years. She served on the Girl Scout council’s board of directors and received the highest award a Girl Scout adult can receive, the Thanks Badge. Lamfrom co-founded the company that would become Columbia Sportswear.

From Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington:

Who We Are

We’re 2.5 million strong—more than 1.7 million girls and 750,000 adults who believe in the power of every G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader)™ to change the world.

Our extraordinary journey began more than 100 years ago with the original G.I.R.L., Juliette Gordon “Daisy” Low. On March 12, 1912, in Savannah, Georgia, she organized the very first Girl Scout troop, and every year since, we’ve honored her vision and legacy, building girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place.

We’re the preeminent leadership development organization for girls. And with programs from coast to coast and across the globe, Girl Scouts offers every girl a chance to practice a lifetime of leadership, adventure, and success. 

Learn more about our local council, Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington.
 

Our Mission

Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.