Commentary:
Two years ago, when I first learned that Phil Pennington had a terminal illness and just weeks to live, my immediate reaction was to write him a note thanking him for his great contribution to our community and for the example he had set for us all.
Phil, who was so full of life, was not to let go of his time here so soon.
With his death on March 31 from a stroke, I want to share something of what I wrote and why.
Exuberant, smart, inquisitive, enthusiastic, Phil had an boundless curiosity and excitement about the world around him.
The dozens of hikers who joined his walks were shown the neighborhood anew. He recalibrated you, attuned you to new levels of life.
He monitored what was going on with an ancient oak here and unusual laurel hedge there. Nothing seemed to escape his eye, and he was electric in his eagerness to share what he witnessed.
Phil was at the founding meeting of SWTrails, which Don Baack organized in 1996. The group immediately drew on Phil's knowledge, particularly, as he had compiled much of it in his personal trails maps.
Today, hikers still benefit from the mapping he did of our Southwest trails. His work became the basis for the printed, much-used SWTrails map.
"He knew a lot about a large number of subjects," Baack recalled this week, "and he had an opinion about almost everything."
You get a flavor for Phil by visiting his Explore PDX web site, still bursting with his enthusiasm and knowledge.
On his site he writes of himself that he was "trying to find ways to improve understanding of the science that has made such a difference in human cultures and could make a big difference in personal lives...if only it were understood."
One of the ways he tried to put knowledge to work was through organizing and training Neighborhood Emergency Teams.
He shared that endeavor, like most, with his wife
Keturah. As she put it, "I was thebetter organizer; he was the brains of the outfit."
Brains, heart, friendship, commitment, Phil impressed upon all who knew him a love of knowledge, understanding and life.
He will be much missed and long remembered.
Rick Seifert
Editor
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SERA report envisions plazas, park
extension; calls for paid manager
 SERA Architects has released its much-anticipated strategic framework plan for the Hillsdale Town Center's future development.
(It can be found here
. A sample page showing a possible "stage three" option, is shown to the right.)
To implement the study's suggestions, Hillsdale needs a paid Town Center manager, said Paul Pawlowski, who managed the project for SERA.
He noted that the report calls for a new street master plan to be developed in conjunction with reassessing zoning in the Town Center.
Another need, Pawlowski said, is for coordinated parking that can only result from cooperation between commercial property owners.
The SERA urban design team's 94-page report focuses on the Sunset Triangle north of Capitol Highway and calls for new public plazas and open space "nodes." The recommendation envisions the extension of Dewitt Street to the west for half a block before jogging northerly in the interior of the triangle and eventually emerging on 18th Drive.
Small public plazas would highlight commercial areas in the triangle.
The most prominent would be a small plaza in front of Casa Colima restaurant. A suggested feature for the plaza is a clock tower.
Another part of the document depicts the extension of Dewitt Park to the present residential lot at the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Dewitt Street.
The strategic plan emerged after three public meetings held last fall.
At the group's suggestion, Brian Sheehan, the city's planner assigned to the project, agreed to take the document before the Portland City Council to ask for its formal acceptance in principle.
The report notes that implementation of the design concepts "will require active public-private collaboration."
Sheehan told the Hillsdale Alliance that property owners had expressed interest in developing a plaza facing Capitol at Casa Colima and were exploring the idea.
Sheehan called the Sunset Triangle with its deep lots "a reservoir for future growth," but he added that the community needs to have a discussion about implementing higher density as private deed restrictions on the Triangle properties could stand in the way of subdivisions.
Glenn Bridger, co-chair of the Alliance, said that the community needs to figure out where it wants to go next with the plan.
The document's strategic framework is shown as proceeding in three phases, with the final "long-term" phase showing a substantially altered commercial area to the north of Capitol Highway. (See drawing above)
At SERA, Pawlowski called Hillsdale "a gem" that "has the potential to focus on the actions that have been presented in the report - Hillsdale is only going to get better," he said.
SERA produced the plan under a $23,000 contract with the City.
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I-5 project brings drilling now,
blasts later to eastern Hillsdale
If you live near I-5, that drilling sound you may hear during the day starting April 25 is the beginning of big changes to the freeway.
Next year's work on the freeway will come with blasting to excavate a detour.
That's when the Oregon Department of Transportation will embark on a 2 1/2 year, $45 million project to replace the interstate's aging Iowa Structure, which was built in 1957. The structure, which is nearly undetectable to I-5 motorists, is in poor condition and no longer meets seismic standards.
The drilling, slated to end in May, will be on 16 sites along the freeway and is part of the exploration of rock and soil that stands in the way of the construction. The drilling will be conducted during the day on weekdays and on three weekends, April 25-26, May 2-3 and May 9-10.
To build a temporary access road to the drilling locations, approximately 60 trees will need to be removed to the southeast of I-5. Most will be smaller than 6 inches in diameter, according to an ODOT press release.
Once construction begins, rock will have to be blasted along the construction site. An estimated 15,000 truckloads of material must be removed. The project requires building a three-lane detour structure adjacent to the freeway.
Several ODOT officials appeared at the April 1 Hillsdale Neighborhood Association meeting to describe the project and to answer questions. They called the project, which will go out to bid next February, "one of the biggest and most complicated" in the Portland region of ODOT.
Several neighbors asked the officials to ensure that a key pedestrian trail, which is part of the 40-mile loop and Urban Trail 3, be returned to at least its current condition. The trail passes under the viaduct, and the work requires closing the trail during construction.
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Photo by Casey Currey-Wilson
Carrots or azaleas? This year Steve Evans wants both.
Hillsdale returns to gardening
By Ellen Currey-Wilson
Hillsdale resident Steve Evans has one of those beautifully landscaped yards you might see on the cover of Sunset magazine. But this spring Evans isn't adding another ornamental rose bush to his front yard. He's busy digging out several large rocks to make room for a terraced vegetable garden.
"This is the sunniest spot for vegetables," Evans says, "and I want to grow my own now."
Evans isn't alone. Hillsdale, like the rest of Portland, will have many new vegetable gardens this spring. And many residents with existing gardens are planning on expanding them.
Sharon Hunt, who has been gardening for more than a decade at her Hillsdale home, just opened up a new section in her front yard to grow more produce.
"I'm adding beets, lettuce, green beans and peas this year," Hunt says. "Wherever I can get enough sun and good soil, I'm growing vegetables."
After an unusually long, cold winter, sales of garden supplies in the Hillsdale area are booming and the trend is expected to continue.
Judi Barbour, the garden manager at A-Boy on Barbur Boulevard, has added an extra table in the store to make room for more seeds and starts. Her customers include home gardeners as well as those planting at plots at the nearby Fulton Community Garden.
"Vegetable starts are flying out of here," Barbour says. "It's been really busy so far."
Sarah Brown, the assistant produce manager at the Hillsdale Food Front Cooperative, agrees. "Sales of both seeds and vegetable starts are better than expected," Brown says, "and our customers appreciate the quality of the seeds we carry in our store."
For some, the decision to garden for food has been influenced in part by the economic recession. For others, including Hillsdale resident Ariel Tindolph, the desire to garden is primarily about creating a more sustainable lifestyle.
"I'd rather not be dependent on shopping for all my food, and my whole family is doing their part," Tindolph says. "Even my two-year-old is helping me water and plant seeds."
Tindolph said she was especially pleased to see new First Lady Michelle Obama start an organic vegetable garden at the White House.
It doesn't take much space to have a garden. A few well-placed pots on a balcony will suffice. The option to share a garden is also possible through Portland Yardsharing or a community garden.
For the beginner, The Weekend Gardener gives step-by-step instructions and kidsgardening.org is geared toward teaching children the basics. The Revive the Victory Garden website also offers gardening tips and explains the historical significance of growing one's own fruits and vegetables.
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Food Drive harvests a bounty of giving
In response to growing need, area residents, congregations and businesses have far exceeded the SW Hope Food Drive's goal of collecting the equivalent of 100,000 pounds of food over a six week period.
Rick Nitti, executive director of Neighborhood House, announced that the campaign raised 147,710 pounds of food.
This year, a one-dollar donation buys five pounds of food.
The drive lasted from February 22 to April 5.
Over the last year, usage of the Neighborhood House Emergency Food Box program has increased more than 40 percent because of the economic decline and increasing unemployment.
In the six months prior to February, Neighborhood House distributed an average of 359 boxes a month.
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The Date Book
Saturday, April 18 - Himes Park restoration work
Thethird Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to noon volunteers meet atTerwilliger and SW Nebraska to clear out invasive plants. Wear workclothes, bring gloves and your favorite clipper.For more informationcontact Amanda Wilson at Three Rivers Land Conservancy. Phone: (503)699-9825. Email: volunteer@trlc.org
Sunday, April 19 - Presentation about Jewish Genetic Disorders
Thenoontime session at Neveh Shalom will feature Gary Frohlich, MS, ofCGCGenzyme Therapeutics, and Robert Steiner, MD, of OHSU. Freeadmission includes brunch, complimentary childcare available, RSVPrequired. Contact Rebecca at rmoeri@nevehshalom.org or (503) 246-8831x100. Co-sponsored by JFCS and Neveh Shalom, supported by the MJCC.
Sunday, April 26 - Pipe organ dedication, Hillsdale Community Church
Thenewly renovated pipe organ will be dedicated in a special worshipservice at 10:30 a.m. and a free 4:00 p.m. concert by organist TimDitch. The concert will include works by J.S. Bach, Seth Bingham,Erich Wolfgang Korngold, San Francisco composer and organist DavidHegarty. Hegarty's works will be presented for the first time in thePacific Northwest. His two pieces were written especially for Ditch.Donations toward the organ fund will be accepted.
Thursday, April 30; Friday, May 1; Saturday May 2
'Bye, Bye, Birdie' - Robert Gray MS's first musical
Robert Gray students debut in their first musical, the popular "Bye, Bye, Birdie," which has been on Broaday and been made into a film. The location is Robert Gray Middle School. Times are 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, 7 p.m. on Friday, and 2 p.m. on Saturday. Ticket prices: $5, students and seniors; $7, adults: $20, family four-pack. Limited number of premium seats are available at $10 each. Purchase tickets by contacting christycaton@msn.com or reenb@q.com, (503) 246-0891 or (503)246-1474.
Saturday, May 9 - Spring Clean-up and Litter Patrol
SWNI, the coalition of Southwest neighborhoods, is once again helping neighbors with spring cleaning - at home and along our by-ways. Neighbors are invited to drop off items to recycle, dispose of and donate from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Portland Christian Center Parking lot, 5700 Dosch Road, which is next to Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway. Suggested donation fee of $10 per trip to the dropoff site. Volunteers for the SWNI/SOLV Litter Patrol, should meet at 9 a.m. at the church parking lot. For more volunteer information, contact Ginny at (503)823-4592 or e-mail ginny@swni.org. Or visit swni.org. For a list of acceptable items for recycling, go here.
Saturday, May 16 - Neighborhood House Auction
Neighborhood House will be honoring SW HOPE with a Century of Service Award at its annual dinner auction at the Multnomah Athletic Club. The theme for the event is "It's a beautiful day in the Neighborhood House." Tom Kenny, the voice of SpongeBob again will serve as our Master of Ceremonies. Tickets are $100 each and a table sponsorship is $1,000. Contact Tia, tsherry@nhweb.org or call 503-246-1663 to purchase tickets or donate items for the auction.
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Rick Seifert
Editor, Hillsdale News
(503) 245-7821
editor@hillsdalenews.org
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