The city finally reversed their decision and our community center is officially staying open. I still remember those original neighbors who risked everything for this building in the seventies and I know they would be as relieved as I am today. We need to stay diligent to ensure they honor …
November 17, 2019
Final supporters
HILLSIDE
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSN August 29, 20192257 NW Raleigh St
Portland, OR 97209Declaration Regarding the Hillside Community Center
The undersigned residents of the Hillside Neighborhood Association are requesting Portland Parks and Recreation (PPR) consider our petition, more fully detailed below, to ensure the continuation of the Hillside Community Center as a public, community asset, accessible and affordable for the benefit of the City and the community. The Hillside Community Center is an essential part of our neighborhood and Northwest Portland, it has served the community for decades. In 1973 our fellow Hillside neighbors raised money and as individuals risked their personal financial well being to ensure that the buildings and property would become and remain a family and community focused resource and gathering place.
In the spring of 1974, the neighborhood entrusted the City of Portland with the responsibility to maintain the Hillside Community Center and transferred it to the City with explicit covenants that the property will only be used for a public park and recreation center. We, the residents of the Hillside Neighborhood Association, were deeply troubled that the City defunded Hillside Community Center in the FY19-20 PPR budget which would save PPR less than $75,000 per annum, contrary to a personal assurance by Mayor Wheeler a year ago.
We also wish to again express our disappointment at the expedited process employed by the Parks Bureau in scrambling to find a tenant to operate the Center. We feel there was inadequate time and notice to potential candidates able to run programs at the Center, resulting in very limited submissions. The process also created difficulty in notifying neighbors about the submissions and in obtaining public input and support for the City’s plans for this facility.
We, therefore, believe that it is the right and responsibility of the community to clearly state what we value and find acceptable for our Community Center. We urge the City to employ these principles as guidelines in it’s upcoming selection process.
- The Hillside Community Center and adjacent park property must never be subdivided or sold to property developers.
- The Community Center Lease Opportunity lease term should be short term (one year) for any successful bidder, with automatic renewals subject to Hillside Neighborhood Association consultation.
- The Hillside Neighborhood Association must have a perpetual right to review and comment upon any sublease arrangement for the Community Center.
- The Community Center must provide family and community focused programs including preschool, daycare, aftercare, camps, health and wellness, education and sports that are available and affordable for the entire community.
- The Community Center must operate programs that are inclusive, open to all community members, regardless of race, gender, sexuality, religion and financial means.
- The Community Center must not allow commercial enterprises that are clearly not community focused and also commercial spiritual and wellness based businesses masquerading as a school, daycare, community service or open space related activity to operate for any reason and the Hillside Neighborhood Association must be allowed to monitor the activities of all tenants and subtenants and request the City to remove them if not in conformity with these principles.
- The Community Center in its entirety must remain available to all members of the community whenever the Community Center is open. Public access cannot be restricted to using the Community Center only on weekends or at night.
Updates
Reached 250 supporters
September 18, 2019
September 17, 2019
My neighbors and I poured our hearts into this center decades ago and I refuse to let the city treat our legacy like an easy budget cut. Please send this link to your neighbors right now because reaching our next goal is the only way to force them to take us seriously.
September 17, 2019
Seeing this momentum grow proves that our neighborhood memories and the sacrifices of our predecessors still matter to the people living here today. I am overwhelmed by the show of support for a place that has been the heart of our community for generations.
Reached 100 supporters
September 4, 2019
September 2, 2019
Seeing the count climb toward one hundred reminds me of the original neighbors who risked everything to build this center for us. We need to keep this momentum going so the city understands how vital this space remains to our community.
72 Comments
Opportunities for kids to get outside and play at a park should be supported now more than ever. I grew up playing at Hillside, both inside the gym and all around the park and it was where I met up with friends and shaped my love of sports. It is heart breaking to think of the end of Hillside Center.
Ithis city breaks my hearty , in the last 5 years my prooety taxes have increase over 35%, they literally charge me to park outside my house and they closed hillside. Clearly the neighborhood can do a better job than the city at managing the costs
It is a core city service to maintain our city parks. They are an essential meeting place for neighbors and define who we are as a community. When you shut down the only public gathering place in our community and replace it with a for profit business you’re essentially telling us that we don’t matter the corporate dollar does.
It was deeded to the City of Portland as a public Parks and Recreation Center back in 1974 by a group of citizens that had the foresight to keep the property as a green space and a PUBLIC park and recreation center to serve all of the citizens of Portland. Please find a way to maintain the wonderful programs that serve the entire city.
I have lived in the neighborhood for 17 years and use the HCC every week to play basketball with friends from across the city. We pay to use the facility and are disappointed in the City’s handling of the on-again-off-again funding situation regarding HCC and other neighborhood parks and community centers.
I would hate to see this go.
Such a beautiful space.
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Don't stop at signing, share the petition link with friends to multiply our impact
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The city finally reversed their decision and our community center is officially staying open. I still remember those original neighbors who risked everything for this building in the seventies and I know they would be as relieved as I am today. We need to stay diligent to ensure they honor …
November 17, 2019
Final supporters
HILLSIDE
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSN August 29, 20192257 NW Raleigh St
Portland, OR 97209Declaration Regarding the Hillside Community Center
The undersigned residents of the Hillside Neighborhood Association are requesting Portland Parks and Recreation (PPR) consider our petition, more fully detailed below, to ensure the continuation of the Hillside Community Center as a public, community asset, accessible and affordable for the benefit of the City and the community. The Hillside Community Center is an essential part of our neighborhood and Northwest Portland, it has served the community for decades. In 1973 our fellow Hillside neighbors raised money and as individuals risked their personal financial well being to ensure that the buildings and property would become and remain a family and community focused resource and gathering place.
In the spring of 1974, the neighborhood entrusted the City of Portland with the responsibility to maintain the Hillside Community Center and transferred it to the City with explicit covenants that the property will only be used for a public park and recreation center. We, the residents of the Hillside Neighborhood Association, were deeply troubled that the City defunded Hillside Community Center in the FY19-20 PPR budget which would save PPR less than $75,000 per annum, contrary to a personal assurance by Mayor Wheeler a year ago.
We also wish to again express our disappointment at the expedited process employed by the Parks Bureau in scrambling to find a tenant to operate the Center. We feel there was inadequate time and notice to potential candidates able to run programs at the Center, resulting in very limited submissions. The process also created difficulty in notifying neighbors about the submissions and in obtaining public input and support for the City’s plans for this facility.
We, therefore, believe that it is the right and responsibility of the community to clearly state what we value and find acceptable for our Community Center. We urge the City to employ these principles as guidelines in it’s upcoming selection process.
- The Hillside Community Center and adjacent park property must never be subdivided or sold to property developers.
- The Community Center Lease Opportunity lease term should be short term (one year) for any successful bidder, with automatic renewals subject to Hillside Neighborhood Association consultation.
- The Hillside Neighborhood Association must have a perpetual right to review and comment upon any sublease arrangement for the Community Center.
- The Community Center must provide family and community focused programs including preschool, daycare, aftercare, camps, health and wellness, education and sports that are available and affordable for the entire community.
- The Community Center must operate programs that are inclusive, open to all community members, regardless of race, gender, sexuality, religion and financial means.
- The Community Center must not allow commercial enterprises that are clearly not community focused and also commercial spiritual and wellness based businesses masquerading as a school, daycare, community service or open space related activity to operate for any reason and the Hillside Neighborhood Association must be allowed to monitor the activities of all tenants and subtenants and request the City to remove them if not in conformity with these principles.
- The Community Center in its entirety must remain available to all members of the community whenever the Community Center is open. Public access cannot be restricted to using the Community Center only on weekends or at night.
Updates
Reached 250 supporters
September 18, 2019
September 17, 2019
My neighbors and I poured our hearts into this center decades ago and I refuse to let the city treat our legacy like an easy budget cut. Please send this link to your neighbors right now because reaching our next goal is the only way to force them to take us seriously.
September 17, 2019
Seeing this momentum grow proves that our neighborhood memories and the sacrifices of our predecessors still matter to the people living here today. I am overwhelmed by the show of support for a place that has been the heart of our community for generations.
Reached 100 supporters
September 4, 2019
September 2, 2019
Seeing the count climb toward one hundred reminds me of the original neighbors who risked everything to build this center for us. We need to keep this momentum going so the city understands how vital this space remains to our community.
72 Comments
One of the reasons we moved to the Hillside neighborhood is because of easy access to such a wonderful neighborhood park and community space. As we're now getting ready to have kids, it's extremely disappointing to see that one of the things we were most excited about in our neighborhood is at such risk.
Opportunities for kids to get outside and play at a park should be supported now more than ever. I grew up playing at Hillside, both inside the gym and all around the park and it was where I met up with friends and shaped my love of sports. It is heart breaking to think of the end of Hillside Center.
Ithis city breaks my hearty , in the last 5 years my prooety taxes have increase over 35%, they literally charge me to park outside my house and they closed hillside. Clearly the neighborhood can do a better job than the city at managing the costs
It is a core city service to maintain our city parks. They are an essential meeting place for neighbors and define who we are as a community. When you shut down the only public gathering place in our community and replace it with a for profit business you’re essentially telling us that we don’t matter the corporate dollar does.
It was deeded to the City of Portland as a public Parks and Recreation Center back in 1974 by a group of citizens that had the foresight to keep the property as a green space and a PUBLIC park and recreation center to serve all of the citizens of Portland. Please find a way to maintain the wonderful programs that serve the entire city.
I have lived in the neighborhood for 17 years and use the HCC every week to play basketball with friends from across the city. We pay to use the facility and are disappointed in the City’s handling of the on-again-off-again funding situation regarding HCC and other neighborhood parks and community centers.
I would hate to see this go.
Such a beautiful space.
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One of the reasons we moved to the Hillside neighborhood is because of easy access to such a wonderful neighborhood park and community space. As we're now getting ready to have kids, it's extremely disappointing to see that one of the things we were most excited about in our neighborhood is at such risk.