Lovely Block....

Come Join us Tomorrow to PLANT Trees!

Join Your Neighborhood Association Board and Volunteer for Friends of Trees Planting Day!  Mt. Scott-Arleta will be planting a record breaking 225 trees!
 

When: December 10th, 8:45 to 1pm

Where:  Meet at 5329 SE Woodstock Blvd Portland OR (Our Lady of Sorrows Parish)

Description: A number of Mt. Scott-Arleta board members will be volunteering with Friends of Trees to plant street trees for our neighbors and we hope you will join us! Please arrive by 8:45am and F.O.T. will provide coffee and doughnuts to get your started. They will also provide gloves and tools, so all you need to do is show up dressed for the weather and wearing sturdy shoes. The neighborhood group will also provide a potluck lunch for all volunteers after the planting in complete. We look forward to seeing you out there! 

website:  friendsoftrees.org

 

 

Plants are in the ground!

Our Planting Party was truly amazing. We planted around 1,000 native trees, shrubs, groundcover and grasses.
It looks great. We will add mulch in the coming weeks along with drip irrigation.

I will post more pictures when I get a moment to compile them all.

Thanks everyone!

Terah Beth

THIS SATURDAY!

The time is finally here...it's time to PLANT!

Help us get the garden going at the most happening community greenspace in the neighborhood!
We depaved a parking lot, and now we’re ready to add a dash of paradise. 

Join Our Happy Block and Depave for a fun day in the dirt where we’ll put in over 1,000 plants all around the new greenspace.
Celebrate with us and learn all about naturescaping and rain gardens!
(or if you don't want to play in the dirt, we can always use food donations. Please 'reply' if you'd like to contribute in this fashion.)
Tell your friends!

DETAILS

Date: Saturday, October 22

Starting: 9:00 am - show up whenever you can help during the day

Site: Calvary Church parking-lot | 8040 SE Woodstock

Volunteers of all ages are welcome! Depave will provide volunteers with all the necessary tools and gloves.
Please wear clothing appropriate for the weather.

Please email me with any questions or to let us know you'll be bringing food!

We are also looking for folks who have a lot of experience in landscaping to help lead volunteer crews.
Let me know if you are interested!

Thanks so much!
Terah Beth
email me

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    What we've already achieved together...          

• Planted 29 new street trees on our block!
  
• Greatly improved neighborhood safety by cutting-off the entrance/exit from Calvary's parking lot to Martins Street (this prevents vehicles from 'short-cutting' through the parking lot at high speeds. )
  added sidewalks,  curbs and street trees where the concrete approaches once were.
  
• Planted a new Native Plant Garden!
  
• Painted a 50' x 23' Mural & added lighting to deter graffiti and prevent crime
  
• Depaved over 4,300 square feet of asphalt!
  
• added Curbs and new parking stall striping to parking lot
  
• Worked together with our fellow neighbors to  take ownership of our BLOCK!     

• had a Neighborhood Block Party during national night out

                                                                                            

This project, and past projects, was made possible by a partnership with the following organizations (Thank You!)

• Our Happy Block Coalition (includes neighbors on the block, businesses on the block, neighborhood watch, Calvary Church)
• Calvary Church
• Bureau of Environmental Services (City of Portland )
• East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District
• Portland Development Commission
• SE Uplift
• Depave
• Mt. Scott Neighborhood Association
• Friends of Trees
• Johnson Creek Watershed Council

some in-progress photos:

watch this awesome PARKING LOTS to PARADISE VIDEO

Save The Date!

Volunteer!!!
Native Plant Date October 22nd!
Click the flyer to enlarge.

TREES!

FREE Street Trees for Mt. Scott-Arleta Neighborhood Only!   
Good Things Grow on Trees - Find Yours at Friends of Trees!
www.friendsoftrees.org

The sooner you sign up, the more choices of trees you'll have! 

Sign Up Now to receive this 'one-time only' offer (sign up deadline for our neighborhood is Nov. 7th)    

What good things grow on trees? 

Conservation: Tree shade can cut your energy costs by 35 percent during the summer. Health: Trees clean our air, water, and soil for an all-around healthier city. Community: Tree-lined streets calm and slow traffic. This creates safer neighborhoods and happier people.

And yes, even money grows on trees! Planting trees on your property can add $7,000 to the value of your home.

Since 1989, Friends of Trees has planted more than 415,000 trees and native plants in the Portland-metro area. During the next few years, we're working with Portland's Bureau of Environmental Services to turn Portland's grey to green by planting thousands of trees in East Portland neighborhoods.
Questions? Email FOT@FriendsofTrees.org or call 503-282-8846 ext. 25.
Learn more at www.FriendsofTrees.org.

This Wednesday!

Come participate in this Neighborhood brainstorming session!
Wednesday, Sept 7th at 6:30
Mt. Scott Community Center

Block Party was a success

Thanks for everyone who came out to our first neighbor block party!
The food was great and the company was even greater.
bbq, ping-pong, bubbles, ice cream, yummy food and getting to know one another.
GOOD TIMES!

Block Party - July 30th

Come hang out with your neighbors!
(click image below to view invitation)

 

SE Examiner article on Our Happy Block

Another article about our project. 
"Depave Paradise - Put up a Pocket Park "
 
 CLICK HERE  to read SE Examiner's article on Our Happy Block's project

Mural!

Yes, we gathered this last week to make this sweet piece of art for Our Happy Block!
It was a blast and it looks wonderful!
The neighborhood feels so vibrant!
We had a lot of honks and 'looking good' yells from cars as we were on the scaffolding and ladders.

THANKS to
SE UPlift for the Graffiti Abatement grant and Powell Paints for donating some paint and giving us a great, GREAT deal on supplies!

and THANKS to:
Tim Janchar (original artwork, see below), Terah Beth Varga (got grant and designed the mural from Tim's painting), Justin Varga, Modou Dieng, Howie, Terra Zittenfield, Jonathan shannon

IN-PROGRESS:

BEFORE:

Depave Volunteer Photos

Check out our hardworking Volunteers!
People, from all over our fine community, came to lend a helping hand.

Thanks to EMSWCD for the funds to make this possible, the Depave team to make the depave day go smoothly and all you wonderful VOLUNTEERS who either brought food or used your muscles to pull-up that nasty asphalt!

Depaved!

Can you believe it?
Volunteers gathered this past Saturday to Depave 4,300 Square Feet of Asphalt!
It was a fun-filled work day!
Thanks everyone...more pictures to come.

thanks Depave!
Awesome!

I can almost see the soil under the asphalt!

Depave day is this Saturday!!!

Join us as we Depave  4,300 square feet of asphalt this Saturday!

Lunch, refreshments, gloves, goggles, and tools will be provided.

DATE:          Saturday, Jun 18th 2011 at 9:00am
                   We’ll be starting at 9am and going until 4pm.

         Volunteers are welcome to come at any time and stay for as long or short as willing.

LOCATION:  8040 SE Woodstock BLVD
                    Between 80th-82nd on SE Woodstock, Portland, Oregon

Thanks so much to all our partners including EMSWCD, BES, Depave, SE Uplift, PDC, Neighbors, Calvary Church, and all volunteers!
We are so thankful to have your support and positive vibes...we are creating a better place to live and work together!

Don't hesitate to call me (Terah Beth) or email me for more information: 971.404.9864
- Thanks & see you there!

Site and Landscape Plans done!

We've submitted our Permit Drawings to the City and we are on our way to Beautifying our Block with our partners Depave, EMSWCD, and BES!

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Landscape Plan:
To view a larger version, just click the image:

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Site Plan

(hatched areas to be 'depaved')

Mt Scott-Arleta's first Newsletter

View the first Mt. Scott-Arleta Newsletter!

Working on Permit Drawings for the new Parking-Lot Naturescape!

We are shooting to submit our permit paperwork to the city this coming week!
Soon, 4,300 square feet of the 17,000 square feet asphalt parking lot will be depaved and filled with thriving Native Plants while stormwater will be infiltrated on site through Rain Gardens!

City Repair's Inspiring Video

Just saw this inspiring video this morning and thought I'd share it on our blog.
This relates to what we are doing....trying to create a close-knit safe village by turning space into place!
and...I really like the idea of painting our intersection to create a community space...and to slow cars down.
Inspiring.

After our Parking Lot improvements and Mural is complete, maybe we can turn some neighborhood intersections into unique places.

Native Plant Learning Garden quick Video

Thanks to everyone who came out to make the Garden Grow!

Neighborhood Notes weighs in on our Project!

Our Happy Block: Neighbors Transform Lot Into Livable, Sustainable Community Space

Link to story

Some of the Volunteers at a planting party for Our Happy Block.

This Saturday!

Native Plant Learning Garden

Feb 19th - Adding Soil, Plants and Mulch Day!
Contact us to Volunteer!

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Thanks to the Volunteers
who showed up this Saturday for the Site Prep Day!

We Sod-Cut 1,000 square feet of Sod and spread 10 yards of soil...

among other things.

Thanks to His Bakery (pastries, scones)
W'Yeast Pizza (3 pizza pies)
and Anne Holm (chili and corn muffins)
for providing Food to Volunteers!

 

 

Native Plant Garden

Volunteer to make the Native Plant Learning Garden a Reality!

(1,000 Square Feet!)

Site Preparation: Feb 12th (Saturday)

(1st) Planting Day: Feb 19th (Saturday)
More Planting Days to come....

Please contact us to volunteer!

Looking for more partners to make the Garden a success!

(native plants, gravel, plant 'name' signs..etc)

 Thanks to:

East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District (EMSWCD)
for the funds to make this project a reality.

Eric Rosewell for volunteering to do the Planting Plan

 TBBVdesign for project management and Landscape Layout

Chris Modderman for working the desodder and rototiller at a very discounted rate!

Greetings, my Dear Neighbors!

I wanted to let you guys know about our future Native Plant Garden, if you don't know already....

<< This great project is paid for by East Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District SPACE Grant . We were awarded $1,500 for the Community Resource Native Plant Learning Garden! >>

Native Plant Garden first planting day on February 19^th!

The garden will replace existing turf and become new habitat for wildlife (while improving soil, water and air quality.)

The garden will be located adjacent to the parking lot and right along the sidewalk on Martins Street.
The hope is that (one day) the garden will have little plaques with the native 'plant names' so that it can become a learning resource for our community.
I think this is a great project for the young and old! We'd love to see some little kids getting their hands dirty while learning about our native plants.
Please let me know if you are interested in helping in ANY way! Spread the word!

1. We need Volunteers to Plant on Feb 19th - 1:00 pm - this will be fun and quick
   
2. We can pay someone to de-sod, rototill and amend the soil. (This needs to be done at least a few days prior to Feb 19th.)
   We will need to rent the equipment (unless we can find someone to donate the equipment for a day.)
   Let me know if you are interested... or if you know someone in our neighborhood who would like to get paid to do this work (or volunteer)
   
   
3. A Truck to haul the bare root plants from EMSWCD Native Plant Sale on Feb 19th (10 or 11 am)
   EMSWCD is located at 5211 North Williams Ave
   
4. An open-bed Truck to haul mulch to the site from Mt.Scott Mulch  (this can be done whenever you are available.)
   

Thanks to East Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District for this great opportunity!
. It's not too late for you to order the great-priced natives for your own yard...check out their website for more info.

East Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District

THANK YOU!

We'd like to THANK EMSWCD for awarding Our Happy Block with their SPACE grant!

We were awarded $1,500 for Native Plant Gardens along SE Martins Street!

This grant will enable us to plant natives in the newly formed planting strip just south of the church parking lot and along the sidewalk adjacent to the parking lot.  These funds will go toward Project 2, explained below.

• Project 1: Street Tree Planting- 29 new street trees (along SE Woodstock & SE Martins St) through Friends of Trees (we raised money to pay for trees through Community yard sale and McCollum Automotive, plus Friends of Trees worked within our budget. Thanks FOT!)
  
• Project 2:  Removal of (2) Driveway Approaches connecting Calvary’s church parking lot to SE Martins Street and pour a new sidewalk and new street curbs. This will create new landscape opportunities and, by removing the driveway approaches, will stop stormwater from entering SE Martins Street from the southern portion of the parking lot (approx 6,400 S.F.)
  
  -Portland Development Commission's Community Livability Grant ($5,000) funded the removal of the driveway approaches and the pouring of new sidewalk and street curbs. Thanks PDC!
  
  - EMSWCD Space Program Funds ($1,500) will be used to Amend, Plant (natives where possible) and Mulch newly defined landscape areas. Also funds will be used to rent de-sod and rototill tools and to pay someone to operate these machines.
•  Project 3: Community Mural on McCollum Automotive’s Wall. (SE Uplift Graffiti Abatement Grant:  $2,250 to pay for permits, artists, paint, sealant and lighting. early Summer 2011) Thanks SE Uplift!
   
• Project 4: Remodel a 17,000 SF impenetrable parking lot. This project will further improve soil/water/air quality, watershed health and wildlife habitat. This parking lot  sheds 379,000 gallons of stormwater run-off per year to SE Woodstock BLVD and SE Martins Street before entering Portland‘s sewer system.  We will depave a portion of the lot and  manage all stormwater onsite while restoring natural habitat.
  (We will apply for EMSWCD PIC Grant, Jan 2011.)  Plus, DePave has committed to the depaving and hauling away of asphalt  for this project.

Depave Bowling Fundraiser!

 

Let's give back to Depave for being an amazing organization! Remember, they will help 'Our Happy Block' this Spring to depave approximately 4,000 square feet of asphalt!

Join DEPAVE for a family-friendly night of bowling, raffle, and general merriment to raise funds for their DEPAVE Summer 2011.

Date & Time:   Saturday, Jan 8th at 4:30pm
Location:          3031 SE Powell Blvd. , Portland, OR

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Reconnect with friends you met at past DEPAVE events, and learn all about what Depave has in store for 2011!

Raffle prizes will include:
AN ITEM FROM PATAGONIA
FREE HAIRCUTS AT BISHOPS
$50 AT NEW SEASONS
FREE OIL CHANGES
GIFT CARDS TO LOCAL BAKERIES, RESTUARANTS, AND MORE!!

$15 At the door will get you 3 games, shoes, and 2 raffle tickets.