Every year a group of business, political and community leaders from the Portland metropolitan area visits another city to look at what that city is doing well and what our region might learn from those examples.
This year's best practices trip, organized by Greenlight Greater Portland, explored the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minn. from Oct. 7–9. A delegation of 52 people, including Metro Council President David Bragdon, Clackamas County Commission Chair Lynn Peterson and Portland Mayor Sam Adams, made the journey and received a large dose of "Minnesota nice" and a small dusting of snow flurries.
The delegation heard about some very interesting initiatives:
- The best regional parks and trail system in America
- Miles of very wide and nicely landscaped off street bike trails that in many places separate pedestrians from cyclists
- A program that guarantees to arrange scholarships, grants, and cover the college tuition cost of any graduating high school senior from the Minneapolis public school system who cannot afford college tuition
- A "district energy" system that currently heats more than 185 buildings and 300 single-family homes (31.1 million square feet) and cools more than 95 buildings (18.8 million square feet) in downtown Saint Paul with strictly renewable energy, mainly urban wood waste
- A multi-billion dollar statewide investment in land conservation passed by voters in November 2006 (The Clean Land, Water and Legacy Fund) increasing the state sales tax to fund land protection and water quality efforts, with a small percentage going towards local arts programs
Here in the Portland metropolitan area the Twin Cities' approach to parks and trails is being used as a model for The Intertwine, our newly named system of natural areas, parks, trails and recreation opportunities.
All of the Portland region's delegates came away impressed with the strong relationship that exists in the Twin Cities among the business community, the philanthropic community and the public sector. Through these partnerships, they have been able to pull off many "big ideas" and have a very livable, dynamic city.