The 2019 parks and nature bond measure refinement team has a matching flurry of activity to share with you over the next month. The Nature in Neighborhoods capital grants team, along with our partner Participatory Budgeting Oregon, are hosting two info sessions on its participatory budgeting pilot. And the walking and biking trails team has two open houses where community members can weigh in on how funds are directed to close gaps in the region’s trail network.
At a recent Metro Council work session, the team shared an update on bond refinement and provided an overview of work underway to develop the markers and metrics to track the bond measure’s progress and impact. The team also hosted two virtual information sessions at the end of September to provide an update on bond work done to date and preview upcoming engagement. If you weren’t able to attend the information sessions, the presentation provides a good overview of what was covered.
Bond Program updates
Nature in Neighborhoods capital grants
Contact: Crista Gardner, [email protected]
$40 million
The Nature in Neighborhoods capital grants program is recruiting community members to create a committee to guide an exciting new pilot project. The deadline to apply has been extended to Nov. 19.
The capital grants pilot will use an innovative funding approach called participatory budgeting that gives community members a direct voice in choosing which projects to recommend for funding in their communities. Members of the design and review committee will help design the program and ultimately recommend up to $4 million in grant funding.
The Nature in Neighborhoods capital grants pilot, a project that’s part of the 2019 parks and nature bond measure, will support community-led projects that benefit historically marginalized communities, protect and improve water quality and fish and wildlife habitat, support climate resilience and improve people’s experience of nature at the community scale.
Metro and Participatory Budgeting Oregon will host two info sessions to present more on the role of the committee and how participatory budgeting works. Please visit one of the links below to RSVP. If you need interpretation, closed captioning, or any other accessibility services, please let us know when you RSVP or email [email protected].
Metro and Participatory Budgeting Oregon info sessions
Monday, Nov 1. 12 to 1:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 10, 5:30 to 7 p.m.
We hope you apply!
Local parks and nature projects (local share)
Contact: Antonia Machado, [email protected]
$92 million
We’re so happy to announce that Antonia Machado has stepped into the role of local share program manager. Antonia comes to Metro from serving as the strategic partnerships project manager at Clean Water Services. Antonia brings a wealth of knowledge, skills and experience in racial equity, partnerships with community-based organizations and public agencies, capital projects and ecological research.
We want to extend a big thank you to Alex Gilbertson who served as the interim program manager since earlier this summer.
We’re looking forward to meeting with our fellow park providers on Tuesday, Oct. 26, 3 to 4:30 p.m. for a local share roundtable about program evaluation and outcomes.
These monthly roundtables are a place where our local share partners can come together to discuss strategies to lead projects in alignment with the bond’s criteria. At this roundtable, we will be joined by Metro’s consultant Dialogues in Action, who have been working over the past few months to develop a framework that can measure the impact of bond implementation actions and investments. We want to share an update on the status of this project, and what it means for our local share partners.
If you’re unable to attend, a recording will be posted on our local share page shortly after. For more information or for the link to attend, please contact Amandeep Sohi at [email protected].
Walking and biking trails
Contact: Robert Spurlock, [email protected]
$40 million
The regional trails program is hosting two virtual open houses in early November. You’re invited!
The bond’s walking and biking trails program is focused on filling the gaps in the regional trail system. These gaps are where a trail starts and stops along its route or two trails don’t connect, which makes navigation tough and is less safe than a continuous trail. The bond measure provides funding to purchase land and easements from willing sellers to complete missing sections.
Across the region, hundreds of trail projects are eligible for funding, but there is only enough funding to purchase a small fraction of what is needed, so Metro is relying on community input to prioritize its investments.
At these open houses, the program team will share its progress in creating a prioritization tool. This will include a study of the region’s trail gaps and guidance from community members who participated in earlier engagement sessions.
You’ll then get a chance to offer your input on how the program should prioritize projects.
The team will use what you share to shape a final recommendation to Metro Council in early 2022.
In you need interpretation, closed captioning, or any other accessibility services, please let us know when you RSVP at the links below or email [email protected] .
Metro parks bond virtual open house for trails
Monday, Nov. 8, 5 to 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 9, 1 to 3 p.m.