2022-23 Parks Levy Annual Report

View the Executive Summary for the 2022-23 Parks Levy Annual Report

City Council unanimously voted to accept the 2022-23 Parks Levy Annual Report and Executive Summary on December 13, 2023. 

From the Commissioner

As the City Commissioner overseeing Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R), I am pleased to present the 2022-23 Parks Local Option Levy (Parks Levy) Annual Report. The unwavering support expressed through your YES vote in 2020 has been instrumental in shaping our parks, nature, and recreation system that is tailored to the evolving needs of our diverse community. We extend our sincere gratitude for your trust in our vision, which has been the driving force behind PP&R’s dedication to ensuring equitable access to welcoming spaces, inclusive and playful programs, and services that enhance community well-being and promote environmental conservation and climate justice.

The Parks Levy has played a pivotal role in guiding us towards accessible, playful, inclusive, and sustainable recreation for all Portland residents, with a particular emphasis on historically underserved populations. This commitment ensures opportunities for all Portlanders to engage with nature and access enriching activities.

Year 2 of the Parks Levy witnessed an impressive 373,140 hours of volunteer service, a testament to the collective spirit that energizes Portland’s parks. Initiatives like the Community Partnership Program have nurtured collaborations that broaden our reach, benefiting thousands of youth and embodying the essence of community stewardship.

Our steadfast commitments to deliver Recreation for All, Protect and Grow Nature, and foster Community Partnerships remain unwavering and transparent. PP&R has made significant strides in promoting equity through innovative programs including the Access Pass, which gives people living with low incomes options for financial assistance for PP&R programs and services. This achievement transcends mere operational success; it embodies our shared values and eliminates cost as a barrier.

Looking ahead, we are poised to build upon our successes and expand our offerings, positioning the Portland parks and recreation system as a national model. Our dedication to advocating for accessibility, sustainability, and resilience will ensure safe, welcoming, and enriching experiences for all.

We extend our heartfelt appreciation for entrusting us with the future of your parks, natural areas, recreation facilities, and programming. Together, we will continue cultivating spaces where community connections can thrive, and the vibrant spirit of our city will flourish for generations to come.

I can’t think of a more critical time in my hometown’s history to play into our strengths. Portland Parks & Recreation is one of them.

Dan Ryan

Culture and Livability Commissioner

From the Director

In Year 2 of the Parks Levy, we’re continuing to make progress aligning PP&R services with Parks Levy commitments and the promises we made to voters in November 2020. This critical operational funding source allows PP&R to provide recreation services to all while also helping conserve parks, nature, and clean water.

Just two years in, the Parks Levy is already making a big difference in the lives of Portlanders. To help illustrate impact, in this year’s report, we’re highlighting stories from community members about how the Parks Levy has impacted them on a personal level. The Parks Levy support for delivering services has also gained national recognition. In 2023, Portland’s parks and recreation system moved up two spots and is now ranked ninth out of 100 in the nation’s most populated cities. This is part of the ParkScore Index, a ranking from the Trust for Public Land where parks and recreation systems are assessed on acreage, access, investment, amenities, and equity. I’m proud of the high-ranking Portland achieved, and glad to have the opportunity to share our work nationally. Most importantly, I’m grateful for your investment in PP&R.

With the support of the Parks Levy, this year, PP&R moved forward with our strategic planning framework, Healthy Parks, Healthy Portland (HPHP) and updated our mission, vision, values, and equity and anti-racism commitment. These changes are the result of two years of community listening, learning, and action. Both the Parks Levy and the HPHP framework are centering the people most impacted by inequities in Portland’s parks and recreation system.

In Year 2 of the Parks Levy, we worked towards:

• Recreation for All: By delivering programs Portlanders love while prioritizing equity, PP&R aims to ensure people of all backgrounds, ages, and abilities benefit from their parks and recreation system. Through our Access Pass, we’re reducing cost as a barrier so that programs serve all Portlanders regardless of income. In summer 2022, PP&R hosted the first ever East Portland Summer Arts Festival, headlined by Grammy Award-winning Portland native and artist Esperanza Spalding, which brought new programming into a previously underserved neighborhood. PP&R strives to have everyone learn, play, and discover with our programs and activities.
• Protect and Grow Nature: With Parks Levy funds, PP&R is now providing holistic park tree maintenance for the first time ever. This will help keep our tree canopy from diminishing. We’ve also hired 78 of the over 100 new positions created with the support of the Parks Levy to increase park, natural area, and tree maintenance. As these positions come on board, the increase in capacity will result in cleaner parks and natural areas and increased care for the urban tree canopy.
• Community Partnerships: In FY 2022-23, our Community Partnership Program partners served almost 3,500 youth, helping meet Parks Levy commitments to deliver services to teens and to connect children experiencing poverty to nature. The Early Registration Pilot Program partnered with 54 community organizations to improve access for underserved communities. Programs like the Community Partnership Program and the Early Registration Pilot Program are connecting community members, especially those who have been underserved, and partner organizations to PP&R programs and spaces.

I’m excited about the continued progress PP&R is making toward the Parks Levy voter commitments. As I reflect on the successes of Year 2, I’m thankful for your continued support.

Adena Long

Director, Portland Parks & Recreation

Summary

The Parks Local Option Levy (Parks Levy) was passed by Portland voters in November 2020 to provide Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) with crucial operational funding. The Parks Levy is a property tax of $0.80 per $1,000 of Assessed Value. It will raise approximately $48 million per year for five years and supports one-third of the bureau’s operating budget; the tax was implemented in 2021. Year 2 of Parks Levy collection and implementation was fiscal year (FY) 2022-23.

The revenue generated from the Parks Levy is allocated towards park maintenance; enhancing access, equity, and safety; preventing cuts to recreation programs; and proactive care for natural areas and the city’s urban forest. In FY 2022-23 the Parks Levy generated $47.99 million in revenue and PP&R spent $25.82 million Parks Levy funds.

Of that total, $25.47 million was spent on programs and services, and $350,242 was spent on reducing financial impact to the Portland Children’s Levy caused by compression under Oregon property tax law. After reimbursing expenditures, $22.17 million in FY 2022-23 Parks Levy revenue remained. Those funds will be rolled over to be spent in future years and on Parks Levy eligible service delivery.

The Parks Levy ballot language included 15 commitments that PP&R is using to measure and report on the success of the Parks Levy. The commitments are grouped under larger service categories: Recreation for All, Protect and Grow Nature, and Community Partnerships. Overall, Year 2 of the Parks Levy has built upon the foundations laid in Year 1 and progress has been made on all 15 commitments.

Ballot Title and Explanatory Statement

PP&R is tracking progress on the fifteen commitments listed in the November 2020 voter pamphlet and approved by Portland voters. Exhibit C and Exhibit D were included in the original resolution (Resolution No. 37498) and voter pamphlet. The fifteen commitments each have a code from their exhibit letter and order in which they appear in the exhibit.

By the Numbers: Parks Levy Year 2

Introduction

Healthy Parks, Healthy Portland

In 2020, PP&R started a new effort to build systems, tools, and a planning framework centered on underserved communities and an ongoing cycle of improvement. The Healthy Parks, Healthy Portland strategic initiative has renewed the bureau’s mission and vision to align with the changing needs of the community, created a deeper focus on equity and anti-racism, and is establishing a framework to track the impact of PP&R’s actions.

Parks Levy funding has enhanced Healthy Parks, Healthy Portland efforts, particularly in supporting community engagement efforts and the Listening and Learning process. Additionally, the Parks Levy commitments and spending of Parks Levy funds are in alignment with the goals and direction of Healthy Parks, Healthy Portland. Read the Healthy Parks, Healthy Portland report summarizing the two years of community listening, learning, and actions to align the future of Portland’s parks and recreation system with the desires and demands of our changing city.

Mission: Portland Parks & Recreation’s mission is to provide equitable access to welcoming places, programs, and services that improve community health and our environment.

Vision: We envision a parks and recreation system that is responsive to diverse and changing community needs, nurturing health and connection for all.

Equity and Anti-Racism Commitment: We work to acknowledge and abolish the harms of racism and oppression in the parks and recreation system.

We work towards equitable outcomes in:

• Accessible, safe, clean, well-maintained public spaces
• Mental, emotional, and physical wellness
• Healthy ecosystems and climate change resilience
• Community and civic connection
• Learning, play, and discovery
• Jobs that support growth and belonging

We value:

• Stewardship
• Accountability
• Equity and Anti-Racism
• Safety and Belonging
• Connection

Centering Equity with the Parks Levy

PP&R is working to acknowledge and abolish the harms of racism and oppression in the parks and recreation system. In line with voter commitments, the Parks Levy is being used to improve equitable access and to prioritize services and outreach to underserved communities, including communities of color, seniors, teens, households experiencing poverty, immigrants and refugees, and people living with disabilities. As part of Healthy Parks, Healthy Portland, PP&R is prioritizing addressing gaps experienced by Black people, Indigenous people, people of color, immigrants and refugees, people with disabilities, LGBT2SQIA+ people, youth, older adults, and people earning low incomes. This list expands on the ballot language of the Parks Levy.

With the Parks Levy, PP&R is increasing engagement and partnerships with centered communities, reducing barriers to park services and programs, and prioritizing equity in decision-making. Some examples of this work include:

• Access Pass and Reducing Cost as a Barrier: PP&R has heard from the community for years that cost is a barrier to participation; in a 2017 survey, 20% of Portlanders said that cost was a barrier to access, and that barrier was even larger for Portlanders of color (25%) and people living in East Portland (28%). In 2021, PP&R piloted two discount models to reduce cost as a barrier. Feedback from users informed the new Access Pass program that launched in fall 2022. City of Portland residents can register for a free Access Pass to receive an ongoing discount of up to 90%. The pass is renewable every 12 months from the date of enrollment and no proof of income is required.
• Early Registration Pilot Program: PP&R is partnering with local organizations who center underserved communities to join the Early Registration Pilot Program program. Early registration allows for one-week of advance access to registered activities, registered via phone and in-person, before they are open online. In addition to working with partner organizations for early registration, PP&R also simplified registration materials to make them more accessible and translated them into 19 languages. With this pilot program, up to 50% of a registered activity’s capacity is available during early registration. While early registration is intended to improve access for underserved communities, no one is excluded from signing up during the early registration period.
• Updated Cost Recovery Policy: In 2023, PP&R updated its Cost Recovery Policy to include the key message that implementation of cost recovery practices will center underserved communities. The update was made to better align the policy with Healthy Parks, Healthy Portland priorities and Parks Levy commitments.
• Increased Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Training for PP&R Staff: Parks Levy funding allowed PP&R to create a new diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) training analyst position. In FY 2022-23, the DEI training analyst and Workforce Development team launched a new, DEI training program. The program’s goals are to create a positive learning experience and environment for employees, and to provide inclusive and accessible DEI training opportunities that increase the cultural competency of PP&R staff.
• Examples of Ongoing Initiatives Supported by the Parks Levy
  • Implementation of Equity and Anti Racism Lens 
  • Healthy Parks, Healthy Portland ongoing cycle of Listening & Learning to center communities most impacted by inequities in Portland’s parks and recreation system
  • Community Partnership Program grants and funding for organizations and programs that work with underserved communities
  • Accessibility initiatives including hiring a new American with Disabilities Act (ADA) coordinator in Year 1 and working with the Office of Equity and Human Rights to conduct trainings for staff on creating accessible documents
  • Equity and Level of Service scores that factor in neighborhood demographics and service levels, providing a score that work teams can use to prioritize maintenance for underserved communities.

Continued development of demographic data collection and analysis tools will enable PP&R to evaluate who is being served as these programs and engagement efforts are implemented, and whether these investments are effective in reducing historic disparities in access to PP&R services.

Maximizing Parks Levy Funding

The Parks Levy provides critical funding to continue parks and recreation operations and incrementally increase services and programs. The funding is intended to supplement other revenue sources, such as the City’s General Fund. To ensure this, City Council supported PP&R in spending from the General Fund first and reimbursing Parks Levy-eligible expenses only when the expenses exceed other available resources. This eliminates General Fund underspending by the bureau, making sure that Parks Levy funds are maximized. Parks Levy funds are spent through the Leveraged Funding Model (Appendix B), which preserves Parks Levy funds where the bureau is underspent. Parks Levy funds are not limited to spending within the five-year collection timeframe, meaning savings can be spent in future years to deliver services outlined in the Parks Levy.

In FY 2022-23, $25.82 million of Parks Levy funding was spent. This amount was less than the Parks Levy amount budgeted in the adopted FY 2022-23 budget. The FY 2022-23 underspending is a result of continued “ramp-up” efforts and hiring challenges. Ramp-up activities like approving new positions, as well as creating workspace and purchasing equipment for those positions, mean that service delivery benefits from those added positions will be experienced in later years of the Parks Levy. For example, through Year 2 of the Parks Levy, PP&R approved over 80 new positions for park and natural area maintenance and had hired 58 of those positions through FY 2022-23. However, before hiring those approved positions, expanded workspace must be set up, and equipment, such as maintenance vehicles, must be approved and purchased. These ramp-up efforts are creating capacity, resources, and processes for successful delivery of Parks Levy funded services in subsequent years.

The Leveraged Funding Model means that revenue from the Parks Levy supports a portion of the PP&R operational expenses that align with Parks Levy voter commitments. Outcomes that are supported by the Parks Levy are tracked and reported in this annual report based on the total services delivered, with financial support from both Parks Levy and other bureau operational funding. Total net expenses include reductions from associated revenues such as other funding sources and fee revenues. The Parks Levy supports a portion of the remaining total net expense.

Recreation for All

The Parks Levy’s focus on Recreation for All means increasing access to recreation services by reducing cost as a barrier, ensuring service continuity, and centering programming and outreach on underserved communities, including Black people, Indigenous people, people of color, immigrants and refugees, LGBT2SQIA+ people, people with disabilities, youth, older adults, and people earning low incomes. In FY 2022-23, PP&R had $26.17 million in total net expenses related to Recreation for All. Parks Levy funding provided $8.98 million toward those expenses.

Parks Levy commitment: Prevent cutes to recreation programs, closures of community centers and pools (C4*).

^{*The fifteen commitments each have a code from their exhibit letter and order in which they appear in the exhibit. Exhibit C and Exhibit D were included in the original resolution (Resolution No. 37498) and voter pamphlet. See "Ballot Title and Executive Summary" above for the full list.}

Recreation programs, community centers, and pools are essential to providing services that Portlanders love and need. In FY 2022-23, with the support of the Parks Levy, PP&R has increased programing and prevented closures of operating community centers and pools. PP&R spent $2.84 million of Parks Levy funding on this commitment. This was a portion of the $8.27 million in total net expenses focused on recreation facility operations and rentals.

Feature Profile: Partnering with Black Swimming Initiative to Save Lives*

^{*While Parks Levy funds supporting partnerships and swim lessons are counted under other commitments, the funds also support this commitment in preventing cuts and supporting recreation facility operations at Matt Dishman Community Center.}

If you live in Portland, you don’t have to look very hard to find water. When it’s not pouring down between October and April, rivers and creeks are overflowing with it throughout the rest of the year.

It should come as no surprise that swimming is a very popular activity in Portland for all ages. Unfortunately, Oregon has one of the highest drowning rates in the country, and that rate is even higher for Black Oregonians. That’s why Morgan Spriggs and Emily Lighthipe co-founded Black Swimming Initiative (BSI). Through swim and water safety courses they offer, they’re tackling the problem of drowning head on.

When BSI expressed interest in holding events at Matt Dishman Community Center, which has long been a staple in Portland’s Black community, PP&R was thrilled about the opportunity to partner with them.

“There’s no reason for people to drown,” Morgan said. “There’s a curriculum, there’s a way to teach people how to swim.”

Morgan is absolutely right. The challenge is getting people into pools and open water so they can learn by doing. PP&R is more than happy to support BSI as this vital community organization steps up to do just that.

“We’re saving lives,” Morgan said. “This is all about drowning prevention.”

One of the key aspects of BSI is that they’re committed to having a diverse team so that children in their program see instructors that look like them. For example, Emily shared that a mother of some of the participants recently joined as an instructor.

“That’s really what it’s all about,” Emily said. “To see it come full circle.”

Dwayne Thomas, whose daughter Noa is a regular at BSI events, shared that it isn’t always easy to get Noa into public pools around the city.

“I live across the street from a pool,” Dwayne said, “and we don’t get into that pool too often.”

BSI has helped bridge that gap. This year, Morgan noted, they’re hoping to host 12 events and serve about 500 people.

Ever since COVID-19, PP&R has, like other parks and recreation departments across the country, been battling a shortage of lifeguards and swim instructors. That shortage has meant, even after pools reopened when it became safe to do so, there are fewer spots available for swimmers in pools operated by PP&R. But there is plenty of reason for optimism.

For example, PP&R is emphasizing supporting community organizations like BSI that step up to meet the aquatics needs of Portlanders. There’s also the fact that Parks Levy funds are being used to grow partnerships and boost aquatic staffing efforts. And let’s not forget that Portland’s City Council just approved a notable pay raise for aquatics jobs.

When community organizations and local government come together to meet a challenge, everyone benefits.

“It’s a race to the bottom for Oregon,” Morgan said. “We want to be last in the country for drowning deaths.”

Stabilizing Summer Free For All*

^{* Parks Levy funding supporting Summer Free For All is counted under the Parks Levy commitment to: “Deliver recreational programs, including, but not limited to, environmental education and access to nature for youth, summer camps, family-friendly movies and concerts, fitness and arts classes, teen- and senior-focused programs, life-saving swim lessons, and a summer playground program serving free lunches to children experiencing hunger.” However, the funding also supports this commitment in preventing cuts to recreation programs.}

Summer Free For All is a beloved Portland staple. The annual program brings the community together by providing free cultural events for everyone, as well as free meals and activities for kids, adults, and families. Every summer, PP&R and partners host multicultural festivals, free outdoor movies, concerts, Free Lunch + Play, and other special events across the city.

Previously, community partners had to pay high fees and neighborhoods had to fundraise to have a Summer Free For All event in their local park. Due to the rising costs to operate Summer Free For All, the number of cultural events (movies, concerts, festivals) had been cut and PP&R staff and bureau leadership were responsible for fundraising and securing grant dollars and corporate sponsorships to balance the program operating budget every year, leaving the Summer Free For All budget vulnerable and unstable. Free events were more likely to be held in parks where communities had the time and resources to fundraise.

In FY 2022-23, Summer Free For All was stabilized with ongoing support from the Parks Levy. Results of this Parks Levy support will be 1) an increase in participation by community partners representing low-income areas and culturally diverse groups and, 2) reduction in service cuts every year due to rising costs and fundraising shortfalls. The support also allows Summer Free For All to align with the bureau’s equity and anti-racism commitment and prioritize partnerships with culturally specific and low-income groups by offering financial assistance to community partners when needed to help cover costs and provide resources.

Parks Levy commitment: Deliver recreational programs, including, but not limited to, environmental education and access to nature for youth, summer camps, family-friendly movies and concerts, fitness and arts classes, teen- and senior-focused programs, life-saving swim lessons, and a summer playground program serving free lunches to children experiencing hunger (D2).

The beloved programs that PP&R provides enhance the lives of Portlanders and the surrounding community. PP&R was successful in delivering recreational programs in FY 2022-23 and provided swim lessons, camps and classes, Fitness in the Park, pop-up concerts, Free Lunch & Play, and other popular programming. PP&R served over 99,432 free meals throughout the year to youth and families through Free Lunch & Play, SUN Community Schools, and afterschool programs; provided swim lessons to 10,999 participants, and delivered teen programming with over 33,460 TeenForce pass scans.

PP&R spent $6.14 million of Parks Levy funding on this commitment. This was a portion of the $17.9 million in total net expenses for providing services associated with this commitment.

Swim Lessons

In summer 2022, like nearly all parks and recreation agencies across the country, PP&R experienced staffing challenges that greatly affected the availability of programs and classes. Leading up to the start of summer 2022, staffing shortages facing recreation organizations across the country were the single biggest barrier to increasing program capacity, especially hiring lifeguards. A nationwide survey conducted by the National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA) showed that, in May 2022, 88% of parks and recreation agencies indicated they were not fully staffed for lifeguards for the 2022 summer season. Cities such as Phoenix and Austin planned to only open half of their public pools due to lifeguard shortages, and leading park systems from Chicago to the Washington D.C. area had to cut back services. While Parks Levy funding was available to fully fund and support swim programs and lessons, as a result of the aquatics staffing shortage in summer 2022, PP&R had to adapt to offering less swim lessons and limited family and open swim sessions.

PP&R quickly adapted to the staffing challenges. In December 2022, Portland City Council and labor unions approved a new labor agreement to increase pay for swim instructors, lifeguards, counselors, attendants, seasonal maintenance workers, and customer service staff. To further advance hiring efforts, with the support of the Parks Levy, in 2023 PP&R also created a new full-time dedicated talent engagement specialist for Aquatics recruitments specifically. In recruiting for Summer 2023, they attended almost 30 events this year at high school and university career fairs, class presentations, community center career fairs, and other community events, engaging with hundreds of prospective applicants. These changes are helping increase Aquatics staff and will make a significant difference in recruitment, retention, and the ability to increase service levels.

Despite staffing challenges, PP&R increased access to swim lessons in FY 2022-23. Nearly 11,000 individuals were able to access swim lessons, an increase from 8,562 the year prior. The hours worked by swim instructors also increased from 7,879 to 12,599 meaning that more hours of swim lessons were offered throughout the year.

PP&R also works to reduce cost as a barrier to participation by offering free swim lessons three times a year: one week during winter break, one week during spring break, and the first full week of summer. The lessons are training for new swim instructors who are paired with experienced instructors to learn via co-teaching and helps to grow the PP&R aquatics workforce. This training is offered free-of-charge to lifeguards and swim instructors, eliminating any cost as a barrier to joining the PP&R aquatics team. In addition to reducing cost as a barrier to joining as a swim instructor, since the full cost of the swim lessons themselves are covered by PP&R, the free lessons completely eliminate cost as a barrier for the participants.

Swim lessons are a critical PP&R program and, with Parks Levy funding, PP&R is committed to delivering life-saving swim lessons and ensuring equitable access to aquatics programming.

Feature Profile: Bringing Programming to Stephens Creek Crossing

There are many ways to find joy in the world, but few are as fulfilling as providing young people the tools and support they need to thrive. For Aimé Kelly, a 24-year PP&R veteran, it isn’t just her job to deliver those tools and that support, it’s her passion.

“I think about those kids on the stoop,” Aimé said, “and I’m hot on their trail to figure out how to engage them, mentor them, and introduce them to all that Multnomah Arts Center has to offer.”

Aimé is one of four staffers who help coordinate programming at Multnomah Arts Center. Part of her job is to take programs out of the PP&R facility she works in and into communities across the city. One of those communities lives at Stephens Creek Crossing apartments in Southwest Portland, where residents are diverse in language and culture. Stephens Creek Crossing is a Home Forward property, and by serving residents through recreational programs, PP&R is also fulfilling the Parks Levy commitment to serve households earning low incomes.

PP&R has partnered with Home Forward on many projects throughout the years. Stephens Creek Crossing sticks out for a few reasons. In addition to bonding with residents around a variety of art classes, PP&R’s Free Lunch + Play program added food and games to the mix. Together, activities from the arts programming and the food from the Free Lunch + Play program meant youth at the Stephens Creek Crossing apartments had all the ingredients they needed for a great summer.

“We’d get around 40 kids showing up consistently,” Aimé said, “with ages ranging from 4 to 14.”

With awesome staff teaming up to run two programs at the property, no one was surprised so many youth kept showing up. It’s a model the bureau also uses elsewhere throughout the city. In fact, with the support of the Parks Levy, the Free Lunch + Play program does similar events all summer long.

For Free Lunch + Play, Stephens Creek Crossing is one of 24 locations where they deliver healthy meals and fun activities for kids from June to August. The activities, noted Zoe Allen-Lewis, include classic card games like Uno, making giant bubbles, and, depending on the location, PP&R’s very popular splash pads.

Zoe has worked with Free Lunch + Play for a couple of years in a row now. When asked what keeps her coming back, she said, “The kids are all fantastic, this work is important to me, and I’m just really excited to be a part of the community.”

There’s that word again: community. It really is at the center of everything PP&R does. And without the Portland community voting to pass the Parks Levy a few years ago, the bureau would struggle to deliver the level of service Portlanders want from their parks and recreation system.

The Stephens Creek Crossing partnership is a great illustration of how Parks Levy funds are shared across multiple programs, and how those programs work together to best serve Portlanders.

Parks Levy commitment: Remove financial barriers for low-income households by ending current dependence on recreation fee revenues, allowing an equity focused delivery of community events and programs and reducing the likelihood of further cuts to recreation offerings (D3).

PP&R understands that programming fees can prevent or limit participation. Prior to the Parks Levy, PP&R’s ability to provide programs was increasingly dependent on the need to raise fees to cover programming costs. Thanks to the Parks Levy, PP&R focused on reducing cost as a barrier to participation. In FY 2022-23, PP&R provided more financial assistance than ever previously provided in a fiscal year. The
number of people accessing financial assistance increased, with 26% of participants using an Access Pass receiving financial assistance in FY 2022-23, up 19% from FY 2021-22. In future years, PP&R will look to collect survey data from Portlanders and program participants to understand if and how the Parks Levy has reduced cost as a barrier to participation.

Reducing Cost as a Barrier – Access Pass

Recreation is for everyone, and for years, the community has told PP&R that the price of programs like swim lessons, day camps, and exercise classes is a barrier for participation. A 2017 PP&R Community Needs Survey found that cost is a barrier to program access for 22% of Portlanders, and that barrier was even larger for Portlanders of color (25%) and people living in East Portland (28%). Additionally, those with incomes less than $75,000 were less likely to participate in recreation programs than those with higher incomes. The survey also found that the lower the reported income, the more likely a respondent was to report “cost” as a barrier to participation.

With the Parks Levy, PP&R is reducing cost as a barrier for program participants. In 2021, PP&R piloted two new discount models and, based on participant feedback, PP&R developed a new Access Pass that launched in fall 2022.

City of Portland residents can register for a free Access Pass to receive an ongoing discount of 25, 50, 75, or 90%. The pass is renewable every 12 months from the date of enrollment and no proof of income is required. The Access Pass can be used to reduce the price of administration to recreation centers and pools; classes, camps, swim lessons, and other registered activities; preschool and after school programs; and personal training. At the end of FY 2022-23, PP&R had 17,662 users signed up for the Access Pass. Since its start in October 2022, about 30% of new accounts joining the PP&R system also signed up for an Access Pass.

In FY 2022-23, implementation of these financial assistance models allowed PP&R to provide $3,003,745 in financial assistance to 15,104 users. This was significantly more financial assistance than PP&R has provided in years past and the flexibility of the Access Pass allows PP&R to meet Portlanders at their level of need. Prior to the Parks Levy and the pandemic, only about $565,000 in fee reductions was able to be provided because of the revenue-driven model.

Free Programming – 5K Fun Run Series

With support from the Parks Levy, PP&R leverages free programming to reduce cost as a barrier to participation. Programs like Summer Free For All, SUN Community School programming, and teen programming are provided at no cost to participants.

One example of free programming is the annual 5K Fun Run Series that takes place monthly from May through September at different parks throughout Portland. Youth ages 17 and under participate for free.

The 5K events celebrate the participation of all ages, welcoming new walkers and runners as well as seasoned racers. Each event includes a finisher ribbon, raffle prizes, music, face paint, crafts, and local vendors. Additionally, the Parks Levy has allowed PP&R to reduce the participation fee for participants aged 18 and over from $10 to $5, further reducing cost as a barrier. The 5k Fun Run Series is delivering on the Parks Levy commitments to remove financial barriers and deliver recreational programs. It also supports PP&R’s Healthy Parks, Healthy Portland goals to provide adults, children, and youth with safe, welcoming places and programs to learn, play and discover. And, importantly, the series provides equitable outcomes for mental, emotional, and physical wellness.

Protect and Grow Nature

Protect and Grow Nature means making parks and facilities cleaner, safer, and more welcoming for all. Enhancing natural features, natural areas, and tree maintenance ensures clean water, protects wildlife, and diminishes the impacts of climate change on Portland. Additionally, increased day-to-day maintenance of park features, restrooms, and recreation facilities will proactively care for and protect PP&R assets. In FY 2022-23, PP&R had approximately $42.97 million in total net expenses related to Protect and Grow Nature. Parks Levy funding provided $14.74 million toward those expenses.

Parks Levy commitments: Enhance and preserve parks, rivers, wetlands, trees, and other important natural features in urban areas for the benefit of all Portlanders and wildlife (C1); AND Protect water quality and wildlife habitat, control erosion, remove invasive species in 8,000 acres of natural area (D1).

With more than 11,000 acres of land that includes 8,000 acres of natural areas, PP&R’s maintenance and enhancement of natural features is essential to climate resilience, protecting water quality and habitat, and ensuring ecological health in urban areas. With the additional hiring done in FY 2022-23, PP&R has filled 58 of the over 80 approved new positions focused on maintenance, including natural feature and natural area maintenance. As the remaining approved positions are filled in the coming year, maintenance of natural features will increase. PP&R will measure the health of natural areas next year through a study completed every five years. With the Parks Levy, PP&R is increasing the acres of invasive species treated and leveraging volunteer hours to care for local habitat. PP&R spent $1.61 million of Parks Levy funding on these commitments. This was a portion of the $4.7 million in total net expenses focused on natural area and natural features maintenance.

Accessing and Preserving Nature with Soft Surface Trails

PP&R cares for over 120 miles of trails in over 35 natural areas and hybrid parks across the city. Led by the bureau’s Soft Surface Trails team, PP&R builds new trails, fixes bridges and culverts, and repairs trails after storms. This work is essential to creating and managing year-round access to nature. By sustainably planning and maintaining trails, the Soft Surface Trails team enhances and preserves parks, rivers, wetlands, trees, and other important natural features in urban areas for the benefit of all Portlanders and wildlife.

With the Parks Levy, PP&R added a new stewardship coordinator position to the Soft Surface Trails team. By adding a stewardship-focused position, the team now has the capacity and technical expertise to engage with volunteer groups that have a more advance level of understanding around trails. Enhanced partnerships with groups like Trailkeepers of Oregon, Northwest Trail Alliance, and SW Trails are ensuring that trails are planned, maintained, and repaired with strong technical elements such as the appropriate amount of sinuosity, protection of wildlife habitat, facilitation of drainage, and more. The Parks Levy also added a new trail technician to the Soft Surface Trails team, greatly increasing the team’s capacity and ability to service trails throughout the city. Thanks to the Parks Levy, PP&R can better achieve sustainable access to nature while preserving and enhancing habitat and ecological health.

Increased Signage and Rerouting Trails in Gabriel Park: Finding a Way

In 2020, PP&R identified the need for wayfinding (the process of figuring out your position, planning, and following a route) support in the natural area of Gabriel Park. The forest in the natural area is an escape within the city with large cedar trees, a diverse understory, and multiple creeks. Over the years, informal unsanctioned trails popped up, were eventually closed and restored to their natural state by staff, only to develop again. From both a user and an ecological standpoint, these informal trails showed trails could be more effective and needed to be improved to lessen their ecological impact.

With Parks Levy funding, in fall 2022, PP&R gathered a team with a diverse set of skills to improve and replan the trails. The team was experienced in integration of trail work, ecological knowledge, geographic information system (GIS) software, community outreach, and graphic design. They worked with a PP&R ecologist for feedback in determining the most ecologically sound routes for trails, fencing, and retaining walls. Staff and volunteers finalized, improved, and rerouted the trails. The team used the Intertwine Regional Trails Signage Guidelines for trail sign templates, connected with the Friends of Gabriel Park to confirm trail names, and worked with SW Trails (a local trail advocacy group) to incorporate neighborhood connection routes into the signs. The team coordinated color scheme with trail map symbology, making sure arrows directed users correctly, and identified destinations and allowable use. Once the planning was complete, PP&R installed 65 unique signs and 26 signposts made from juniper that was sustainably sourced from restoration projects in Eastern Oregon. The end result is a better trail system in Gabriel Park’s natural area that is clearly marked, serves the community, and is minimally disruptive to the natural ecosystem.

Protecting Forest Park

In 2023, Forest Park celebrated the 75th anniversary since the park’s dedication. Forest Park, at 5,200 acres, provides critical refuge for hundreds of native wildlife and plant species and acts as an important air and water filter. With almost 80 miles of trails, it also provides invaluable access to nature, exercise, and educational opportunities for the region. In partnership with Forest Park Conservancy, PP&R implemented the Restore Forest Park initiative, a comprehensive, long-term plan to protect and restore the park’s ecological health and reduce wildfire risk by removing invasive species, reducing fuel loads in the wildland-urban interface, and replanting native plants.

Parks Levy funds have allowed PP&R to convert a limited position to a full-time, ongoing coordinator role focused on supporting Forest Park and the Renew Forest Park program. This expanded role, which includes coordinating with partners, is critical to managing the Renew Forest Park initiative to help meet the unmet ecological, infrastructure, and access needs of Forest Park.

In addition to increased capacity for partnerships and coordination, the Parks Levy is providing additional support to maintenance teams that service Forest Park. The Parks Levy is allowing PP&R to add two new positions to focus on the citywide Protect the Best program, which helps address invasive plants such as Himalayan blackberry, English ivy, and English holly across the city, including in Forest Park. This work is aimed at maintaining ecologically healthy areas, supporting wildlife, and controlling invasive plants before they have a chance to damage natural ecosystems. Additionally, the Protect the Best program created a workforce development component, providing an apprenticeship opportunity for entry level staff to learn natural resource restoration techniques and skills. The Parks Levy also allowed for an expansion of PP&R’s Soft Surface Trails team that helps, in part, maintain the many trails in Forest Park.

Forest Park is a jewel of Portland’s park system, and with support from the Parks Levy, enhanced partnerships and maintenance are helping protect the park’s ecological and educational benefits for Portlanders. 

Feature Profile: Natural Area Stewardship

When volunteers signed up for a trail restoration event on a beautiful Spring morning, it wasn’t just because they wanted to spend their weekend playing in the dirt.

For many of the volunteers, the opportunity to connect with and improve their community is a big draw. It’s also a great way to protect and grow nature while connecting with others.

“I wanted to find a way to give back, and I love being outdoors,” said Kush Agarwal, one of 12,000 people who volunteered directly with PP&R’s Natural Area Stewardship program this year.

Through volunteering, community members can experience Portland’s beautiful parks and natural areas, learn about and create habitat for local plants and animals, get outside, get active, and learn new skills.

The Natural Area Stewardship team works with volunteers to restore, enhance, and improve Portland parks and natural areas. They do this by clearing invasive plants, removing litter, planting native plants and trees, and maintaining trails.

The trail maintenance work is led by stewardship coordinator extraordinaire Ahmed Yusuf. Ahmed spends most of his time out on trails working with volunteers like Kush, who Ahmed says has become a regular at his events.

“It’s true,” Kush said. “I’ve been volunteering with Portland Parks & Recreation for about two months now, and I’ve been really enjoying it.”

With nearly 100 natural areas in Portland, PP&R stewardship coordinators have lots of ground to cover both literally and figuratively. And they couldn’t do it without the help of their vast network of partner organizations and volunteers. Just this year, they partnered with 36 schools, 49 community organizations, 22 friends groups and neighborhood associations, 12 business groups, and five government agencies.

This large network is the result of years of hard work cultivating relationships in the community, and that network is growing even larger thanks to new partnerships stemming from Parks Levy investments. For example, Ahmed, whose position is supported by the Parks Levy, is interested in bringing more trail restoration events and more partner organizations to East Portland.

One recent event that took place at Powell Butte Nature Park in East Portland had about a dozen volunteers, including Kush. As he worked to remove a berm so that water could run off of the trail more easily during rainy season, Kush talked about the kinds of things he’s done since he started volunteering.

“I’ve done a variety of things,” Kush said, “including trail work, planting trees and shrubs, and pulling invasive species.”

But, he added, it’s not just about the work.

“I’ve also learned a lot about environmental stewardship, met some great people, and learned a lot about myself."

Parks Levy commitment: Increase opportunities for communities of color and children experiencing poverty to connect with nature (C3).

PP&R’s Environmental Education (EE) programs actively work to engage and provide services to communities of color and children experiencing poverty. As with Recreation programs, the early registration period allows partner organizations and the communities they serve to sign up one week early for Environmental Education (EE) registered programs such as Nature Day camp. The Access Pass discount options can also be applied to EE registered programs, allowing participants to register with up to 90% off. Additionally, PP&R works closely with Title 1 schools and SUN Community Schools to coordinate field trips and recruit students for Nature Day Camp, Teen Nature Team, and Youth Conservation Crew programs. The bureau also works with local partner organizations to reach underserved communities for Ladybug Nature Walks and custom nature programs.

PP&R spent $448,645 of Parks Levy funding on this commitment. This was a portion of the $1.31 million total EE expenses.

Expanding Culturally Specific Nature Education Programming

The Nature Education Program (NEP) team in Environmental Education helps connect Portlanders of many ages to nature. In FY 2022-23, with the support of Parks Levy funding, NEP served around 4,000 participants. The team hosted almost 200 different field trips and preschool Ladybug Nature Walks in about 50 different parks and natural areas across the city.

In Fall 2022, the NEP team brought on Brandon Huezo, who formerly worked as a crew leader with PP&R’s Youth Conservation Crew. Since Brandon is a fluent Spanish speaker, the team has begun to lead bilingual nature education programs. Brandon has led many bilingual programs including with Head Start classes, preschools, and multiple elementary schools. He loves working with NEP to see communities connect with nature and discover different parts of the city and shares, “The best feedback I get is the joy and surprise I see in people’s faces when they know they can communicate in Spanish, usually followed by an energetic ‘¿Hablas español?’”

The NEP team has also partnered with different culturally specific communities within the Immigrant Refugee and Community Organization (IRCO) to lead eight Ladybug Nature Walks, including with Somali, Burmese, Russian, Chuukese, and Ukrainian refugee communities. When possible, interpreters joined educators at these programs to ensure participants were able to connect to nature in their native language.

In addition, with the added support of the Parks Levy, the NEP team has developed many new partnerships with other communities including:

• Youth Progress: Juvenile justice and foster care youth, four field trips
• Upward Bound: Enrichment for high school students, two field trips
• P:EAR: Enrichment for houseless youth, three field trips
• Janus Youth: Social service agency serving young parents, two field trips
• Betties 360: Middle-school female-identified youth, three field trips
• Latino Network: Outreach event for culturally specific programming
• Friendly House: Nonprofit community center and social service agency, one Ladybug Nature Walk
• Lifelong Recreation: Adults age 60 and older, one nature program at Powell Butte Nature Park
• Title I Schools: About 35 Title 1 classes and Head Start programs served

Feature Profile: Youth Conservation Crew - Connecting to Nature

“Spending so much time outside has been good for me,” said Amira.

“Same,” added Zoya. “Really getting back to nature and having an appreciation for everything that’s here.”

If that was all that was accomplished, that might be enough for PP&R. After all, getting youth, and particularly youth of color, to feel more connected with nature is one of the Parks Levy commitments PP&R made to voters. But that wasn’t all that was accomplished. In fact, there is much more to Amira and Zoya’s story.

Both Amira and Zoya are a part of PP&R’s Youth Conservation Crew (YCC) program, which is one of several programs run by PP&R’s Environmental Education team. YCC provides employment opportunities for a diverse population of Portland-area youth. Crews protect, restore, and manage Portland’s parks and natural areas while developing job skills and exploring environmental career paths. Each of the five crews has a different focus area. Amira and Zoya are on the Community Gardens Crew, which is a great fit for teens who are interested in growing food, gardening, construction, and food justice.

Parks Levy funding for YCC has increased PP&R’s ability to serve the community, supporting maintenance and expansion of green space in Portland and being intentional about making sure youth of color and children experiencing poverty develop a strong sense of connection with the parks, community centers, and natural areas in their city.

Amira and Zoya work to maintain existing community gardens, and to build new ones. Community gardens are one of the most popular parts of Portland’s parks and recreation system, and for good reason. The two teens quickly realized how important these spaces are for a thriving community and saw firsthand the difference programs like YCC make in the daily lives of community members.

In addition to connecting people with nature, community gardens are a gathering place for neighbors and friends. They’re also somewhere people can cultivate and maintain their cultural identity through the types of food they grow.

When asked why she felt her work caring for and building community gardens was important, Zoya noted that there are lots of people earning low incomes that rely on them. It’s also important, added Amira, because it provides “clean, nice, green spaces for people to meet in their neighborhoods.” Sometimes, Amira adds, “people have to go miles to experience that.”

The beauty of the YCC program is that both youth and the broader community benefit in tangible ways. Helping young people see the connection between nature and community is critical. YCC shows that we can meet existing community needs, nurture the next generation of environmental stewards, and center diversity and inclusion all at the same time.

The YCC program, which is one of the more diverse programs across the entire bureau, goes the extra mile to bring in youth from Title 1 schools, youth who speak a language other than English at home, and youth who qualify for free or reduced-price meals at school. In a city known for its lack of racial and ethnic diversity, the YCC program stands out, with 83% of participants identifying as Black, Indigenous, or a person of color. No matter how you measure it, the YCC program is thriving, and the added staff capacity from the Parks Levy is what made it possible.

Parks Levy commitments: Enhance park maintenance to keep parks clean and safe, including litter and hazardous waste removal, restroom cleaning, and playground safety (C5); AND Clean litter and hazardous waste in parks and natural areas, maintain grounds and landscaping, provide safety checks on play equipment, improve preventative and traditional maintenance (D4); Keep public restrooms open and cleaner (D5).

With Parks Levy funding, PP&R has increased day-to-day maintenance of parks and facilities. Open  restrooms (those that are not closed due to extreme weather or being out of order) were visited for daily checks, cleaning, and repairs. PP&R also conducted litter and hazardous waste removal, collecting 3,650,756 pounds of trash in FY 2022-23. This maintenance, litter and waste collection, and cleaning continues to be influenced by ongoing pressures faced citywide such as camping and vandalism. With the Parks Levy, PP&R has hired 58 of the over 80 approved new park and natural area maintenance-related positions to date. These new positions will continue to expand PP&R’s capacity to remove litter and waste, clean restrooms, maintain landscaping, repair equipment in parks and community centers, and ensure playground safety.

As an operating funding source, the Parks Levy is not intended to pay for larger capital maintenance repair or replacement projects. With a deferred maintenance backlog of nearly $600 million, PP&R will need additional funding to address capital maintenance to prevent facilities from closing. PP&R is continuing its work towards a future where it can fulfill operations, capital maintenance, and capital growth service levels with sustainable funding.

PP&R spent $10.64 million of Parks Levy funding on these commitments. This was a portion of the $31 million in total net expenses for park and operational maintenance.

What Maintenance Does the Parks Levy Support?

The Parks Levy funds operational expenses, services, and programs including the Professional Repair and Maintenance Services (PRMS) team. PRMS is charged with day-to-day maintenance and repairs throughout the parks and recreation system. They provide timely, efficient, and appropriate repairs to the bureau’s assets and facilities, including mechanical, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, carpentry, locksmith, welding, painting, signage, fence repair, and graffiti removal. They are also responsible for heavy equipment projects, tall grass mowing, fleet management, infrastructure-based environmental health services, and other maintenance related services.

PRMS provides both preventive and emergency maintenance for PP&R built assets. This includes community centers, restrooms, play structures, tennis and basketball courts, paved pathways, gates, structures, and other park features. The PRMS team responds to an average of 6,500 work orders per year. A significant percentage of their work orders are vandalism repairs and graffiti removal. One Parks Levy goal is to continue to increase the preventative work orders so that more work is being done proactively by existing staff and additional Parks Levy funded staff. Preventive maintenance helps limit declines in asset condition and reduces potential closures. Labor hours spent on repair and replacement activities have also increased by 3% from the previous year, meaning that more responsive daily maintenance of PP&R assets has occurred.

Thanks to the Parks Levy, the PRMS team has expanded with new positions and added capacity for day-to-day maintenance and asset management. To date, the Parks Levy added 31 new positions to the PP&R Assets & Development team. These new positions are increasing the bureau’s capacity to manage and repair PP&R assets and facilities across the city. Some examples of where this added capacity is yielding results include: repairing paved pathways and parking lots, removing graffiti, setting up an internal composting system for mulch, repairing Gabriel Park’s dog off-leash area, repairing and replacing playground equipment at April Hill and Hillside Parks, and replacing leaking restroom roofing at Chapman and Lownsdale Parks. Additionally, with new Parks Levy positions, the Asset Management team has been able to plan for new and added staff workspaces throughout the bureau, establish and enhance natural area assessment processes, and increase GIS asset mapping work. The work done by PRMS is essential to prolonging the usable life of assets and delaying the need for large-scale, expensive capital maintenance.

The larger, capital maintenance repair or replacement projects, as well as building new parks or park facilities, are not eligible to be supported by Parks Levy funding.

Out with the Old Trashcans, in with the New

Every day PP&R staff empty 800 trash cans in parks facilities, parks, and natural areas, keeping these

critical spaces clean for the community. The old cylindrical concrete containers with small openings presented many challenges. They are dangerous to empty and require maintenance staff to lift heavy bags of trash over the concrete sides. They also collect graffiti, and the small openings often get jammed.

Recognizing the challenges these old trash cans created, PP&R conducted a mapping and initial needs assessment and applied for funding through the Federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) in 2021 to replace 178 outdated cans. The new trash cans are graffiti-resistant and side-opening, which makes them more accessible and safer for employees to empty. Parks Levy funding leverages the ARPA investment by supporting staff time and resources to work with ARPA requirements, remove old trash cans, install new ones, and maintain and empty them moving forward. PP&R began replacing and installing the new trash cans in February 2022 and will continue to implement the project until complete. The new trash cans will be safer and minimize litter, ensuring that parks are green and clean. 

Parks Levy commitments: Plant new trees in communities where today canopy coverage is lower, to improve air and water quality, diminish the impacts of climate change, and provide wildlife habitat (D6); AND Protect Portland’s 1.2 million park trees by performing proactive maintenance, safety checks, hazard removal, and replacement of damaged trees in parks and natural areas (D7).

PP&R’s green assets, including Portland’s tree canopy, are critical to our community. They help provide clean air, reduce stormwater runoff, reduce heat, and keep Portland livable and resilient. However, the benefits of Portland’s tree canopy are not distributed equitably, with a lower tree canopy east of the Willamette River. This disparity affects the health and quality of life of Portlanders east of the river. On a summer afternoon, temperatures east of the Willamette can be 15 degrees hotter than west of the river. Thanks to the Parks Levy, in FY 2022-23 PP&R increased trees planted in priority neighborhoods and started a new park tree maintenance program. Planting priority neighborhoods are determined using data to identify where canopy levels are lowest and where resources for tree planting are needed most to address existing inequities in urban canopy relative to race and income. With new trees being planted and existing trees better maintained and cared for, PP&R cares for Portland’s urban forest to improve public health, help prevent failures and tree diseases, enhance the health of trees in parks and natural areas, and preserve the urban canopy.

In addition to tree planting and maintenance, the Parks Levy has also allowed PP&R to increase community engagement around the urban forest, tree inspection and permitting enforcement, and tree permit waivers for low-income applicants. By better engaging and educating the public about tree planting and maintenance, PP&R can work with the Portland community to protect and enhance trees across the city.

PP&R spent $2.05 million of Parks Levy funding on these commitments. This was a portion of the remaining $5.96 million in total net Urban Forestry-related expenses.

Park Tree Maintenance

Holistic tree maintenance is essential to improving park tree health and extending tree life. Tree health is essential to climate resilience, as it cleans Portland’s air, keeps neighborhoods cool, greens parks, improves physical and mental well-being, and more.

In Year 2 of the Parks Levy, PP&R kicked off a new park tree maintenance initiative, made possible by the Parks Levy. This tree maintenance includes structural pruning, hazard abatement, and the removal of dead, dying, or dangerous trees to increase public safety, enhance wildlife habitat, and improve tree health. Prior to the Parks Levy, PP&R never had the funds to maintain and care for trees in Portland’s parks and green spaces in this way. The bureau’s work was limited by capacity and resources to reactive, emergency work. In FY 2022-23, Parks Levy allowed PP&R to hire a dedicated coordinator position to develop and implement holistic park tree maintenance. Expanded arborist capacity across PP&R is also helping to increase PP&R’s ability to perform park tree maintenance. The Parks Levy supported the creation of 37 new Urban Forestry positions, 22 of which are contributing to tree maintenance.

In FY 2022-23, PP&R piloted interim park tree maintenance, addressing tree maintenance in one park each month, determined by equity and tree health. PP&R also developed a draft Park Tree Maintenance plan and has started implementing holistic tree care to park trees. Most recently, the Urban Forestry team has assessed 116 park properties and completed tree work for over 30 parks and approximately 1,000 trees, increasing the safety of the public and improving the health and longevity of park trees which are critical green infrastructure. More comprehensive park tree maintenance efforts are starting in late 2023.

Feature Profile: Engaging Residents in Plantings

Tamarack Apartments, which sits in the heart of North Portland, just became the home of 20 new trees.

“It was fun,” said Robin Lish as she reflected on the tree planting event. “We had [PP&R] staff, volunteers, residents from our community, [Home Forward] staff, and I brought my family out.”

Robin has been the Property Manager at Tamarack Apartments since 2019. The tree planting event was the result of a flourishing partnership between PP&R and Home Forward, a local affordable housing organization that owns Tamarack Apartments. It wasn’t the first time PP&R and Home Forward have
partnered, and judging by the success of the event, it likely won’t be the last.

“The residents really enjoyed it,” Robin said. “Everyone was having a really good time.”

Thanks to funding support from the Parks Levy, PP&R has been investing more resources into partnering with organizations that serve people experiencing poverty or people earning low-incomes, growing Portland’s tree canopy, and connecting underserved communities to nature.

Home Forward is one of the organizations PP&R is working with to accomplish these goals, and has been a great partner as the bureau works to increase opportunities for communities to engage with their natural environment. The Tamarack Apartments tree planting event is one example of the kind of work PP&R is doing to meet that goal. Some of the reasons for wanting to bring people closer to nature are obvious. Trees improve air quality, provide shade, help defend against climate change, and are good for both people and wildlife. But there are other benefits, too.

Areas filled with plants and trees become natural gathering places for communities, and bringing people together is part of why Robin and Home Forward partnered with PP&R in the first place. For her part, Robin is helping organize events at Tamarack Apartments, including making use of a newly built community room on the property.

“We have this new community space where we’re actually going to be holding our first property-wide meeting,” Robin said.

The hope is that the open, grassy areas where the new trees were planted can also serve as a community meeting space as the trees mature.

Overall, Robin shared that everyone who participated in the tree planting event, from Tamarack residents to community members to volunteers, left that day feeling a greater sense of connection.

“It was a great opportunity for everyone to engage in different sorts of conversations,” Robin said, “getting to know people who live in our community that are here to support each other.”

Events that bring family, friends, and neighbors together are essential for a thriving community, and PP&R is thrilled to be included among the partners Robin and Home Forward have connected with to serve their residents.

Parks Levy commitment: Modernize data systems to improve internal efficiency (D8).

Data can be a powerful tool to support transparency, decision-making, and improve efficiencies, which are key to successful and efficient delivery of Parks Levy commitments. PP&R continues to move major data system improvements forward in FY 2022-23. Because of the Parks Levy, PP&R is taking a big step forward with modernizing data systems that help staff do their work. While data system modernization is funded with General Fund resources, these resources were available because Parks Levy resources funded additional direct service delivery in other areas.

Intersections – PP&R’s commitment to modernize data systems applies to Recreation for All, Protect and Grow Nature, and Community Partnerships

In FY 2022-23, PP&R invested in a new volunteer management database that will support staff and provide metrics for analysis and inclusion. This software will support increased engagement with volunteer and partner groups (Community Partnerships).

PP&R also continued to move forward a previous $5 million one-time investment to upgrade the bureau’s maintenance work order system by creating a project technical team and a steering committee, moving towards process mapping and requirements gathering, and coordinating standards and best practices. This is a critical system that tracks all work done in parks and natural areas. This investment stretches across multiple larger Parks Levy priorities since the work order system supports maintenance that keeps pools and community centers open (Recreation for All) and park and natural area maintenance (Protect and Grow Nature).

Urban Forestry Web App

With over 25,000 trees in PP&R’s developed parks, the PP&R Urban Forestry team is constantly removing trees, replacing dead ones, and planting additional trees. Deciding where to plant a tree requires significant coordination among PP&R divisions and work groups to ensure that a tree’s location is a “forever home” and will not conflict with future construction, utilities, or how a site is used. With Parks Levy funding, PP&R has established a new internal system to improve the tree planting process through technology.

Previously, staff would have to visit every site and conduct background research to create pages of maps for reviewers. Hundreds of comments and analyses would be compiled from spreadsheets, maps, and spatial software to determine final tree placement. The process was inefficient and still did not provide the full level of detail reviewers needed.

The Parks Levy allowed PP&R’s Urban Forestry team to hire a GIS technician. Working with a tree planting specialist, the new GIS technician built an internal web app with an interactive map. Reviewers can turn data layers on and off, measure distances from infrastructure, and see a photograph of the site. Comments are added directly and will be preserved to create a record of decision-making. This technical upgrade has improved communication among work groups, made the decision-making process around tree planting much easier, and will allow for more proactive collaboration with other PP&R teams to grow Portland’s urban forest.

Community Partnerships

Community partnerships are critical to centering community in decision making, oversight, and to deliver an equitable parks and recreation system for all Portlanders. In FY 2022-23, PP&R had approximately $5.09 million in total net expenses related to Community Partnerships. Parks Levy funding provided $1.75 million toward those expenses.

Parks Levy commitment: A community oversight committee will be appointed to review Parks Levy expenditures and to report annually to City Council. The Measure also directs the Bureau to provide for a performance audit to ensure that services funded by the levy are consistent with voter intent (D).

PP&R is prioritizing transparency and accountability in the delivery of the Parks Levy. The Parks Levy Oversight Committee was established on July 1, 2021, to:

• Review information to verify general compliance with and progress towards the purposes of the Parks Local Option Levy
• Advise on transparency and communication strategies
• Counsel on an independent audit process and annual report

The Parks Levy Oversight Committee reports annually to City Council and the community regarding adherence to Parks Levy language, fiscal accountability, and transparency. In October 2022, the Year 1 Parks Levy Oversight Committee Annual Report was presented to City Council.

The committee is composed of five community members selected from a public applicant pool and appointed by PP&R’s director to serve two-year terms. Members meet quarterly and review information produced by PP&R staff. Members of the public are always welcome to attend Parks Levy Oversight Committee meetings. Meeting notes, the committee charter and bylaws, and committee annual reports are posted to the committee webpage.

At the end of FY 2022-23, the inaugural members of the committee reached the end of their two-year terms. Per the committee bylaws and charter, members can renew for up to two consecutive terms. In April 2022, PP&R opened a public recruitment for new Parks Levy Oversight Committee members, who started their service on July 1, 2023.

Year 2 (FY 2022-23) Parks Levy Oversight Committee

• Alescia Blakely
• Judy Bluehorse Skelton
• Maria Velez
• Paul Agrimis
• Silas Sanderson

Year 3 (FY 2023-24) Parks Levy Oversight Committee, terms starting July 2023

• Alescia Blakely
• Zay Conant
• Mary Ruble
• Silas Sanderson
• Tim Williams

PP&R spent $115,546 of Parks Levy funding on this commitment and related transparency and accountability efforts. This was a portion of the $336,703 in total net expenses, including those for the oversight committee, Parks Levy communications, annual report, calculation of compression actuals, and other Sustainable Future Initiative efforts. A performance audit will be conducted starting in Year 3 of the five-year Parks Levy.

The Parks Levy Oversight Committee’s response to the FY 2022-23 annual report and PP&R’s FY 2022-23 activities is available at www.portland.gov/parks/ploc.

Parks Levy commitment: Prioritize services for communities of color and households experiencing poverty, including equity-centered engagement and outreach, community partnership grants, and increased engagement with volunteer and partner groups (D9).

PP&R implemented programs, initiatives, and prioritization efforts in FY 2022-23 to center underserved communities—specifically Black people, Indigenous people, people of color, immigrants and refugees, LGBT2SQIA+ people, people with disabilities, youth, older adults, and people earning low incomes. Some examples of this work include: the implementation of the Community Partnership Program; the use and implementation of the Equity and Anti-Racism Lens; the Healthy Parks, Healthy Portland strategic planning process; the Access Pass; and early registration and multiple registration opportunities.

With the Parks Levy, PP&R is increasing community partnership and volunteer opportunities. In FY 2022-23, volunteers contributed a total of 373,140 hours to PP&R programs. This volunteer work results in meaningful outcomes for PP&R and the community. In FY 2022-23, youth learned about teamwork, gained confidence, and were physically active thanks to volunteer basketball and volleyball coaches. Volunteers working in gardens helped 19,000 rose bushes bloom from May to November. And with the support of PP&R staff, people with disabilities had access to fun and rewarding opportunities as volunteers. Overall, this volunteer work meant better maintained parks, engaging programming, and strong community partnerships.

PP&R spent $1.63 million of Parks Levy funding on this commitment. This was a portion of the  approximately $4.75 million total net expenses for community engagement, volunteer services, and equity services.

Intersections – PP&R’s commitment to prioritize services for communities of color and households experiencing poverty applies to Recreation for All, Protect and Grow Nature, and Community Partnerships

As PP&R strives to become an anti-racist organization, and in line with Parks Levy commitments to voters, PP&R is working to serve communities centered through Healthy Parks, Healthy Portland, including Black people, Indigenous people, people of color, immigrants and refugees, LGBT2SQIA+ people, people with disabilities, youth, older adults, and people earning low incomes. PP&R prioritizes underserved communities in many ways, including applying the Racial Equity Lens to budget decisions, sharing early registration opportunities with partner organizations, waiving tree permitting fees for people earning low incomes, and more. Prioritization of underserved communities reaches across the Parks Levy priorities, contributing towards the goals of Recreation for All, Protect and Grow Nature, and Community Partnerships.

Community Partnership Program (CPP)

We can serve more people by working together. As part of PP&R’s commitment to community partnerships and its commitment to prioritize services for communities of color and households experiencing poverty, PP&R created the Community Partnership Program. The Community Partnership Program builds off PP&R’s existing Teen Collaborative Initiative (TCI) grant opportunity. PP&R awarded grants to 20 organizations helping them provide programming and services to underserved communities between July 2022 and June 2024. Additionally, through the Community Partnership Program, PP&R supported five directed contracts to partners providing specific services in PP&R facilities.

In FY 2022-23, Community Partnership Program and TCI grantees served 3,494 youth, 78% of which identify as people of color or multiracial (from programs who collected demographic information). Grants provide targeted financial support to partner organizations that bring knowledge, expertise, resources, and a focused approach to serving culturally specific communities and youth populations. In addition to the grant funding, grant recipients can also request rental credits for space, allowing grant programming to be held at PP&R facilities and community centers free of charge.

Additionally, in FY 2022-23, PP&R was able to expand Community Partnership Program opportunities by creating space grants for free and discounted use of space at the Community Music Center. And, in May 2023, PP&R awarded three soccer contracts for programming, in partnership with PP&R’s sports program, to support soccer camps, focused on underserved and underrepresented youth in Portland, at no cost to participants. These new space and soccer opportunities build on the success of TCI and the Community Partnership Program are allowing PP&R to expand services and programming, particularly in areas where community partners are already working with key audiences. These growing community partnerships mean PP&R can better serve centered communities.

Feature Profile: Reaching Community through Partnerships

When Veronica Arigbon was a little girl, she would travel with her family from Chicago, Illinois to Portland, Oregon. “Mt. Hood, the coast, the trees, the forests,” Veronica said, “when I came here, it all came to life. It was like a wonderland.”

Veronica has lived in Portland for decades now, and she made sure to pass on her love of nature to her children and grandchildren. One of the ways she did that was through enrolling them in programs like People of Color Outdoors (POCO).

POCO, founded by local educator Pamela Slaughter, is a non-profit that provides Black people, Indigenous people, and people of color a safe and welcoming way to enjoy and learn about nature in Oregon.

PP&R is proud to partner with POCO and community leaders like Pam who are making a difference. This partnership, which was made possible thanks to Parks Levy funds, is one of many that provide targeted financial support to organizations that bring knowledge, expertise, resources, and a focused approach to serving culturally specific communities.

When voters approved the Parks Levy, they made it clear they wanted PP&R to prioritize services for communities of color and households experiencing poverty, and one of the ways the bureau is doing that is through its Community Partnership Program. By supporting Pam and her work with POCO, PP&R is able to expand the number of people POCO is able to serve. That means when Veronica and others recommend POCO to neighbors, Pam has the resources and capacity needed to welcome newcomers.

Through POCO, Pam is making sure the next generation of youth of color have the opportunity to experience the best parts of nature—running through parks full of hundred-year-old trees, hiding along creeks to watch for wildlife, and admiring the beautiful flowers that bloom in spring.

Veronica credits Pam with teaching her grandchildren the importance of caring for nature. “Pam’s program teaches them to respect the environment and nature in general,” she said.

PP&R recognizes that not all Portlanders have experienced the benefits of the parks and recreation system equally and is committed to changing that. Through the Community Partnership Program, PP&R is able to help community organizations reach underserved communities, including Black people, Indigenous people, people of color, immigrants and refugees, LGBT2SQIA+ people, youth, people with disabilities, and people earning low incomes.

“We’re going to be able to host a lot more kids,” said Pam. “We were only in the summer before. And now, because of this grant, we had our first time inside this cottage at winter break. It was pretty cool.”

Pam talked at length about how grateful she was for the grant she received from PP&R but, it’s PP&R who should be most grateful. Without leaders like Pam, there’s no realistic way the City could do all the work community organizations are doing. That’s why PP&R is, as Pam said, “putting their money where their mouth is,” and investing in community partners so that they’re able to expand access to their programs.

Parks Levy commitment: Provide park and recreation services to diverse populations including communities of color, seniors, teens, households experiencing poverty, immigrants and refugees, and people living with disabilities (C2).

PP&R is actively working to provide services, programming, and events to diverse populations. In FY 2022-23, PP&R successfully delivered parks and recreation services to a wide variety of users and implemented initiatives like early registration, Community Partnership Program grants, work order prioritization, and more to directly serve communities of color, seniors, teens, households experiencing poverty, immigrants and refugees, and people with disabilities.

PP&R provides parks and recreation services to diverse populations through programs, activities, maintenance in local parks, and more. Examples of how PP&R provides opportunities specific to populations listed in the Parks Levy commitment include, but are not limited to:

• Communities of color: PP&R continues to expand and enhance culturally-specific programming to serve communities of color. Some examples include, contracting LoveSome Hair to teach the history, meaning, and purpose of braided hair and centering Black women; partnering with Somali American Council of Oregon on free drop-in arts activities centering Somali youth in southeast Portland; and piloting a new tapestry weaving class at The Rosewood Initiative. Additionally, PP&R is working to diversify the bureau’s workforce to better reflect the community, tracking staff demographics, and providing training opportunities on equity and anti-racism for staff.
• Seniors: Lifelong Recreation offers recreational, educational, and wellness opportunities for adults age 60 and older. Activities include excursions and van trips, health and wellness, arts and crafts, music and dance, sports and fitness, hiking and walking, and much more.
• Teens: TeenForce, which is free for youth between the ages of 10 to 20 years old, is focused on giving young people the programs they need to thrive: help with homework, drop-in sports, field trips, chess clubs, help with resumes, a fun and safe place to hang out with peers, and so much more. In FY 2022-23, TeenForce Passes were scanned 33,460 times. PP&R also works to provide youth with employment through programs like the Youth Conservation Crew, swim instructor, and lifeguard opportunities.
• Households experiencing poverty: The Access Pass offers up to 90% off program fees. In FY 2022-23, PP&R provided $3,003,745 in financial assistance. PP&R also prioritizes offering free programming.
• Immigrants and refugees: In FY 2022-23, Southwest Community Center offered English as a Learning Language and marketed the program in partnership with Home Forward to reach people earning low incomes who are also in need of English language support. Additionally, partnerships with local organizations like the Rosewood Initiative and Home Forward are helping bring culturally-specific programming into community spaces.
• People with disabilities:Adaptive and Inclusive Recreation (AIR) programs offer community-based recreation activities, trips, and leisure services designed for teens and adults with a disability. PP&R also offers inclusion services to provide meaningful access to all PP&R registered classes and activities to people with disabilities.

This commitment intersects with almost all other Parks Levy commitments and the funding associated with those commitments also supports this work.

Early Registration Pilot Program

PP&R is administering an Early Registration Pilot Program to improve access for underserved communities. The opportunity is promoted with local partner organizations who serve the communities that PP&R is centering. Partners have the choice to opt into the program and, in FY 2022-23, PP&R partnered with 54 organizations to share information and assistance for early registration. Early registration allows for one week of advance access to registered activities, registered via phone and in-person, before they are open online. In addition to working with partner organizations to promote the early registration opportunity, PP&R also simplified registration materials to make them more accessible, and translated registration materials into 19 languages. With this pilot program, up to 50% of a registered activity’s capacity is available for early registration. While early registration is intended to improve access for underserved communities, no one is excluded from signing up during the early registration period.

The Early Registration Pilot Program serves diverse populations including communities of color, seniors, teens, households experiencing poverty, immigrants and refugees, and people living with disabilities through the participating partner organizations and the communities that they serve.

Intersections – PP&R’s commitment to provide park and recreation services to diverse populations applies to Recreation for All, Protect and Grow Nature, and Community Partnerships

Providing parks and recreation services to diverse populations, including communities centered in the Parks Levy commitments and the Healthy Parks, Healthy Portland framework, is critical to all operational activities that the Parks Levy supports. From preserving the urban tree canopy to providing programming for Portlanders of all ages, the Parks Levy supports PP&R’s operation in service of Portland’s diverse population. This commitment applies to all three Parks Levy priorities—Recreation for All, Protect and Grow Nature, and Community Partnerships.

Appendices

Appendix A: Parks Levy Commitment and Code

PP&R is tracking progress on fifteen commitments listed in the November 2020 voter pamphlet and approved by Portland voters. Exhibit C and Exhibit D were included in the original resolution (Resolution No. 37498) and voter pamphlet (see page 3). The fifteen commitments each have a code from their exhibit letter and order in which they appear in the exhibit.

Code	Commitment
C1	Enhance and preserve parks, rivers, wetlands, trees, and other important natural features in urban areas for the benefit of all Portlanders and wildlife.
C2	Provide park and recreation services to diverse populations including communities of color, seniors, teens, households experiencing poverty, immigrants and refugees, and people living with disabilities.
C3	Increase opportunities for communities of color and children experiencing poverty to connect with nature.
C4	Prevent cuts to recreation programs, closures of community centers and pools
C5	Enhance park maintenance to keep parks clean and safe, including litter and hazardous waste removal, restroom cleaning, and playground safety.
D1	Protect water quality and wildlife habitat, control erosion, remove invasive species in 8,000 acres of natural area.
D2	Deliver recreational programs, including, but not limited to, environmental education and access to nature for youth, summer camps, family-friendly movies and concerts, fitness and arts classes, teen- and senior-focused programs, life-saving swim lessons, and a summer playground program serving free lunches to children experiencing hunger.
D3	Remove financial barriers for low-income households by ending current dependence on recreation fee revenues, allowing an equity-focused delivery of community events and programs and reducing the likelihood of further cuts to recreation offerings.
D4	Clean litter and hazardous waste in parks and natural areas, maintain grounds and landscaping, provide safety checks on play equipment, improve preventative and traditional maintenance.
D5	Keep public restrooms open and cleaner.
D6	Plant new trees in communities where today canopy coverage is lower, to improve air and water quality, diminish the impacts of climate change, and provide wildlife habitat.
D7	Protect Portland’s 1.2 million park trees by performing proactive maintenance, safety checks, hazard removal, and replacement of damaged trees in parks and natural areas.
D8	Modernize data systems to improve internal efficiency.
D9	Prioritize services for communities of color and households experiencing poverty, including equity-centered engagement and outreach, community partnership grants, and increased engagement with volunteer and partner groups.
D	A community oversight committee will be appointed to review Parks Levy expenditures and to report annually to City Council. The Measure also directs the Bureau to provide for a performance audit to ensure that services funded by the Parks Levy are consistent with voter intent.

Appendix B: Leveraged Funding Model

To maximize Parks Levy funds and deliver on the goals and commitments of the Parks Levy, PP&R is using a leveraged model to fund levy-eligible costs. This means using the full allocation of General Fund resources and reserving Parks Levy funding to maximize its purpose of supporting park operations and incremental increases to services and activities.

In practice, the General Fund is used first and then Parks Levy funding is spread across levy-eligible-services that support delivering on voter commitments. This model preserves Parks Levy funding by making it the last money to pay for levy-eligible-costs. The result is a group of levy-eligible-services across the bureau that all have an equivalent blend of resources and are supported, partially, by the Parks Levy.

This graphic illustrates how Parks Levy resources are preserved and PP&R is able to maximize their use to deliver on voter commitments. First, General Fund underspending in services that are not levy-eligible is applied to the group of levy-eligible services. This means that less Parks Levy funds are needed at that time, and Parks Levy funding is preserved to continue to incrementally increase services and programs.

This model means that no activities, positions, or programs are funded exclusively by the Parks Levy.  Instead, the Parks Levy fiscally supports a percentage of PP&R operational expenses.

Appendix C: Total Expenses and Parks Levy Portion by Commitment

PP&R uses codes to identify services offered (Functional Areas). To analyze the link between FY 2022–23 expenses and the fifteen Parks Levy commitments, each Functional Area was matched to a commitment. This table shows the amount of expenses (both total and Parks Levy portion) by Parks Levy commitment. Total net expenses of a Functional Area include reductions by associated revenue. The total net expenses and Parks Levy portion for each larger priority are also included.

In FY 2022–23 the Parks Levy received $47.99 million in revenue, of which PP&R spent $25.82 million ($25.47 million on PP&R programs and services, $350,242 on reducing financial impact to the Portland Children’s Levy caused by compression under Oregon property tax law), leaving $22.17 million in the Parks Levy fund to be spent in future years. This is added to the balance remaining from FY 2021-22, leaving a total Parks Levy balance of $47.75 to be spent in future years delivering Parks Levy services.

^{*Total expenses are net expenses and include reductions from associated program revenues.}

Parks Levy Commitment	Total Expense*	Parks Levy Portion
Recreation for All	$26,171,010.50	$8,981,047.62
Prevent cuts to recreation programs, closures of community centers and pools (C4).	$8,267,333.61	$2,837,082.54
Deliver recreational programs, including, but not limited to, environmental education and access to nature for youth, summer camps, family-friendly movies and concerts, fitness and arts classes, teen- and senior-focused programs, life-saving swim lessons, and a summer playground program serving free lunches to children experiencing hunger (D2).	$17,903,676.89	$6,143,965.08
Remove financial barriers for low-income households by ending current dependence on recreation fee revenues, allowing an equity-focused delivery of community events and programs and reducing the likelihood of further cuts to recreation offerings (D3).	N/A (included in net expenses for other commitments)	N/A
Protect and Grow Nature	$42,965,377.01	$14,744,333.12
Increase opportunities for communities of color and children experiencing poverty to connect with nature (C3)	$1,307,363.54	$448,645.05
Enhance park maintenance to keep parks clean and safe, including litter and hazardous waste removal, restroom cleaning, and playground safety (C5). Clean litter and hazardous waste in parks and natural areas, maintain grounds and landscaping, provide safety checks on play equipment, improve preventative and traditional maintenance (D4). Keep public restrooms open and cleaner (D5).	$31,001,209.83	$10,638,616.41
Enhance and preserve parks, rivers, wetlands, trees, and other important natural features in urban areas for the benefit of all Portlanders and wildlife (C1). Protect water quality and wildlife habitat, control erosion, remove invasive species in 8,000 acres of natural area (D1).	$4,695,665.80	$1,611,401.22
Plant new trees in communities where today canopy coverage is lower, to improve air and water quality, diminish the impacts of climate change, and provide wildlife habitat (D6). Protect Portland’s 1.2 million park trees by performing proactive maintenance, safety checks, hazard removal, and replacement of damaged trees in parks and natural areas (D7).	$5,961,137.84	$2,045,670.45
Modernize data systems to improve internal efficiency (D8).	N/A        (project-level)	N/A
Community Partnerships	$5,085,039.16	$1,745,021.61
Provide park and recreation services to diverse populations including communities of color, seniors, teens, households experiencing poverty, immigrants and refugees, and people living with disabilities (C2).	N/A (included in net expenses for other commitments)	N/A
A community oversight committee will be appointed to review Parks Levy expenditures and to report annually to City Council. The Measure also directs the Bureau to provide for a performance audit to ensure that services funded by the Parks Levy are consistent with voter intent (D).	$336,703.48	$115,545.79
Prioritize services for communities of color and households experiencing poverty, including equity-centered engagement and outreach, community partnership grants, and increased engagement with volunteer and partner groups (D9).	$4,748,335.68	$1,629,475.82
Total Parks Levy Eligible Program and Service Expenses	$74,221,426.67	$25,470,402.35

Paid to Portland Children’s Levy to reduce financial impacts caused by compression under Oregon property tax law: $350,242.00

Total Parks Levy Funding Expended: $25,820,644.35

Appendix D: Parks Levy Expenses for FY 2022–23 by Service Area and Organizational Structure

Download PDF fileDownload the Appendix D Table here.391.22 KB

This table shows the total net expense and Parks Levy portion for FY 2022–23 at the service (Functional Area) and work group (Fund Center) level. PP&R uses codes to identify Functional Areas. Fund Centers are codes used to identify operating budgets, aligned with PP&R’s organizational structure.

To analyze the link between FY 2022–23 expenses and the 15 Parks Levy commitments, each Functional Area was matched to a commitment. That commitment is noted in this table by the code (see Appendix A for key). Total Net Expense of the Functional Area/Fund Center combination includes reductions by associated program revenue. The Parks Levy Portion of Expense is the amount of the Total Net Expense funded by the Parks Levy.

The list of specific line-item expense details is available and downloadable as the:

Download PDF file2020 Parks Local Option Levy FY 2022–23 Line-Item Expense Details 411.68 KB

Functional Areas Eligibility for Parks Levy Funding

The eligibility of a Functional Area, or service category, to receive Parks Levy funding was determined by a review of all 172 Functional Areas against the Parks Levy resolution (Resolution No. 37498), specifically Exhibit B. PP&R consulted with the Office of the City Attorney to establish compliance and eligibility for Parks Levy use. The following principles were applied:

• Exhibit B of the resolution was used to determine the full set of Parks Levy eligible activities.
• Parks Levy funding is then specifically allocated and used to reimburse a sub-set of those eligible activities that are public facing, user-end services.
• The sub-set of eligible activities includes pass-through funding to third parties that provide Parks Levy eligible services. Each pass-through agreement is reviewed for eligibility.

In general, those Functional Areas that are determined to be eligible and that are receiving Parks Levy funding are operational services (no capital activities or expenses) that support the 15 Parks Levy commitments.

Appendix E: Summary of Parks Levy Annual Report Performance Measures

Additional information, including supplementary context and interpretation, about the following performance measures can be found in the narrative of this report.

Recreation for All

Performance Measures	FY 2021-22	FY 2022-23	Notes
Number of free meals served	173,197	99,432	During the pandemic (including FY 2021-22) federal meal service guidelines were temporarily expanded to provide both breakfast and lunch meals. In FY 2022-23, the guidelines went back to only include lunch meals, resulting in a decrease in free meals served.
Total scans for TeenForce passes	22,788	33,460	Programs and facilities were limited in their ability to operate in the first half of FY 2021-22 due to COVID-19.
Total estimated attendance	874,780	1,159,801	Programs and facilities were limited in their ability to operate in the first half of FY 2021-22 due to COVID-19.
Percentage of participants accessing financial assistance	19%	26%
Number of swim lesson registrations	19,273	10,074	In FY 2021-22, swim lesson sessions were temporarily reduced to one week classes in order to create more access to swim instruction with limited space due to staffing issues and pandemic guidelines. In FY 2022-23, swim lessons returned to the traditional two-week structure. Additionally, swim lessons at indoor pools were not offered in FY 2022-23 due to staffing shortages, unlike the year prior where lessons were available at both outdoor and indoor pools.
Number of unique swim lesson participants	8,562	10,999
Hours worked by swim instructors	7,879	12,599
Number of registrations in educational preschool, SUN Community Schools, community center afterschool programs, and camps	9,120	7,751	SUN Community School program is provided in partnership with Portland Public Schools (PPS). In FY 2022-23, PPS requirements for educational summer school and limited space resulted in a decrease in PP&R SUN registrations.
Number of hours athletic fields are reserved	60,268	93,273
Total amount of financial assistance provided	$1,551,393	$3,003,745	New value for FY 2021-22 based on improved methodology.
Total number of people receiving financial assistance	8,156	15,104	New value for FY 2021-22 based on improved methodology.
Total volunteer hours (Rec related)	191,606	211,211	FY 2021-22 value has been updated based on additional program information since the Year 1 report was published.

Protect and Grow Nature

Performance Measures	FY 2021-22	FY 2022-23	Notes
Number of repair and maintenance work orders for park sites with either low income; Black people, Indigenous people, or people of color; or youth populations above Portland's average	10,817	14,888
Number of work orders issued	15,419	17,371
Annual hours spent on park restroom cleaning and care	16,880	19,249
Percentage of repair and maintenance staff hours spent on preventative work orders	13%	16%
Percentage of work orders that are preventative	12%	13%
Number of hours of tree planting/education related community engagement	5,932	5,604	The number of hours reported in FY 2022-23 is slightly lower than the year prior due staff vacancy that limited capacity to complete as many events and hours.
Number of trees planted in parks and on city property	166	293
Number of trees planted through citywide tree planting	2,289	3,202
Percentage of permit cases receiving a compliance inspection	27%	30%
Total number of trees planted	2,455	3,495
Total number of trees planted in priority neighborhoods	1,467	2,381
Percentage of land covered by tree canopy	29.8% (2020)	29.8% (2020)	Citywide canopy coverage is surveyed and updated every five years.
Arborist hours dedicated to park trees	7,842	9,373	Storm and emergency management results in arborist de-prioritizing non-emergency work in parks to handle the effect of severe storms and can lead to variability of arborist hours.
Total volunteer hours (Nature related)	152,555	162,243	FY 2021-22 value has been updated based on additional program information since the Year 1 report was published.
Number of people who participated in nature camps, classes, and community programs	2,664	5,415	New value for FY 2021-22 based on corrected methodology.
Number of acres of invasive species treated annually	875	950.45

Community Partnerships

Performance Measures	FY 2021-22	FY 2022-23	Notes
Number of barriers identified in the PP&R Americans with Disabilities Act Transition Plan removed by the maintenance team	317	40	FY 2022-23 value is significantly lower because the barriers addressed in FY 2022-23 were more complex. FY 2021-22 barriers that were removed included simple signage replacements that were completed as a batch. In contrast, the FY 2022-23 barrier removals were more time and resource intensive, such as bathroom retrofits.
Number of partner agencies receiving grants from PP&R	13	24
Total value of grants awarded to partner organizations	$1,833,492	$2,108,355
Annual full time employee turnover rates*	12.6%	8.8%	*Workforce diversity is part of “Provid[ing] park and recreation services to diverse populations including communities of color, seniors, teens, households experiencing poverty, immigrants and refugees, and people living with disabilities,” particularly in helping PP&R’s centered communities see themselves in PP&R’s workforce. Workforce measures have been included to show how PP&R is moving towards a workforce representative of PP&R’s centered communities.
Percentage of employees who are Black people, Indigenous people, or people of color*	32%	35.1%
Percentage of managers or supervisors who are Black people, Indigenous people, or people of color*	30%	32.3%
Percentage of seasonal or casual workforce who are Black people, Indigenous people, or people of color*	38%	36.2%
Number of youth aged 14-24 employed by PP&R*	1,047	1,498
Total volunteer hours	344,161	373,454	FY 2021-22 value has been updated based on additional program information since the Year 1 report was published.

Portland Parks & Recreation’s developing civil rights page offers information related to making programming more accessible and inclusive.