(Portland, OR) –
After consultation with neighbors, sports participants, and the Grant High School community, Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) and Portland Public Schools (PPS) staff have reached an agreement around the Grant Bowl, track, and sports fields. The PPS Board will vote on whether to approve the agreement on February 20.
The Grant Bowl was installed in September 2013 with an eight-to-10-year expected lifespan. Between permitted play by community groups and by Grant HS athletics, usage has been particularly heavy.
PP&R provided a permit to PPS last fall at the school district’s request, to begin a project to replace the Grant Bowl turf. This work is underway.
Vibrant Communities Commissioner Dan Ryan facilitated a successful meeting on October 16, 2023, with representatives from Grant High School, the Grant neighborhood community, Portland Public Schools, and PP&R leadership. An agreement has been reached: PPS will lease the Grant Bowl, track, and upper sports fields from PP&R and PPS will be responsible for the renovation, upkeep, and maintenance of Grant Bowl, track, and the upper sports fields.
“This is a win for the neighborhood, Grant High School community and for sports users. PPS and PP&R teams have developed an agreement to better serve everyone in our community,” said Commissioner Ryan.
Grant High School students and its feeder schools will be able to use the track and fields while preserving public access and other community use by community sports organizations for all the facilities.
The permitting of Grant upper and lower fields will now be done exclusively by PPS for consistency and clarity, but 1,200 hours of non-district hours will be made available to the public, and the track will generally be open to the public as it has been for many years.
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