Portland Parks Board

Information

The Portland Parks Board, established in 2001, serves to ensure that the vision and recommendations of the Parks 2020 Vision are at the forefront of discussions about park and recreation issues, and trends over time and in all areas of the city.

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About Portland Parks Board

The Portland Parks Board advocates for parks on a city and regional basis to ensure that parks, natural areas, open spaces, and recreation facilities are advanced in planning and design. The Parks Board provides a forum for public discussion and decision-making about park issues, bringing a citywide and long-term perspective to neighborhood-based issues.

Meetings

Meetings are open to the public and are generally held via Zoom, the second Tuesday of every month, from 5:00-7:00pm. To contact the Portland Parks Board or to submit a request to give public comment at a meeting, please contact parksbureaudirector@portlandoregon.gov or call 503-823-5135.

The next board meeting is Friday, June 23, 2023 at 9:00am due to the Annual Board Retreat scheduled for the entire day.

Location: Portland Building, 1120 SW 5th Ave, Room 216.

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Public Comment Procedure

To make public engagement more equitable and accessible to community members, the Parks Board receives comments made in writing and provides an open forum for community members to speak on issues that affect the City’s system of natural areas, parks, and recreation services and the people who use them.

To provide a comment in writing, please either:

Email comments to:

The Board at parksbureaudirector@portlandore….
Subject Line: “Comment for the Board”

Mail comments to:

Director Adena Long
C/O Parks Board
1120 SW 5th Ave, Suite #858
Portland, OR 97204

In all correspondence, please include an email address, phone number, or mailing address with which to reach you

At the start and at the end of Board meetings, there is a fifteen-minute open forum for comments from all members of the community. Click here for the time, location and agenda of upcoming Board meetings.

At the meeting, you will be asked to fill in a comment card with your name and discussion topic. If attending virtually, you will be asked to type your name and discussion topic in the “Chat” feature. Speaking time will be 2 minutes per person or shorter depending on volume of requests. Subject to the discretion of the Board's Chair, speakers are generally prioritized on a first-come, first-served basis. (If your topic relates to an agenda item, you may be asked to speak during the discussion on that agenda item, if you are available to speak at that time.)

If you have any questions about providing comments to the Board, call 503-823-5135. If you require translation services, contact 503-823-2525, City TTY 503-823-6868, Relay Service: 711.

The Board wants to hear your concerns about Portland’s parks, natural areas, and Parks programs and the people who use them. But please remember that the

Board is only advisory and may not be able to address all concerns. Concerns the Board is unable to address will be directed to a member of Parks staff. You can also contact Parks directly about your concerns by calling 503-823-7529 or the Portland Park Rangers at 503-823-1637.

Thank you for your interest in Portland Parks & Recreation.

Meeting Minutes and Recordings

ADA Accommodations

If you would like to request an ADA accommodation, please email parksbureaudirector@portlandoregon.gov or call 503-823-5135. Please note all accommodation requests should be submitted as soon as possible, but no later than one week in advance.

Parks Board Members

Bonnie Gee Yosick, Chair
Casey Mills, Vice Chair
Paul Agrimis
Ali Berman
C.N.E. Corbin
Mike Elliott
Adrianne Feldstein
Suenn Ho
Adam Lewis
Crys O'Grady
Alejandro Orizola
Elana Pirtle-Guiney
David Staczek
Sabrina Wilson
Erin Zollenkopf
Randy Gragg, Ex-Officio

Board Statement on Turning the Tide of Racism

June 12, 2020

We are filled with sorrow and heartache watching the nation’s ongoing racism crisis. The senseless murder of George Floyd, the police brutality at many peaceful protests, and the responses of certain political leaders have shaken us. Fundamental change is needed to address the institutional and active racism facing black people and all people of color.

There is a deep flaw in our nation, and it is racism. It continues to pervade our society with deep-seated environmental and social injustices such as markedly higher infection rates and deaths of African-Americans and Native Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic. The current passive-aggressive manifestations of racism are part of the sad legacy of the enslavement of African-Americans and the subjugation of Native Americans. As individuals, we may condemn it, but only as communities united across the country can we eradicate it. It is time to do so. Racism is a crime against humanity.

Repeated police killings of African-Americans are horrifying and extreme examples of this behavior; they underline the urgency with which it must be addressed - by recognizing such acts of violence as crimes, punishable by law. This is how we codify consensus on acceptable behavior - all equal under-enforcement of the law. We must root out racism from police forces. We need accountability.

We must also take action to eliminate racism from every other element of society. The deaths of Ahmaud Arbery and Trayvon Martin are chilling examples: individual acts of murder based on racial bias against African Americans. These injustices need to be fully prosecuted as such. Environmental injustices are another form of violence against people of color, and we need to seek remedies for these injustices as well.

We reaffirm our commitment to racial justice and equity and realize that statements of solidarity are not enough without action to back them up. We commit to doing our part by making the Portland Parks & Recreation Advisory Board an anti-racist institution and working with PP&R leadership to address racial inequities within the Portland Parks system. We commit to supporting local leaders of color in their calls for rooting out the racism that is entrenched in our police bureaus and in all systems. We recognize the responsibility that white people have at this time to listen, amplify, and support leaders of color. The white members of the Portland Parks Board are committed to taking on increased responsibility to change the systems, including systems within the Parks Board, set up to benefit white people.

We stand in solidarity with our Black neighbors here in the City of Portland, and across the country, in calling for overdue change. We stand ready to take action in this movement for racial justice.

Parks Board By-Laws

The Portland Parks Board By-Laws were first adopted in February 2003; and last revised October 13, 2020.

Portland Parks Board By-Laws31.98 KB

Parks Board Ordinance

The City of Portland Ordinance No. 176002 created the Parks Board on October 10, 2001.

Portland Parks Board Ordinance No. 17600257.5 KB

Portland Parks Board

About Portland Parks Board

Meetings

Public Comment Procedure

Meeting Minutes and Recordings

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

ADA Accommodations

Parks Board Members

Board Statement on Turning the Tide of Racism

Parks Board By-Laws

Parks Board Ordinance

Contact

Michelle Tran

Topics

Past Events