A llittle perspective...

Before:

AFTER

Thanks Pesznecker Brothers for fabricating AND donating these steel love-bomb signs!
Thanks Ace Hardware on Woodstock for donating the concrete needed for the sign footings!

BBQ & Ice Cream Social at OHB Aug 6th!

click to enlarge

Save The Date - August 6th!

Hey Neighbors!
Save August 6th, because we are having a neighborhood social....

What: BBQ and Ice Cream Social
Hosted by: SE Uplift and Mt. Scott-Arleta Neighborhood Association
When: Monday, August 6th at 6:30
Where: Our Happy Block/Calvary Church (8040 SE Woodstock Blvd, on the lawn)

SE Uplift will be providing Ben & Jerry's ice cream and the Mt. Scott-Arleta Neighborhood Association will be providing light food and a grill...so bring any food you'd like to throw on the grill and we'll have a dandy time! (we will have separate grills for meat and veggies)

All Ages!

June 16th! Work Party Y'all!

Spread the Word, we are having a work party!

YAY!  We are almost done with the current portion of OUR {HAPPY BLOCK} project!

But there are some key things that still need to be done....so we hope you can join us Saturday, June 16th!

Come alone or bring your friends, family, kids, dog...hey, just come!

• Date: Saturday June 16th,  2012 
• Starting: 10am (show up when you can during the day) and stay as long as you can, or want 
• Site: 8040 SE Woodstock BLVD, Portland OR 97206  

*Food will be provided to volunteers. 

Please email Terah Beth at if you plan to make it (so we can estimate food)
...or just show up when you can!

Bring gloves (if you have them) and wear appropriate shoes and clothes >>> Do you have tools that you can bring? why not...

Want to provide food, refreshments or plates/cups...etc?
If so, please contact Terah Beth at 971.404.9864 or email her at our.happy.block@gmail.com

A volunteer (Treasa) in action on planting day

This project has been made possible by a partnership between the following organizations (and so many amazing individuals who have volunteered their time):

There is no possible way this project could have been a success without YOU! 

• East Multnomah Water and Soil Conversation District PIC Grant
• BES Community Watershed Stewardship Grant-(funding this portion of our project)
• - this portion of our project must be done by the end of the month!
• Depave Organization
• PDC's Community Livability Challenge Grant
• SE Uplift Graffiti Abatement Grant
• East Multnomah Water and Soil Conversation District Space Grant
• Calvary Lutheran Church
• TBBV Design
• Friends of Trees

                                                             
                                                   
       Thank YOU so much!        
               Luv,  Terah Beth                            
                                              
                                                              

Work Party Day June 16th at 10am - Lunch Provided!

Announcement...Work party!!!

We will be gathering at Our Happy Block on June 16th at 10am to finish up some work.

We will be laying drip irrigation hose, removing weeds, and having a general good time doing it!

If you can join us, please contact Terah Beth at our.happy.block@gmail.com.

Thanks a lot!

Our Neighborhood Struck Gold!

Yes, that's a REAL RAINBOW.
Taken April 5th, 2012

Beautiful dark skies. Taken on March 18, 2012

Calls to police cut by 57%

Crime Statistics:
I want to share some great news with you!
Since Our 'Happy Block' project broke ground....
calls to police have been cut by 57%!
We went from 137 calls to police to 59.
(number of calls to police in 1-year concerning activity within a 500-foot radius of our project)
(See the statistics, in detail, at the bottom of this post)

Lovely Block....

Come Join us Tomorrow to PLANT Trees!

Join Your Neighborhood Association Board and Volunteer for Friends of Trees Planting Day!  Mt. Scott-Arleta will be planting a record breaking 225 trees!
 

When: December 10th, 8:45 to 1pm

Where:  Meet at 5329 SE Woodstock Blvd Portland OR (Our Lady of Sorrows Parish)

Description: A number of Mt. Scott-Arleta board members will be volunteering with Friends of Trees to plant street trees for our neighbors and we hope you will join us! Please arrive by 8:45am and F.O.T. will provide coffee and doughnuts to get your started. They will also provide gloves and tools, so all you need to do is show up dressed for the weather and wearing sturdy shoes. The neighborhood group will also provide a potluck lunch for all volunteers after the planting in complete. We look forward to seeing you out there! 

website:  friendsoftrees.org

 

 

Plants are in the ground!

Our Planting Party was truly amazing. We planted around 1,000 native trees, shrubs, groundcover and grasses.
It looks great. We will add mulch in the coming weeks along with drip irrigation.

I will post more pictures when I get a moment to compile them all.

Thanks everyone!

Terah Beth

THIS SATURDAY!

The time is finally here...it's time to PLANT!

Help us get the garden going at the most happening community greenspace in the neighborhood!
We depaved a parking lot, and now we’re ready to add a dash of paradise. 

Join Our Happy Block and Depave for a fun day in the dirt where we’ll put in over 1,000 plants all around the new greenspace.
Celebrate with us and learn all about naturescaping and rain gardens!
(or if you don't want to play in the dirt, we can always use food donations. Please 'reply' if you'd like to contribute in this fashion.)
Tell your friends!

DETAILS

Date: Saturday, October 22

Starting: 9:00 am - show up whenever you can help during the day

Site: Calvary Church parking-lot | 8040 SE Woodstock

Volunteers of all ages are welcome! Depave will provide volunteers with all the necessary tools and gloves.
Please wear clothing appropriate for the weather.

Please email me with any questions or to let us know you'll be bringing food!

We are also looking for folks who have a lot of experience in landscaping to help lead volunteer crews.
Let me know if you are interested!

Thanks so much!
Terah Beth
email me

------

    What we've already achieved together...          

• Planted 29 new street trees on our block!
  
• Greatly improved neighborhood safety by cutting-off the entrance/exit from Calvary's parking lot to Martins Street (this prevents vehicles from 'short-cutting' through the parking lot at high speeds. )
  added sidewalks,  curbs and street trees where the concrete approaches once were.
  
• Planted a new Native Plant Garden!
  
• Painted a 50' x 23' Mural & added lighting to deter graffiti and prevent crime
  
• Depaved over 4,300 square feet of asphalt!
  
• added Curbs and new parking stall striping to parking lot
  
• Worked together with our fellow neighbors to  take ownership of our BLOCK!     

• had a Neighborhood Block Party during national night out

                                                                                            

This project, and past projects, was made possible by a partnership with the following organizations (Thank You!)

• Our Happy Block Coalition (includes neighbors on the block, businesses on the block, neighborhood watch, Calvary Church)
• Calvary Church
• Bureau of Environmental Services (City of Portland )
• East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District
• Portland Development Commission
• SE Uplift
• Depave
• Mt. Scott Neighborhood Association
• Friends of Trees
• Johnson Creek Watershed Council

some in-progress photos:

watch this awesome PARKING LOTS to PARADISE VIDEO

Save The Date!

Volunteer!!!
Native Plant Date October 22nd!
Click the flyer to enlarge.

TREES!

FREE Street Trees for Mt. Scott-Arleta Neighborhood Only!   
Good Things Grow on Trees - Find Yours at Friends of Trees!
www.friendsoftrees.org

The sooner you sign up, the more choices of trees you'll have! 

Sign Up Now to receive this 'one-time only' offer (sign up deadline for our neighborhood is Nov. 7th)    

What good things grow on trees? 

Conservation: Tree shade can cut your energy costs by 35 percent during the summer. Health: Trees clean our air, water, and soil for an all-around healthier city. Community: Tree-lined streets calm and slow traffic. This creates safer neighborhoods and happier people.

And yes, even money grows on trees! Planting trees on your property can add $7,000 to the value of your home.

Since 1989, Friends of Trees has planted more than 415,000 trees and native plants in the Portland-metro area. During the next few years, we're working with Portland's Bureau of Environmental Services to turn Portland's grey to green by planting thousands of trees in East Portland neighborhoods.
Questions? Email FOT@FriendsofTrees.org or call 503-282-8846 ext. 25.
Learn more at www.FriendsofTrees.org.

This Wednesday!

Come participate in this Neighborhood brainstorming session!
Wednesday, Sept 7th at 6:30
Mt. Scott Community Center

Block Party was a success

Thanks for everyone who came out to our first neighbor block party!
The food was great and the company was even greater.
bbq, ping-pong, bubbles, ice cream, yummy food and getting to know one another.
GOOD TIMES!

Block Party - July 30th

Come hang out with your neighbors!
(click image below to view invitation)

 

SE Examiner article on Our Happy Block

Another article about our project. 
"Depave Paradise - Put up a Pocket Park "
 
 CLICK HERE  to read SE Examiner's article on Our Happy Block's project

Mural!

Yes, we gathered this last week to make this sweet piece of art for Our Happy Block!
It was a blast and it looks wonderful!
The neighborhood feels so vibrant!
We had a lot of honks and 'looking good' yells from cars as we were on the scaffolding and ladders.

THANKS to
SE UPlift for the Graffiti Abatement grant and Powell Paints for donating some paint and giving us a great, GREAT deal on supplies!

and THANKS to:
Tim Janchar (original artwork, see below), Terah Beth Varga (got grant and designed the mural from Tim's painting), Justin Varga, Modou Dieng, Howie, Terra Zittenfield, Jonathan shannon

IN-PROGRESS:

BEFORE:

Depave Volunteer Photos

Check out our hardworking Volunteers!
People, from all over our fine community, came to lend a helping hand.

Thanks to EMSWCD for the funds to make this possible, the Depave team to make the depave day go smoothly and all you wonderful VOLUNTEERS who either brought food or used your muscles to pull-up that nasty asphalt!

Depaved!

Can you believe it?
Volunteers gathered this past Saturday to Depave 4,300 Square Feet of Asphalt!
It was a fun-filled work day!
Thanks everyone...more pictures to come.

thanks Depave!
Awesome!

I can almost see the soil under the asphalt!

Depave day is this Saturday!!!

Join us as we Depave  4,300 square feet of asphalt this Saturday!

Lunch, refreshments, gloves, goggles, and tools will be provided.

DATE:          Saturday, Jun 18th 2011 at 9:00am
                   We’ll be starting at 9am and going until 4pm.

         Volunteers are welcome to come at any time and stay for as long or short as willing.

LOCATION:  8040 SE Woodstock BLVD
                    Between 80th-82nd on SE Woodstock, Portland, Oregon

Thanks so much to all our partners including EMSWCD, BES, Depave, SE Uplift, PDC, Neighbors, Calvary Church, and all volunteers!
We are so thankful to have your support and positive vibes...we are creating a better place to live and work together!

Don't hesitate to call me (Terah Beth) or email me for more information: 971.404.9864
- Thanks & see you there!

Site and Landscape Plans done!

We've submitted our Permit Drawings to the City and we are on our way to Beautifying our Block with our partners Depave, EMSWCD, and BES!

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Landscape Plan:
To view a larger version, just click the image:

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Site Plan

(hatched areas to be 'depaved')

Mt Scott-Arleta's first Newsletter

View the first Mt. Scott-Arleta Newsletter!

Working on Permit Drawings for the new Parking-Lot Naturescape!

We are shooting to submit our permit paperwork to the city this coming week!
Soon, 4,300 square feet of the 17,000 square feet asphalt parking lot will be depaved and filled with thriving Native Plants while stormwater will be infiltrated on site through Rain Gardens!

City Repair's Inspiring Video

Just saw this inspiring video this morning and thought I'd share it on our blog.
This relates to what we are doing....trying to create a close-knit safe village by turning space into place!
and...I really like the idea of painting our intersection to create a community space...and to slow cars down.
Inspiring.

After our Parking Lot improvements and Mural is complete, maybe we can turn some neighborhood intersections into unique places.

Native Plant Learning Garden quick Video

Thanks to everyone who came out to make the Garden Grow!

Neighborhood Notes weighs in on our Project!

Our Happy Block: Neighbors Transform Lot Into Livable, Sustainable Community Space

Link to story

Some of the Volunteers at a planting party for Our Happy Block.

This Saturday!

Native Plant Learning Garden

Feb 19th - Adding Soil, Plants and Mulch Day!
Contact us to Volunteer!

------------------------

Thanks to the Volunteers
who showed up this Saturday for the Site Prep Day!

We Sod-Cut 1,000 square feet of Sod and spread 10 yards of soil...

among other things.

Thanks to His Bakery (pastries, scones)
W'Yeast Pizza (3 pizza pies)
and Anne Holm (chili and corn muffins)
for providing Food to Volunteers!