An Urban Ballpark for Dogs
OLD TOWN, PORTLAND, OREGON
A Proposal
​
Three Objectives
​
-
Change the negative image Portlanders have, particularly decision makers, of the people who live here;
​
-
Build a gathering place for our neighbors to get to know one another better in the context of mutual love and respect for dogs; and
​​
-
Address waste issues that may be killing our trees in a neighborhood designated as a heat island with a very low tree canopy (Scoop on Poop). Opportunity abounds to make a dog ballpark that recycles the waste and saves trees.
"The dog park: whether urban or suburban, there are more possibilities than you can shake a stick at." Huffington Post
​
​
About Old Town Chinatown
This neighborhood is the oldest and in the Central City. It is home to about 4,000 residents and another 6,000 or so employees or "day-timers" who work in businesses and non-profits, large and small. It is a redevelopment area of the City and as such it is heavy on surface parking lots, neglected buildings, and is (officially) a heat island. Many of our neighbors live on very limited incomes in affordable housing. Others are housed in supportive care, transitional housing, or shelters. While the neighborhood is best known as the entertainment district - with all that implies - it is, in reality, Portland's Caring Community as over 57% of the housing units support drug recovery programs and the homeless.
​
Project Elements
-
Website (completed)
-
Video and Slide Show (completed)
-
Social Media Network (completed)
-
Potential Sites (two candidates)
There are two sites identified. This one shown is owned by Prosper Portland and is between the Broadway
Bridge and apartments owned by Home Forward. (A) There is also the site near the Steel Bridge that is suitable for a dog park that involves the city and state. (B) A major objective is to confirm the availability of our first choice for a Dog Ballpark, a property owned by Prosper Portland, the redevelopment agency of the City of Portland and to get support of the Old Town Community Association and its members. With a commitment to a site, an RFP will be prepared and funding alternatives identified for the Ballpark. Sponsorships, advertising, and eventually the sale of dogwear products all make a dog park an attractive community center. Vendors in the pet industry may choose to locate a sales office or production facility in Old Town, as part of their CSR initiatives. Not B2C retail, but B2B commercial development. A F/T facilitator will be on site with volunteers available as part of a dog day care program which we believe can generate enough revenue to subsidize the public ballpark. ​
​
5,000 sq. feet, 200 square foot cabin/office.
A
