Overlook Neighborhood Update (Sept. 1) – Overlook Neighborhood Association

1) Patton Square Park celebration

Join the Friends of Patton Square Park, the Overlook Neighborhood Association, and Portland Parks & Recreation in celebrating the completion of improvements at Patton Square Park’s playground with a free, kid-friendly community party on Saturday, Sept. 14, 1-3 p.m.

The event will feature a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by neighborhood kids. We’ll also have face painting by Mystique’s Fancy Faces, community information tables, music performed by Ants Ants Ants, and free cupcakes and ice cream.

Thanks to funding from the 2014 Parks Replacement Bond, systems development charges, and funds raised by Friends of Patton Square Park and their donors, this playground has received an expansion with new play pieces and a natural seating area.

Friends of Patton Square Park would like to thank everyone who donated to their fundraising campaign. We raised a total of $20,750 from 45 individuals/couples, eight businesses (adidas, Fairfield Residential, Aprende con Amigos Preschool Academy, Hardware Security Resources, Ethos Development, Atomic Pizza, Firelight Yoga and Ger-Brock Automotive) and the Overlook Neighborhood Association.

2) OKNA Board meeting

The Overlook Neighborhood Association Board will meet on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 6:30-7:30 p.m. at the Historic Overlook House. The board will discuss a grant award for the Neighborhood Emergency Team and the location for the annual meeting on Sept. 17. View the full agenda.

3) U.S. Census Bureau is knocking on doors in Oregon

Field representatives from the U.S. Census Bureau are visiting homes in Oregon through mid-October, including homes in parts of the Overlook Neighborhood (green areas on the map to the right or check the interactive online map.) Census field staff will knock on the door, identify themselves and ask a few questions about the residence. This is part of the work to verify addresses in advance of the 2020 U.S. Census.

Field staff will introduce themselves as a Census Bureau employee, show their official government ID badge, and explain the purpose of the visit. People may also ask them for a picture ID from another source to confirm their identity. They also will carry a Census Bureau briefcase like the one shown here.

This is the first major field operation of the 2020 U.S. Census. OKNA encourages residents to participate to help the Census Bureau produce an accurate enumeration of the residents of our neighborhood, Portland and Oregon. The address list they are verifying plays a vital role in ensuring a complete and accurate count. Census data is used to determine the number of seats each state holds in Congress and how more than $675 billion in federal funds are distributed back to states and local communities every year for services and infrastructure, including health care, jobs, schools, roads and businesses.

The official Census count will begin nationwide in March of next year.

4) Movie in Overlook Park a huge success

Hundreds of people from all across Portland came to Overlook Park on Saturday for our annual movie in the park, put on in cooperation with Portland Parks & Recreation. The huge crowd enjoyed music, face painting and neighborly fun before watching Moana on the big screen.

Thank you to everyone who helped make this year’s movie a success, especially OKNA Board Member Addie Humbert who coordinated everything.