Neighborhood News is a monthly Salem Reporter feature intended to highlight news or issues of concern to each neighborhood association. Read previous editions here.
Salem is divided into 17 neighborhood associations that meet monthly. They serve as a conduit to city officials for things like park improvements, road projects and planning and building. Learn more and find your association here.
Leaders of each association are invited to submit a brief news item or report highlighting the association’s work, neighborhood concerns, upcoming activities or anything else of interest. Submissions are lightly edited for style and clarity.
Grant Neighborhood Association
Approximately 26 neighbors attended the Grant Neighborhood Association March meeting last Thursday, March 7, in person at Broadway Commons and via Zoom. In addition to our standing reports from Councilor Virginia Stapleton and an SPD Officer, we had an inaugural report from Jean Palmateer, Ward 1 representative on the City Revenue Task Force.
There was a lively discussion generated by a Quiet Clean Salem presentation by Marissa Theve. We elected Aaron Terpening to fill the position of Land Use Chair, and Susan Napack, Outreach Chair presented three designs for an upcoming GNA postcard mailing to all addresses in the neighborhood. We announced our participation and asked for volunteers to work with Highland Neighborhood Association on June 8 Garage Sale Day, and with NEN on Neighborhood Cleanup on May 18.
The bylaws committee continues to work on a final version of the revisions to present for a full GNA membership vote at our May 5 general meeting.
Our next meeting is April 4. For more information about GNA and to sign up for the monthly newsletter visit our website.
–Submitted by Susan Napack, vice chair
Highland Neighborhood Association
Spring is in the air, and the Highland Neighborhood Association (HNA) is bustling with activities and opportunities for community engagement.
As we continue to foster a vibrant and inclusive community, we’re excited to host the Spring Kids Clothing Swap, set for Saturday, March 30, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., at Center 50+. This event is designed to support local families by offering a sustainable way to refresh children’s wardrobes for ages 0-12 years.
It’s a perfect occasion to swap outgrown clothes for something new-to-you, reducing waste and enhancing community connections. The swap operates on a first-come, first-serve basis, so we encourage early arrival. Donations of gently used children’s clothing are welcomed at our monthly meeting or directly at Center 50+. Additionally, we’re seeking volunteers to ensure its success. Sign up to volunteer here. You can drop off donations at our monthly meeting or contact us at [email protected] to arrange a different time.
In addition to the clothing swap, we invite you to our next monthly meeting on Thursday, March 14, at 6:30 p.m., held at the North Neighbors Resource Center, 945 Columbia St NE, Salem. Participate in person or virtually via Zoom to discuss neighborhood initiatives and how you can get involved in making a difference.
We’re actively seeking volunteers to fill several committees, including the Street Mural Refresh Project and the National Night Out event later this summer. These committees are vital to our neighborhood’s enrichment, offering opportunities to contribute your talents and passion to meaningful projects. Please reach out to us at [email protected].
–Submitted by Ryan Erickson-Kulas, secretary-treasurer
Northeast Neighbors
Please join us for our Tuesday, March 12 Zoom meeting. The link is on our website at www.SalemNEN.org or use this link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85971429116?pwd=MXI4K3dFSVl1OG5sblB1aTdqaE5IQT09
Meeting ID: 859 7142 9116
Passcode: 688899
- Our guest speaker is Joe Hutchinson, Emergency Manager for the City of Salem. Learn more about the CERT program and risks in our neighborhood.
- We will host a discussion about options for city revenue being considered by the Revenue Task Force.
- A presentation about the issues involved with a potential strike by Salem-Keizer teachers.
- Meet our new representative from the Salem Police Department.
Englewood Forest Festival art applications for the August 10 event in Englewood Park are nearly full. We are still accepting applications for performances, environmental nonprofits, city/county services, and food trucks. Please apply online: www.englewoodforestfestival.org.
Work continues on the Englewood Park Pollinator Garden and camas meadow. If you want to join us, please email us at [email protected] and we will add you to the email list. Lots of early natives like Indian plum, Red flowering currant, and Oregon grape are starting to bloom in the park.
Many native bees nest underground, so please be careful digging. Last year a volunteer accidentally dug up a yellow faced queen bumblebee. She appeared to be OK and we gently placed her where she had been. She continued to dig underground, and we hoped she would survive the winter. Neighbors also saw a pair of great horned owls courting as well as an occasional Bald eagle, many red-shafted flickers, red and white breasted nuthatches, and brown creepers hopping up and down trees. It’s peaceful to sit, listen, and observe. Over 95 species of birds have been seen in Englewood Park which is a respite in our dense neighborhood.
Proposed Englewood stop signs
The City is proposing adding 12 new stop signs near Englewood Elementary School.
Future events
April 9 Zoom Candidate Forum at 6:30 pm for City Council, Mayoral, and Circuit Judge Candidates
SAVE THE DATE for the Neighborhood Cleanup on Saturday, May 18.
We will send more information in late April or early May.
–Submitted by Lynn Takata, chair
Northgate Neighborhood Association
Sunny and warmer days are almost here. By the end of the month, we expect warmer days, like the old saying, “March walks in like a lion and leaves like a lamb.”
New mural
Northgate Family Council will be celebrating the fact that Northgate Neighborhood Association will be painting a long art mural for Northgate Park’s fences after a special grant of $3,000 was made for supplies by Salem Parks Improvement Fund by the City.
The art mural may have children of diverse cultures and backgrounds playing together in the Northwest woods. There could be monarch butterflies on display, along with squirrels and chipmunks, birds of different kinds, bear mom with cubs, deer family, and other wildlife. It may or may not even include Oregon’s special mustangs called “kigers.” Who knows yet what else we will paint. Please be pleasantly surprised. No date set yet for completion.
The party will start for kids of all ages to go egg-hunting since the next day is Easter, pizza and drinks served, then talk about the art mural, other discussions and later music, and other fun things to do.
When: Saturday, March 30, 2024, 4:30-7:30 p.m.
Where: Northgate Park
Proposed homeless shelter
Northgate Neighborhood Association is now circulating signature pages to petition Church at the Park to relocate to another property outside of Northgate. We have been getting a lot of people signing enthusiastically due to the fact they think Northgate has had its fair share and it is now time for other wards to contribute by taking in some of these shelters with open arms. These homeless people need places to go instead of roaming around, looking. So people, put your “kind badges” on and let’s be kind to these homeless people by taking in shelters in your wards too. Share and share alike!
Our signature page looks like this.
PETITION TO RELOCATE PROPOSED LANA STREET MICROSHELTER BY CHURCH AT THE PARK
WHEREAS, North Salem already has three shelter sites located on Portland Road serving our homeless neighbors in addition to the Salem Housing Authority housing projects Orchard Park off Ward Drive and Sequoia Crossings on Broadway Street;
WHEREAS, West Salem has no shelter sites serving their homeless neighbors;
WHEREAS, South Salem’s homeless neighbors are served only by the Turner Road micro shelter, located in the one-quarter mile space between the Salem Airport and Interstate Five and adjacent to two manufactured home communities;
WHEREAS, the City of Salem has made a policy of promoting and funding the creation of shelters exclusively in areas that have the most diverse and lowest average income residents;
WHEREAS, the City of Salem has respected the objections of affluent neighborhoods opposed the creation of shelters;
WHEREAS, the City of Salem staff and Church at the Park chose the Lana Street site in part because there are no immediate residential neighbors and then did not seek broader public comment from residents because they expected to receive objections;
WHEREAS, the City of Salem has no current plans to establish additional shelters after the completion of the Lana Street micro shelter and therefore intends to leave unhoused residents of Salem unserved in West Salem and South Salem indefinitely;
THEREFORE, we, the undersigned residents of Salem, DEMAND that
1. The City immediately cease support for the Lana Street micro shelter;
2. The City rescind any possible City funds granted to Church at the park or possibly paid to the property; owner for the purpose of establishing and operating the Lana Street micro shelter;
3. Church at the Park and the City redirect their efforts and funds to establish a shelter in West or South Salem to ensure adequate access to shelters and services for our unhoused neighbors residing in those areas who will be abandoned if the Lana Street micro shelter is completed.
-Submitted by Kaethe Mentrum, secretary and parks chair
North Lancaster Neighborhood Association
NOLA’s next meeting is on Wednesday, April 3rd starting at 6:30pm at Blanchet Catholic School.
We will be hosting three of the mayoral candidates, as well as a few judicial candidates. Our meeting attendees can be quite lively and ask great questions.
Details about our community including agendas, events and minutes are available on our website: www.cityofsalem.net/NOLA
–Submitted by Deanna Garcia, chair
Southeast Salem Neighborhood Association
SESNA could have a first! The Southeast Salem Neighborhood Association is excited to possibly offer the first multigenerational playground equipment in Salem’s public parks, thanks to grants received from the Salem Parks Foundation and the Salem Parks Improvement Fund. Located in the Richmond School Park, with easy access for neighbors, the three-piece set will help people of any age do situps, pull ups and a variety of other exercises. Installation should be done later this spring or summer.
SESNA meets the fourth Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. at Wesleyan Capital Park Church (new time, previously at 7 p.m.) SESNA’s priorities this year include supporting the city’s Vision Zero plan for traffic safety, Mill Creek improvements and working toward creating a unique dog park on ODOT property to revitalize the neglected area of Tripp and 14th Streets. We need input on the dog park!
-Submitted by Shannon Priem, chair
South Central Association of Neighbors
On Wednesday, March 13, community members are invited to attend our regularly scheduled monthly meeting at 6:30 p.m. at South Salem High School. This month our discussion is going to focus entirely on community safety and wellbeing. From vandalism prevention, to concerns surrounding the safety of South Salem High School students, we have heard from our neighbors that the time to take concrete actions is now. We invite everyone to attend to share their concerns, but please also come prepared with ideas and suggestions for how our neighborhood can act to improve safety and security. We are all in it together.
On Friday March 22, and Saturday March 23, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Deepwood Estate is holding its annual plant sale. Representatives from SCAN will be there handing out information on neighborhood associations across the city. We invite anyone who has ever wondered what neighborhood associations do, or how they can get involved to stop by and have a conversation. As always we also invite anyone with interest in the South Central area of Salem to follow us on Instagram @scansalemofficial, and on our website: www.scansalem.org.
–Submitted by Evan West, vice president
South Gateway Neighborhood Association
Monthly meeting
Come join us on Thursday, March 14th, at 6:45p.m. SGNA meetings are hybrid so you can attend in person or over Zoom.
Meeting Link: https://zoom.us/join
Meeting ID: 826 3718 2783
Passcode: 251748
For those wanting to attend in person:
Baxter Community Hall
1780 Baxter Road SE, Salem, OR 97306
Please park in the parking lot south of the building. Parking off of Baxter is reserved for those with accessibility challenges.
Street artists needed
Our neighborhood has received numerous requests from enthusiastic neighbors interested in embellishing our streets with art. Now comes the exciting challenge: finding skilled designers who can bring these visions to life.
Are you among the esteemed few with the ability to enhance our neighborhood’s beauty with your unique designs? We want to hear from you!
If interested, contact Dynee Medlock at [email protected].
Easter egg hunts
There will be two egg hunts open to the public in our neighborhood on Saturday, March 30th, starting at 10:00 am:
1. Our Savior’s Lutheran Church
Address: 1770 Baxter Road SE, Salem, OR 97306
Facebook Page: Our Savior’s Salem
2. Creekside Golf Course
Address: 6250 Club House Dr SE, Salem, OR 97306
Facebook Page: Creekside Golf Club
For updates from neighbors join the South Gateway Neighborhood Association Facebook page.
Don’t use Facebook? You can also find us on Nextdoor.
-Submitted by Dynee Medlock, co-chair
West Salem Neighborhood Association
Over the last several months, WSNA has been sending out teasers about the upcoming April meeting. Well, April is almost here, and we’re excited to officially invite you to the WSNA April 4 General Meeting, hosted by our neighbors in the beautiful Capital Manor community!
In October of 2023, WSNA kicked off a new year with a newly elected board, loads of enthusiasm, and a new set of goals. Two of the main goals focus on improving and expanding our communication reach and increasing citizen participation levels in the association.
On the communications side, we’ve amped up our news and information output by submitting articles to the Westside Paper and Salem Reporter on a monthly basis. All updates are then posted on our website at www.westsalemna.com, along with other WSNA briefs on Land Use, the Glenn Gipson Watershed, Parks, Transportation, and Houseless news.
The second goal focuses on expanding neighborhood participation in the NA. We thought if we could make it more accessible, you may be able to join us more often. So, we decided to shake things up a bit, and move a couple of meetings to various locations around West Salem.
With that said, WSNA started a conversation with Nikki Phillips, Director of Marketing and Community Relations at Capital Manor near the end of 2023. After trading a few emails, Nikki and I met for coffee at the Urban Grange to get better acquainted and talk more about Capital Manor, WSNA, and the community we all share. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Capital Manor, it’s a beautiful nonprofit life plan retirement community, located at the western edge of the Edgewater district. Capital Manor offers both independent and continuing care living for retirees focused on pursuing an active lifestyle while enjoying peace of mind for the future.
Nikki started working at Capital Manor in 2017, but it was apparent in the first few minutes of our conversation, that she didn’t just work at Capital Manor, she was connected to the organization and the almost 480 residents who call CM home and the 270 team members who are employed there. I could feel the intensity and sincerity of her words as she described the make-up of Capital Manor, and the personality and drive behind the people who live and work there.
The people who live at Capital Manor didn’t come here to retire, she tole me. They came here to experience life with other like-minded people. They are people who have raised their families, finished their careers, and decided it was time to enjoy life their way. Capital Manor is a planned community committed to providing residents with just that kind of lifestyle.
CM and its residents are not only dedicated to having a full life within their own community (over twenty resident-run committees, five resident advisory committees, and six special committees), their compassion and generosity extend well beyond their own gates.
Each year CM selects four not-for-profit sponsorships to support. Each nomination has to have a staff and resident “champion” to represent the fundraising or educational campaigns on site. In 2023, CM had six nominations, then found a way to support them all. They have supported the Salem Art Association, World Beat, Acres of Hope, Marion Polk Early Learning Hub, and the Dolly Parton Imagination Library to name just a few. They are also members of Leading Age Oregon and LA National whose mission statement is Advocacy – Education – Connection. They are a nonprofit national association dedicated to advancing quality aging services.
WSNA is way beyond thrilled to be partnered with Capital Manor in the support and continuing development of our WS community and the city of Salem. Please add the April 4 meeting to your calendar so you can learn more about your neighbors in Capital Manor, and what’s happening in your neighborhood.
Thursday, April 4th at 6:30 p.m., 1955 Salem Dallas Hwy N.W.
Parking: Drive past the main entrance and follow “Event Parking” signs.
-Submitted by Mo Zwicker, communications chair
Our next edition of Neighborhood News will run in mid-April. Submissions must be received by Monday, April 8 to be included.
Contact Managing Editor Rachel Alexander with submissions or questions: [email protected].
STORY TIP OR IDEA? Send an email to Salem Reporter’s news team: [email protected].
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