NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS: What’s happening across Salem in June
Neighborhood News is a monthly Salem Reporter feature to highlight news or issues of concern to each Salem 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
Grant Neighborhood Association is excited to announce that we will be co-hosting a National Night Out Celebration on Tuesday, Aug. 5, with our neighbors at Seed of Faith Ministries at 1230 Winter Street N.E. Expect a bouncy house for the kids, popcorn, hot dogs, pot-luck and a lot more. Details to come.
In preparation for the event, we will have a booth at Saturday Market on July 26. Look for us in the not-for-profit corridor.
Grant takes a meeting break in July, so check our Instagram and Facebook for current news, or better yet, sign up for the GNA newsletter, which will have a July edition. The minutes from the June meeting will be posted by the city and on the GNA website before the Aug. 1 meeting.
-Submitted by Susan Napack, vice chair
Highland Neighborhood Association
Join the Highland Neighborhood Association this month for two great opportunities to connect with neighbors, engage with community issues, and celebrate local music.
Our monthly meeting will take place Thursday, June 12, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at 945 Columbia St. N.E. and on Zoom.
We’ll host CASA of Marion County, a nonprofit advocating for children in foster care, as they introduce their mission, discuss the local foster system, and share how community members can support local youth.
Additionally, representatives from Salem’s Public Works Department will present two sidewalk improvement projects: installing a new sidewalk on Northeast Hickory Street between Liberty and 4th streets, and filling a missing sidewalk segment on Northeast Church Street between Pine and Spruce streets. Community input is encouraged, so bring your questions and ideas! The board will also consider appointing Celine Coleman as vice chair.
Meetings are welcoming spaces for everyone—your voice shapes Highland’s future.
Then, join us for Make Music Day, Friday, June 21, on the f/Stop Fitzgerald patio. This official HNA event features local talent like indie folk artist Matt Mlinarcik, pop musician Hannah Wood, electronic duo The King Dot, and more. Slangers will serve up tasty burgers to keep the evening going. Festivities kick off at 4:00 p.m. and run until 10:00 p.m. This event is 21+.
Whether attending the monthly meeting or enjoying a musical evening, HNA looks forward to seeing you!
–Submitted by Ryan Erickson-Kulas, chair
Northeast Neighbors
Hazardous sidewalks pose risk for pedestrians
The Center Street Safeway is a vital neighborhood resource for many in the downtown core and surrounding communities.
NEN unanimously voted to advocate for a protection zone around Safeway so pedestrians, youth, the vulnerable and disabled can comfortably and safely walk to the store.
The store serves a large number of pedestrians, some that may not have vehicles, including people from the community, state officers, apartment buildings, Willamette University, assisted living, affordable, transitional, and independent living facilities.
The open drug use and sales on sidewalks near the store can pose serious hazards.
Annual neighborhood cleanup
NEN and Grant Neighborhood Associations held a successful annual neighborhood cleanup.
Many thanks to Republic Services, Cascade Tire, Cherry City Metals, the Salem First Church of the Nazarene, Salem Leadership Foundation, and our amazing volunteers that made this event possible!
Much of what was collected including tires, metal, electronics, and bikes were recycled.
-Submitted by Lynn Takata, neighborhood watch and land use co-chair
Northgate Neighborhood Association
This could bring a smile to your face. One day in May, we were approached by a concerned neighbor to help get flashing lights and signs, as well as crossing guards for Hayesville Elementary School.
Nothing was done for a long time and she thought it was high time changes were made. Safety of students from kindergarten to fifth grade was always at stake. It seems due to lack of traffic guards, flashing lights, proper signs or blocked signs, vehicles were speeding on the road in front of the main school entrance.
The only sign they had was a painted warning sign on the road; however, this was too close to the school so it could not be considered a warning for drivers they are approaching a school. With all this, we could not look the other way. We decided to help.
To make a long story short, we got involved and after continued follow ups of correspondences, phone calls and meetings with both the school principal and county traffic engineer, we were successful in now getting five traffic guards and to have in the near future, two flashing lights and proper signs. We were very happy to be of help because we regard especially young children’s lives very seriously at this association.
–Submitted by Kaethe Mentrum, secretary and park chair
North Lancaster Neighborhood Association
North Lancaster’s largest park was selected to host Salem Seekers. Want to add an adorable chunky bird to your chochke shelf? McKay Park is the spot to visit during the month of June!
Getting the park ready to host took some coordination and the community really showed up. Major Kudos to CaPES, East Salem ACE Hardware, Oak Park Church of God, Salem Parks and the McKay Track & Field Team for making this fun, free family event possible!
These groups helped organize several cleanup days leading up to June 1 when the first birds were hidden. On May 31, we had about a dozen volunteers for a cleanup including team members from ACE Hardware, Salem Seekers, NOLA Board members and our Ward 6 Councilor-elect, Mai Vang!
The East Salem Peace Walk occurred on Thursday, June 5th. Fifteen people walked the streets, picking up litter, handing out water and protein bars while radiating prayer and positivity into the community. Pastor Matt Ingalls informed me the East Salem Peace Walks will take a short pause for summer and resume in the fall. For details on other Peace Walks, visit www.salemlf.org/peacewalks/.
NOLA Neighborhood Association has moved to a new meeting location. We now meet at Free Methodist Church, 4455 Silverton Road N.E. Monthly meetings are the first Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. For more info on everything NOLA, visit www.cityofsalem.net/NOLA.
-Submitted by Deanna Garcia, chair
STORY TIP OR IDEA? Send an email to Salem Reporter’s news team: [email protected].
A MOMENT MORE, PLEASE– If you found this story useful, consider subscribing to Salem Reporter if you don’t already. Work such as this, done by local professionals, depends on community support from subscribers. Please take a moment and sign up now – easy and secure: SUBSCRIBE.
