NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS: What’s happening across Salem in July
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.
Central Area Neighborhood Development Organization
–Submitted by Irma Coleman, city of Salem neighborhood program manager
Grant Neighborhood Association
On Aug. 5 from 5:30-8 p.m., Winter Street between Market and Gaines will be closed off to traffic for family-friendly fun co-sponsored with Grant’s National Night Out partner, Seed of Faith Ministries, at their facilities. Expect a bouncy house, pop corn, hot dogs on the grill, pot luck contributions, and lots lots more.
And, visit us at the Salem Saturday Market on July 26 where we will be informing market-goers about the awesomeness of Salem’s Neighborhood Associations – especially Grant! Look for the booth in the not-for-profit corridor.
Grant took a meeting break in July, so check our Instagram and Facebook for current news, or better yet, sign up for the association newsletter. The minutes from the June meeting will be posted by the city and on the GNA website before our next meeting which is Aug. 7 at 6:15 p.m.
-Submitted by Susan Napack, vice chair
Highland Neighborhood Association
Join us for the Highland Peace Walk on Saturday, July 26, at 4:30 p.m.! This community event aims to bring neighbors together to promote peace and raise awareness about community violence in Highland. The walk will start at Highland Park. All are welcome to join! Bring your family, friends, and neighbors for a meaningful walk as we connect with one another and foster a spirit of unity. Let’s work together to make Highland a stronger, safer, and more connected community!
–Submitted by Ryan Erickson-Kulas, chair
Northeast Neighbors
Join us Saturday, Aug. 9, at the 7th Annual Englewood Forest Festival, a free celebration of the arts, nature, and community in beautiful forested Englewood Park in the heart of the Northeast Neighbors neighborhood.
The beloved family-friendly festival includes 85 vendors, 50 art booths, musicians and performers on two stages, dozens of free inspiring family-friendly activities about nature and culture, as well as helpful community resources from the city and county.
Performances
Entertainment includes Paradise of Samoa, Salem Aerial Dance Co., Ty Curtis, Casa de la Cultura Tlanese, SamaZama Koto and Cello Duo, ballet by Premiere Academy of Performing Arts, ENLACE Latino Band, Timothy James, Ceili of the Valley, Matthew Price & Clair Dietz, and poetry.
Activities
Make a bird feeder, examine a bee under a magnifying glass, plant wildflower seeds to take home, dress up as a pollinator, learn more about trees & streams, make a piñata, paint a small alebrije sculpture, try playing an instrument, and discover the wonders of flight.
If you would like to volunteer, we would love your help! Please email: [email protected]
The festival is sponsored by a grant of Transient Occupancy Tax from the City of Salem.
For more information, please visit: www.EnglewoodForestFestival.org
-Submitted by Lynn Takata, park chair
Northgate Neighborhood Association
Before we know it, it’s already hot July. Yet we have had some awesome weather, hot and dry during the day and cool in the evenings keeping us being productive.
On June 19, we celebrated the long-awaited entry sign for the city of Salem. It’s been over six years when the idea originally started and now, it is basking in the sun on Northeast Portland Road.
It went through a lot to get there. It started around May of 2019, and the concept went through various departments in the city including being approved by the city councilors, the Oregon Department of Transportation, back to city officials and continued its way and cut right through the pandemic and kept going until it reached its final destination, where it now stands proudly. But once there, it still had to get a bit of a makeover, with the O of the word “capitol” changed to A. So, there it stands almost miraculously.
The background is powder coated bright blue on metal and it seems to demand attention as if to say, “Look at me. I am the gateway to the capital of Oregon. I have the state birds, Western Meadow Lark on my shoulders. I symbolize Springtime of Hope with my cherry blossoms and a male bird calling to a female bird. And she is ready to fly out to him.” The singing bird also implies a cheerful welcome to the driver coming through.
We have had most people liking it and of course we cannot please everyone. And most people say it certainly is better than looking at an old dilapidated one that it replaced.
We hope the baby vegetation that surrounds it will make it through this hot summer and no one treads on them so they survive.
–Submitted by Kaethe Mentrum, secretary and park chair
North Lancaster Neighborhood Association
NOLA will be hosting The Night After National Night Out at McKay Park on Wednesday, Aug. 6, starting from 6-8 p.m. The event is our annual “night after” National Night Out gathering to connect residents with resources and information from a variety of social services and nonprofit organizations. We also celebrate the diversity of our community with a showcase of cultural dance groups. There will be lots of activities, free hot dogs & admission tickets for the Oregon State Fair. Swing by & say hi!
NOLA has moved to a new meeting location. We now meet at Free Methodist Church, 4455 Silverton Rd. N.E. Monthly meetings are the first Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. Our next meeting will be in September. For more info on everything NOLA, visit www.cityofsalem.net/NOLA.
-Submitted by Deanna Garcia, chair
South Gateway Neighborhood Association
–Submitted by Irma Coleman, city of Salem neighborhood program manager
Southwest Association of Neighbors
There is no regular meeting in July and August. In August, we will meet at Nelson Park for National Night Out with a potluck, games, and activities planned. Our next regularly scheduled meeting is Tuesday, Sept. 2, at 6:30 p.m.
Salem’s Southwest Association of Neighbors gives you a voice in your local neighborhood and the city as a whole. Everyone is welcome to attend the neighborhood meeting and be part of a team currently working on improving our community.
Want to speak at a neighborhood association meeting? Want to ask that a topic be included for discussion? Send your request to the neighborhood association chair, Ted Burney at [email protected].
Salem Seekers at Nelson Park
The Salem Seekers is a community group started by Pamela Garland and inspired by similar art projects in cities all over Oregon. SWAN and South Salem Connect have teamed up to purchase the event for July in SWAN’s own Nelson Park.
Just Walk Salem Keizer is helping to place 30 locally made hand-blown glass birds and several SWAN members also signed up to help. The birds will be hidden in plain sight at multiple surprise drops at Nelson Park throughout July. These birds are meant to be discovered and taken home by their finder.
They will be hidden on random days, at random times by sneaky secret hiders. You’ll find them on or near well-used park pathways (never in trees, bushes, or grass). Salem Seekers events are meant to be fun, inclusive, and accessible for everyone, Just one friendly reminder: please only take one bird per household so more folks get to enjoy the magic!
For more information, contact Pamela Garland at [email protected] and follow Salem Seekers Facebook page.
-Submitted by Debbie Miller, board member
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