November 2015
Newsletter
Bull Mountain Park Development is at a Critical Point
Sarah Soper and Toraj Khavari
As most of us are preparing for the end of the year
celebrations, the Bull Mountain Park development has reached a critical point.
We can lose the
Metro Nature In
Neighborhood NIN Grant of
$125,900 if the $45,000 donation match is not raised.
We must first of all thank all the volunteers,
local businesses, grant writers, Tualatin River Watershed Council (TRWC) and
the City of Tigard. We have made significant progress since November of 2014. FBMP
have raised $23,000 in cash donations. A
BIG thank you to all of our donors but the
critical point is now! We must raise $45,000 in cash donations!
Background:
A Metro NIN Grant of $125,900 was awarded to the
FBMP in July 2015 but the grant has a 2X matching requirement of cash plus
in-kind donations/volunteer hours. The full amount needed is $68,000 in cash
donations plus a total of roughly $166,100 in-kind donation/ volunteer hours to
meet the grant requirements. The Metro Grant would allow us to reach the $360,000
goal for park development of ADA Tails, a picnic shelter and nature playground,
etc. To date, we have accumulated $103,000 in-kind donation/ volunteer hours since
Nov. 2014.
Solution:
We need $45,000 to reach our goal!
Invest $45,000 cash
and realize $360,000.
Please consider
contributing to the Bull Mountain Park development. All cash donations will be
appreciated. Imagine if all the families in the surrounding neighborhoods gave $100,
we would be well on our way to meet the Metro grant requirements!
All donations are
tax deductible.
Checks made
payable to: Tualatin River Watershed Council
Check Memo
line: Friends of Bull Mountain Park Project or FBMP
Project
Send to: April Olbrich
Friends of
Bull Mountain Park (FBMP) Projects
Tualatin
River Watershed Council (TRWC), PO Box 338 Hillsboro OR 97123-0338
A Beautiful Place to Ponder
Mallory Harbison
I am a Girl Scout
with Troop 40117 in Tigard. Have lived in Tigard Oregon for 4 years while
attending Tigard High School. I built a bench in Bull Mountain Park for my Girl
Scout Silver Award In August 2015. 
I built the bench
with my dad in our yard. I spent a total of 88 hours on my project with the
help of one of the Girl Scouts in my troop and my family. A special thanks to
Home Depot, Ace Hardware, and Lowe's for donating the supplies I needed to
build it. First, we built the seat, backrest, and the stands, and then I spent
hours sanding all of it. We wanted it to be so soft, you would think it was
silk.
I cleared out the area at the park and then began installing. Installing
was the most laborious part because we had to dig four, 1 foot deep holes that
would fit the cement blocks. Finally we drilled in the bench and we were good
to go. My masterpiece was finished.
I thought this was
a very good experience and I am happy that I got to create a project that can
benefit people for a long time. I do feel as if my leadership skills have
developed and improved through this project. So, take a break from your busy
lives and go on and enjoy our beautiful park!
Picnic Area in the Meadow
Derick Rummel
We recently had
another improvement completed in our park! I am a member of Troop 799 in Tigard.
I created a very nice picnic area as part of my Eagle rank on the downhill
slope west of where the house was located, next to the apple trees in the Bull
Mountain Park. The picnic area required a lot of Scouts to dig out and level a
large enough area for a 14 foot concrete pad.
To prevent erosion, a semi-circular brick retaining wall was constructed
on the uphill portion of the picnic area and a large level area was created to
allow families the space to enjoy picnicking at our park.
My challenge in
completing this picnic area was time management. We had a set deadline of completing the picnic
area not only by the time I turned 18 in August, and before I left to attend
the National Order of the Arrow Convention at Michigan State University the end
of July.
To pay for this
project, I held two fundraisers and solicited business donations. I raised $550 in fundraising to pay for
materials and construction supplies as well as working with the City of Tigard
to obtain gravel and concrete for the pad.
Between
coordinating volunteers, Scouts, City workers and advisors to complete the
construction of the picnic area, I had to coordinate the delivery of the
concrete. The day the concrete was poured, I was able to assist in the process.
Getting down and working with the concrete was my favorite part of the whole
project because I was able to learn a new skill and see the end result of leadership.
Upon reflecting on my completed eagle project, I feel like the work I did will
provide a fun picnic area for all to use for a long time to come.
I would like to
thank: the Hwy. 99 Burgerville, the I-5 Burgerville, Home Depot and JAE Oregon
for donating to my eagle project. Special thanks goes to the City of Tigard.
Without their help supporting the materials and knowledge, my eagle project
would not have been as successful.
Removing Invasive Plants
Lindsey Pfeiffer
For my National Honor
Society (NHS) project, I coordinated with the Friends of Bull Mountain Park to
remove invasive plant species, specifically Himalayan Blackberry plants, from a
section of Bull Mountain Park- at the Gaarde Extension. I also worked with the
City of Tigard to utilize a dumpster and a tool trailer for the project.
Several students
from Tigard High School helped with my project: Emma Barbee, Mai Bukres, Islay
Collins, Joey Edgerton, Katy Johnson, Deling Huang, and Sameer Raviprakash all
worked hard at removing the plants. In the five hours that we worked, we were
able to clear out an extensive amount of blackberry plants, almost filling the
entire 20-yard dumpster. Removing these plants was the first step to
transforming this area into a trail and open space that will become part of the
trail system within Bull Mountain Park. This project paved the way for making
this vision for a trail at this location a reality, and is a lasting
contribution to the community.
2015 Turkey Traipse
Linda Shaw
The City of Tigard
Walks committee is having Tigard's first Thanksgiving walk at Bull Mountain
Park. It is Thursday, November 26 at 8:00 a.m. It is a
5k route beginning and ending in the park. It is great introduction
of other trails that are already in the neighborhood. Plan for a hilly
walk. You will be traipsing on pavement, trails, and gravel.
Please wear appropriate footwear. Donuts and coffee provided by the
city in the park. Hope to see you there!
Park Address: 13950 SW Alpine Crest Way, Tigard, Oregon
97223
Come
Grow with Us……….. Naturally!
Sarah Soper
The last three
months have been important to the overall progress of the development of Bull
Mountain Park. Here is an update:
·
Nike grant
application was denied but we are working hard to reapply. The new deadline is
December 1, 2015. If you are a Nike employee, please drop us a note. We would
like to reinforce the grant application with Nike employees.
·
Metro Nature In
Neighborhood (NIN) Grant agreement is on hold until we meet the cash donation
matching requirements.
·
Thanks to the Boy
Scouts and Girl Scouts of America, CarMax, and National Honor Society (NHS). We
have completed a picnic table area in the meadow, bench on the west side, two
benches and trail connecting them in the meadow. Also, bark dust was spread on
the west side trail and west side of the meadow and the efforts to manage and
remove the invasive plants continue.
·
Applied for the
City of Tigard CIP (Capital Improvement Plan). http://www.tigard-or.gov/city_hall/cip.php
.
·
A request for
proposal (RFP) with qualification for design was open until September 23rd.
We selected Lango Hansen Landscape Architectures P.C. We are in the process of
finalizing contracts and agreements. Lango Hansen will develop and create
detailed design documents for the Nature Play, Oregon Mining /Mineral Science
education play area, picnic shelter, ADA trail and landscaping. The half
basketball court / turn-around, any BBQ, fire pit and fire place, and meadow
smoothing, landscape, etc. are out of the scope of the current project
plan. The Meadow will be kept natural.
The FBMP donor list
is growing. Our thanks and appreciation to the following businesses and individuals.
·
Donors and
Sponsors
o
Anonymous (One family, Visionary Donor)
o
Ken and Joan Austin (Patron Donor)
o
Mike and Cheryl Druding (Patron Donor)
o
Jake Egger (Patron Donor)
o
Greatbatch Inc. (Patron Donor)
o
Paul and Sarah Messenger (Patron Donor)
o
Pearson Financial Group (Legacy Donor)
§ Bonnie Conger
§ Conrad Pearson
·
Corporate Donor
o
Dan Muro of RE/MAX
o
JAE Oregon, Inc.
o
John and Steve Barker/Barker Construction
o
M. Crew - Enrique Marguez
o
Parr Lumber
o
Pacific West Roofing
o
Right Angle Digital Print & Supply Inc.
o
The CarMax Foundation
o
Tigard Burgerville
o
Tigard Rotary
o
Tigard Sherwin-Williams
o
UBS
·
Friends
o
Bradley Anderson
o
David and Debbie Mauk
o
Jim & Marie Banks
o
Karussos Family
o
Lee & Michaela Cannard
o
Mark Hackner
o
Shirley J. Jone
·
Supports and In-kind
o
Beaverton CarMax
o
Boy Scouts of America (Professional
o
Services, Labor, and Materials)
o
City of Tigard - Professional Services, Permits,
Labor, Utilities, and a lot more
o
Friends of Bull Mountain Park
o
Highwater Johnny
o
John and Steven Barker Construction - Professional
Services and Labor
o
Khavari Foundation
o
Learning Landscape Design - Professional Services
and Labor
o
Local community
o
Oregon State University – Forestry, Flora and Fauna
o
Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc. – Labor
o
Park’s Neighbors
o
Pearl Paulson, PhD – Education
o
Tigard Citizens and Neighbors
o
THS Key Club
o
THS National Honor Society
o
Tualatin River Watershed Council (Fiscal Sponsor)
o
Two Minds
o
Robert and Sarah Soper (Fundraising USPS campaign)
Thank you and remember we are actively requesting
your tax deductible contribution.
Checks made
payable to: Tualatin River Watershed Council
Check Memo
line: Friends of Bull Mountain Park Project or FBMP
Project
Send to:
April
Olbrich
Friends of
Bull Mountain Park (FBMP) Projects
Tualatin
River Watershed Council (TRWC)
PO Box 338
Hillsboro
OR 97123-0338
Chairperson Column
Toraj
Khavari
The fall colors in
the Bull Mountain Park’s forest canopy are preparing us for another great end
of the year. Although enjoying the colors, as we draw near end of the year, I
become reflective.
2015 has been
another kind, productive and progressive year for the Bull Mountain Park.
Thanks to volunteers, donors, City of Tigard, Park and Recreation Advisory
Board (PRAB), and Friends of Bull Mountain Park (FBMP); significant progress
was made during 2015. The vacant park’s house was removed, and we designed and
constructed a toolshed, added a bathroom shelter, picnic areas, benches, and
trails were added and maintained. Metro grant was approved July 2015. Two
wonderful summer events were held at the Park’s meadow. Tualatin River
Watershed Council (TRWC), FBMP fiscal sponsor, continues doing a great job
handling financial reports and donors’ communications to meet the IRS requirements. And the list goes on. Past newsletters and
Sarah Soper’s reports are great evidence of progress.
FBMP is starting
the end of the 2015 year fundraising campaign (grants, corporate and individual
contributions, local government agencies, to name a few). I encourage you to
get involved. Leave a legacy.
Bull Mountain Park
is a great place to neighbor in the neighborhood, go to the park, enjoy the
nature playground, and be active.
See you in the
Park.
For more details about the FBMP’s
projects and BMP concept plan refer to the following documents.
For more details about the FBMP’s
projects and BMP concept plan refer to the following documents.
Ø FBMP
Nature Play Projects Information - https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/FEBMP/files/Nature%20Play%20Projects%20Information/
FBMP
Contacts
FBMP Meetings
Please
mark your calendars and join us.
Time and Dates: 7 PM to 8:30 PM
Thursday - January 28, 2016
Thursday - April 28, 2016
Thursday - July 28 2016
|
Where: Fire Station #50, located at 12617 SW Walnut St. Tigard OR,
97223
Bull Mountain Park
The BMP soft trails start at multiple (6)
entrances: SW Greenfield Drive, SW Benchview Place, SW Woodshire, SW Alpine
Crest Way, SW Fernridge Terrace, and SW Ridgefield Ln.
Come and enjoy the park, be active, be
healthy, and be green. Bull Mountain Park area photo and trail maps:
Park
Address - 13950 SW Alpine Crest Way, Tigard, Oregon
97223
Connect with the FRIENDS of BMP at
the following sites:
Ø FBMP’s Blogs - http://fbmpblogs.blogspot.com/
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