Metro's current parks and nature levy funding expires in 2023 and the Metro Council is considering asking voters to renew the levy in the near future. Bond-funded work is underway at Blue Lake Park, a public comment period for the trails grant program concluded on June 21, local share projects are being identified, and Metro Council has approved a large scale community visions pilot program handbook.
Metro is hosting two open houses to provide an update on the progress of the 2019 parks and nature bond measure, the oversight committee will meet in September, the protect and restore land team held information-gathering sessions, the local share team convened another roundtable for local share partners, and a request for proposals has been issued for the Blue Lake Regional Park improvement project.
Preparations are underway for the demolition and replacement of the Curry Building at Blue Lake Regional Park. This project will be the first at Metro to employ the Construction Career Pathways framework, a plan to increase access to the trades for women and people of color in greater Portland.
The local share program has launched with local parks departments and districts, the bond's first park improvement projects are moving ahead at Blue Lake Regional Park, and community engagement work continues in the protect and restore land and walking and biking trails programs.