Community Center Dream Challenged But Not Defeated

After working for two years on a bid to create a new family-oriented community center in Portland's Northwest River District, Zimmerman Community Center learned this past May that they were unable to secure the City land and support needed to make their dream a reality in the near future.

This signaled the end of a two year effort on the part of ZCC's board and a group of community partners including Central City Concern, Friendly House, Peninsula Children's Center, and Ecotrust. Despite this setback, ZCC will continue to pursue its mission of building community across the socio-economic spectrum in the River District.

ZCC has hired Nancy Davis, a River District resident, parent and co-founder of Central Portland Families, as a part time community organizer to carry on the effort to make the River District a family-friendly, mixed income community. Davis' work will include outreach and organizing with families in the neighborhood, coordinating efforts to create affordable family-friendly play spaces, and organizing a grassroots advocacy campaign to leverage the resources and political support necessary to make the River District a viable place to live for the growing number of families with children living and working downtown.

"We will continue to do whatever we can to heighten awareness that there are kids, seniors and people of all income levels in the River District that need access to these essential resources." - Joan Pendergast, ZCC Board member and Pearl District Neighborhood Association President.

Hanna Andersson founder, Gun Denhart, has demonstrated the local business community's commitment to ZCC's mission by donating a space to serve as a gathering place for River District families. Denhart says "I simply want to help families thrive in the River District. We are happy to provide a clubhouse for families who live or work here, a place to play, develop friendships and build community. Without children this neighborhood would be very boring." The space will be called Isobel's Clubhouse, in honor of Isobel Faith Zimmerman, who provided the funds to launch the Zimmerman Community Center.

ZCC will provide operating funds for programming at Isobel's Clubhouse, and is closing its current office space at 816 NW Hoyt. The new mailing address will be 2547 NE 14th Avenue, Portland, OR 97212 and messages can be left for the ZCC board at 503.224.4636.

According to a survey conducted by ZCC of residential buildings in the River District and a study conducted by PSU analyzing current demographic data, the number of children residing in inner city Portland is increasing. Portland Public Schools has seen enrollment from children in the River District increase by more than 20% in the past few years. The number of births per year in 2007 was 2.5 times what it was in 2000, with an average annual increase of 18%. ZCC reports that there are at least 30 apartment and condominiums in the River District where children are currently living.

However, data trends indicate that many families are leaving the inner city before their children reach school age. The birth rate in the River District is increasing at a higher rate than the increase in the number of children aged 0-4, suggesting that many families are leaving the neighborhood before their children turn 4.

Lack of early childhood education, programming and play spaces for families with children will increase as the city expands its share of affordable housing in the downtown area in the coming years.

"Families with children and seniors should be a priority in every neighborhood in our city, not just in traditionally "residential" neighborhoods. In a city nationally recognized for its sustainability, failure to develop these services in downtown Portland near urban homes, employment, public transportation and cultural amenities is just short-sighted." - George Meier, ZCC's Executive Director