Neighborhood Notes

Thank you LivePDX for writing about Isobel's Clubhouse. 

Here's the beginning of the article, entitled Isobel's Clubhouse: Suburban Community Spirit in the Urban Pearl.

When you think of the Pearl District, your first thought probably isn't children, what with all the hard-edged condos and swanky martini bars. Despite the perception that "no kids live in the Pearl," the area houses a surprising number of families with young children, according to resident mom Nancy Davis. And for too long, Davis says, families in "Central Portland" have needed activities for their children.

Davis and her friend Kirsten Lee, another mother of a preschool-aged boy, grew tired of hearing about failed efforts to build a community center in the area. "We didn't want to wait," she explains. "So we decided to do it ourselves."

In November of '07, the two moms organized a focus group of about 13 downtown families. Participants shared some common concerns, like needing a place for their children to run and play when the weather is bad and wanting connections with other local families.

Less than a year after hosting the focus groups, Davis became program coordinator for Isobel's Clubhouse, a new activity center for children and families who "live, work and play" in Central Portland. Located on NW 10th Ave, between Everett and Flanders, Isobel's Clubhouse is smack dab in the middle of a totally kid-centric block. The 490-square foot space is sandwiched between Hanna Andersson on one side, and Cupcake Jones and Ben and Jerry's on the other.

Here's a link to the rest of the article.