Lane Community College Health & Wellness Center Grand Opening

GreenWorks is proud to announce the grand opening of the HEALTH & WELLNESS CENTER at LANE COMMUNITY COLLEGE in Eugene, Oregon. The grand opening on September 23, 2010 was well attended and celebrated by Lane Community College. The Center sets a new standard for classroom space where students will experience the benefits of an enhanced learning environment, a deeper understanding of human health and well being, and new inspiration to care for the earth. GreenWorks provided landscape architectural services for the Health and Wellness Center including site planning, hardscape, grading, planting, irrigation, and site furnishings. The exterior courtyard space and rain gardens provides for relaxation, learning, and community. This area connects to the main campus circulation spine flowing through the building entry lobby and out the north side to the Long House and track beyond.

Rainwater is expressed as it comes off the roof through scuppers and rain chains into a series of custom rain basins, which feed the large rain gardens surrounding the building. Custom Ipe decking and flow through planters provide seating opportunities and views of the new native environment. The design creates awareness of the natural world and conserves resources by filtering and storing all of the rainwater on site.

“This signature building is a tall testimony to Lane’s enduring commitment to be at the forefront of the health care education in the region. Students and Faculty alike will excel in this state-of-the art learning environment.” Tony Baker - Opening Door Campaign Chair Lane Community College

City of Damascus Completes Construction of First Green Street

The construction of the first green street in the center of the City of Damascus on Anderson Road was completed in September. This accomplishment was celebrated recently with a ribbon cutting ceremony, attended by City staff and Councilors, construction contractors (S-2 Contractors, Ashland Brothers Landscapes), the design team (GreenWorks and CH2MHILL) and area residents. The Anderson Road project, 600 feet in length, serves as a pilot project for green public infrastructure development for the City of Damascus. The City hopes to learn from this project as it moves forward with its goal to implement sustainable low impact development practices. All stormwater that falls within the right-of-way is captured, infiltrated and treated on site in stormwater planters, a stormwater swale, pervious asphalt and permeable sidewalk pavers.

Graham Oaks Nature Park Opens to the Public

METRO and the City of Wilsonville unveiled their newest park last Saturday, Graham Oaks Nature Park. GreenWorks provided schematic design, construction documents, and construction administration for the 250 acre park. The opening had a great turnout despite the rainy conditions! Special thanks to METRO for hosting the event with various activities and to our own Michelle Mathis for her hard work as Project Manager on Graham Oaks.

Bike to Work Challenge

Every September, GreenWorks joins in the friendly competition - workplace to workplace - to see who can bike to work more. And of course, it wouldn't be "Bike to Work Month" in Portland, unless it was raining! Regardless of the weather, the fearless GreenWorks staff has been able to maintain 77% ridership. Halfway through the month of September and we are still going strong!

Visit the Bicycle Transportation Alliance website for more information on Portland's Bike Commute Challenge: http://bikecommutechallenge.com/

GreenWorker Pitches in to Clean Clackamas River

Last weekend, Alex Perove volunteered (along with 350 other river lovers) to clean up the Clackamas River. Together, the volunteers hauled out approximately 5,000 pounds (2.5 tons) of trash from 14 miles of riverbank and bottom. This immense effort inspires a community of artists to take a turn in the ripples of a great sustainable cause. As part of the Ripple Effect effort, local artists will transform the recovered river trash into handcrafted works of art that will be enjoyed in a new way by our community, completing the full life cycle of our waste.

Save the date and come check out the Ripple Effect art exhibit on 1st Thursday, in the Pearl. 7pm on Oct. 7th at the Keen "Green Room" http://www.ripplepdx.com/

A huge thank you from We Love Clean Rivers and the Clackamas River Basin Council for all of their efforts to improve the health of our beloved Clackamas River.

Graham Oaks Nature Park Grand Opening

Join GreenWorks and METRO this Saturday in Wilsonville for the grand opening of Graham Oaks Nature Park.  GreenWorks will be there to celebrate the park's grand opening where METRO will lead tours, a dedication ceremony, showcase student artwork, and highlight the park's history.  Hope to see you there!   For more information visit:

http://www.oregonmetro.gov/index.cfm/go/by.web/id=10365/level=4

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2010/09/post_19.html

APWA 2010 Fall Conference - Pendleton, OR

The Oregon Chapter of the American Public Works Association is hosting their Annual Fall Conference in Pendleton, Oregon.  The city of Pendleton is expected to complete over $35 million in public works projects between 2010 and 2011, and are excited to show off all their hard work.  The conference begins Tuesday, October 12^th, and lasts through Friday, October 13^th. On Wednesday, October 13^th, GreenWorks will be hosting a streetscape design workshop at the conference.  The workshop will include a tour of some recently completed projects in Pendleton.  GreenWorks led the design and development of construction documents for these new improvements.  The projects include a new gateway entrance landscaping in front of the Pendleton Convention Center, new frontage improvements for the Round-Up Grounds, new Centennial Plaza for Round-Up Grounds and Roy Raley Park, and the new Riverfront Park along SW Court Avenue.

Also during the conference, GreenWorks will present on an innovative green street inventory process recently completed for the City of Portland Columbia Slough Watershed Group.

Join us for a great conference in Pendleton, OR!  Get 'er Done

Silver Falls State Park Natural Play Area

Have you ever wanted to nap like a cougar, climb into an ant hill, build a birds nest or dig for insects like a bear? In the coming year you may be able to do all these things and more in the animal themed interpretive,  natural play area at Silver Falls State Park. GreenWorks has begun work on phase one of the interpretive natural play area at the Park. The idea grew out of the Oregon Parks and Recreation ‘Stepping Stones’ program with the goal to get kids outside and connected with nature.  A 2009 series of workshops with educators, OPRD staff, designers and of course kids, developed themes, ideas and concepts using the Stepping Stones methodology.

The Silver Falls Play area will be animal themed. The young and young at heart can explore a series of play areas situated in a fir and fern wonderland. The first phase of construction will include bear, ant, cougar and bird themed areas. Below are schematic site plans of some of the areas, as well as sketches developed in the design workshops last year. Keep your wild ears open for further design and construction news.

Have a wildly fun and safe Labor Day Weekend.