Neighborhood Area 1

Take the city's biannual survey online!

2011-10-25T12:09:00.000-07:00

• How satisfied are you with city services? • What services warrant the most emphasis from city leaders? • What is your overall perception of Tigard?

Tigard residents are encouraged to answer those questions and more through an online version of our community attitudes survey: 2011 Community Attitudes Survey.

The online survey takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. Any Tigard resident may complete the online survey. Only one entry per IP address will be accepted. You can help ensure the success of the online survey by communicating this opportunity to other Tigard residents. A Twitter feed http://twitter.com/#!/CityofTigardOR and City of Tigard Facebook page have been set up to assist with communication efforts.This is the first time an online version has been made available to residents and will give decision makers the ability to reach a broader group of Tigard residents. Along with the online version of the biennial survey, a statistically-valid telephone survey of 400 Tigard residents will be administered in the coming weeks.

Topical questions have been added to this year's survey. They ask residents' opinion on recreation, social media, economic development and high capacity transit. The results provide a framework for guiding the organization's work efforts and are used by the City Council to help shape city budget priorities.

Survey results will be presented at the City Council meeting on November 22.

Main Street Trick or Treat is a go!

2011-09-22T15:07:00.000-07:00

The popular Halloween “Trick or Treat Main Street” event will be held from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday, October 31.

Look for participating merchants who will be displaying a “Halloween Event” flyer in their window.

Rain or shine we hope to see you there!

Questions? Contact Margaret Ellenson at Tyler’s Automotive at 503-639-5588.

2011-09-16T08:46:00.000-07:00

I'd love to say thanks to everyone who contributed to the neighborhood food drive in honor of 9/11..

I'm happy to report that we delivered about 45 bags of food and a big pile of clothes to the Sunshine Pantry.

Thanks neighbors!
Eric Winger
eric@thewingers.net

How do you experience Downtown Tigard on foot?

2011-08-29T16:58:00.000-07:00

The city is developing a downtown walking map and wayfinding signage system for residents and downtown visitors. Resident and visitor input is important, so tell staff about your experiences walking downtown.

Please visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/73BK5F5 and take a few minutes to complete a short survey. To learn more about this project, contact Sr. Transportation Planner Judith Gray at 503-718-2557 or judith@tigard-or.gov.

Summer Slurry Seal Street work Complete!

2011-08-03T08:49:00.000-07:00

All street closures for Tigard's Slurry Seal project have been completed! At about 4 p.m. Monday, the contractor removed the last ‘ROAD CLOSED - FRESH OIL’ sign opening up the last street to be slurry sealed this year.

This year, the project included about 2 million square feet of slurry seal, which covered about 12 miles of Tigard streets, at a total cost of about $265,000. The cost to overlay this many miles of street with new pavement would cost taxpayers over $2 million.

Tigard's Traffic Engineer Mike McCarthy offered a big THANK YOU!!! to all the residents and workers who rearranged their schedules to work around the street closures necessary for this project.

Summertime Safety for Stay-at-Home Children

2011-06-13T15:11:00.001-07:00

With the end of school in sight, many children will soon be staying home alone during the day. Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue encourages working parents to help keep their children safe this summer by reviewing the following fire and life safety tips with them.
Place phone numbers for family and nearby neighbors where they can be quickly referenced.

Know when to call 9-1-1 for police, fire, or medical assistance.

Never play with matches or lighters, or light candles.

Base cooking privileges on the age and maturity of the child. Parents may wish to limit cooking to the microwave or oven (rather than the stovetop). Remind children to always supervise food while it’s being heated. Never allow cooking oil to be used.

Limit the use of curling irons and hair straighteners to the bathroom to avoid the risk of these appliances coming into contact with bedding, carpet, or other combustibles.

A helmet reduces the chances of a brain injury by 85%. Remind your child to always wear a helmet when biking or boarding. For proper fitting tips, visit TVF&R’s website.

Certain cleaning products if mixed can produce toxic gas. Identify approved cleaning products if your children are responsible for cleaning tasks.

Have first-aid supplies available for small cuts and scrapes. Consider signing your child up for a first-aid and CPR class.

Have working smoke alarms throughout the house and identify two escape routes from every room. Practice your fire escape plan.

Discuss appropriate internet use and remind children never to talk to strangers online. Consider a software application that blocks inappropriate content, sites, and gaming; sets time limits; and monitors chat room use.

For more safety tips, visit TVF&R’s website at http://www.tvfr.com/.

RideAbout - Get around town with others in your community!

2011-05-26T17:49:00.000-07:00

RideWise - Enjoy the freedom of traveling!

Our RideWise program teaches older adults and people with disabilities to travel independently and safely on public transportation. The services are provided at no charge for those who qualify and encompass all forms of public transportation (bus, light rail).

Riders Clubs are a fun way to learn the ins and outs of our public transportation system. Tours include Goose Hollow, Oba! And Art Gallery Tours and the Hawthorne District. To find out more, call Christina Cooper at 503.528.1748.

RideAbout is a free service for older adults (age 60+) and people with disabilities who need a little extra help getting around. Each RideAbout is unique and designed with feedback from the neighbors and community.

Look for a RideAbout bus in your community. RideAbout makes regular visits to grocery stores and local neighborhood centers. RideAbout drivers and concierges are available to assist riders with shopping bags.

Who can use RideAbout service? Older adults (60+) and people with disabilities are able to use our RideAbout service. Guests are welcome if space is available.

How much does it cost? There is no charge to use our RideAbout services; however, donations are greatly appreciated and needed.

When is RideAbout available? Because each RideAbout is unique, the days of service vary by community. Some operate Monday through Friday, while others offer service on one or two specific days during the week. In some areas, a monthly calendar is also published with days and times of special sightseeing, recreational or shopping trips.

Monthly calendars with scheduled shopping and recreational trips by neighborhood are available. Currently there five Ride About Shuttles, each providing different levels of service in Downtown Portland, Beaverton, King City North/Northeast and Mid-Multnomah County.

TriMet fare increase planned for fall 2011

2011-04-28T21:44:00.000-07:00

A fare increase is proposed for September 2011 to help cover the rising costs of providing bus and rail service, and to avoid further major service cuts. Like most years, we plan to raise adult single fares by 5 cents. We also propose raising the price of an Adult 1-Month Pass by $4 and the annual All-Zone pass by $44. The TriMet Board of Directors is expected to vote on the proposals at its May 25 meeting. Read the proposed budget and provide comments by Friday, May 20, 2011.

TVF&R Window Safety

2011-04-04T23:00:00.000-07:00

Kids and open windows don’t mix. Every year, 40-50 children fall out of open windows in the state of Oregon. Many of them are seriously injured. In one three week period in 2009, six children were admitted to Children’s Hospital at Legacy, one of whom died.

TVF&R reminds families of the following tips:
Teach your children about window safety. “Screens keep bugs out; they do not keep kids in”.
Teach them to play a safe distance from windows and enforce this rule in your home. (i.e. We play 2 (big) steps from windows)
Keep furniture or anything a child can climb away from windows.
Only allow windows to open 4 inches and install a window stop to keep children from opening them further. (Be sure an adult can open them in an emergency).
IF you open windows wider than 4 inches, install window guards that can be removed by an adult in an emergency.
When buying new windows; ask for ones with built-in safety hardware.

Emergency Planning: One Neighbor at a Time

2011-03-23T21:58:00.000-07:00

In an emergency, a successful response depends on knowing your neighbors and who you can rely on for help responding and taking care of each other. In February, Mike Lueck hosted a “Map Your Neighborhood” training session to arm citizen Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) volunteers with emergency preparedness information. Using a train-the-trainer model, emergency management officials taught CERT members how to facilitate an emergency planning meeting in his or her neighborhood.
The program is intended to help neighborhoods identify the location of useful emergency materials in an area (natural gas and propane tanks) and which residents have useful skills for emergency response and even which residents have specific/special needs in case of an emergency. Participants received a DVD to share with neighbors which provides step-by-step instructions on how to participate in the program. In the coming months, CERT members will begin knocking on doors to introduce themselves, explaining a little more about the program and asking residents to attend a 90-minute neighborhood presentation to establish an emergency action plan for neighborhood use in the event of a significant incident. Please consider participating in the presentation and joining the team of “Partners Being Prepared.” If you have questions, give Mike a call at 503-718-2593.

Disaster Preparedness

2011-03-12T22:38:00.000-08:00

Based on recent earthquake activities worldwide and the real potential of a Cascadia Subduction Zone event, everyone needs to follow-through and prepare a basic 3 day emergency kit and plan for all members of their household. A great resource for this is found at http://www.ready.gov/.

Any adult living and/or working in Tigard should consider taking the free Tigard CERT training if they are willing to help in the event of a disaster. This is currently offered at no cost by the City of Tigard two times a year. Go to http://tigardcert.org/ for the next training dates and other information that will help educate everyone.

Drop, Cover, & Hold On from TVF&R

2010-03-26T13:08:00.000-07:00

From TVF&R blog:
This recent earthquakes in Haiti and in Chile are a reminder that we also live in an earthquake hazard zone. Would you know what to do if the ground started shaking right now?

When you feel an earthquake, DROP to the ground. Stay away from windows, bookcases, pictures and mirrors, hanging plants and other heavy objects that may fall. Beware of falling materials such as plaster, ceiling tiles and bricks that may come loose during the quake.
Seek COVER under a sturdy piece of furniture like a desk or table, and stay there until the shaking stops.
HOLD ON to the desk or table that you are under and if it moves, move with it.

DROP, COVER & HOLD TIPS:
If you are not near a table or desk, move against an interior wall, and protect your head with your arms. Do not go into a doorway! Not only can the shaking cause the door toswing shut forcefully, but many interior door frames are not load-bearing.
§ HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS – Stay away from the elevators and don’t be surprised if the fire alarm and/or sprinkler systems come on.
§ OUTDOORS – Move to a clear area away from buildings, poles, power lines, signs, and trees.
§ NEAR BUILDINGS – Beware of falling bricks, glass, plaster and other debris. Duck into an entryway and protect your head with your arms.
§ DRIVING – Pull to the side of the road and stop. Avoid overpasses, power lines, and other hazards. Stay inside the vehicle until the shaking is over.
§ STORE OR OTHER PUBLIC PLACE – Do not rush for the exit. Move away from shelves and displays that may fall over or contain objects that could fall on you, then drop,cover, and hold on. § WHEELCHAIR – If you are in a wheelchair, stay in it. Move to cover, if possible (i.e., an interior wall), lock your wheels, and protect your head with your arms.
§ KITCHEN – Move away from the refrigerator, stove and overhead cupboards, then drop, cover, and hold on. [Have you anchored appliances and installed security latches oncupboards to reduce hazards? Check out our information on non-structural mitigation.]
§ THEATER OR STADIUM – If possible, get on the floor between the rows and cover your head with your arms, otherwise stay in your seat and protect your head with your arms.Do not try to leave until the shaking stops; then leave in an orderly manner.

Earthquakes Happen Here – Are You Ready?

2010-01-18T23:36:00.000-08:00

As we watch the devastation unfold in Haiti, our hearts go out to those who are suffering and in need. Buildings have collapsed, supplies are running low and families struggle to communicate with each other. Even though Haiti’s suffering is made worse by poverty and a lack of building codes, this week’s earthquake is a reminder that a similar earthquake could someday devastate our homes here in Oregon.
Geologists tell us that the Pacific Northwest will someday suffer a catastrophic earthquake. Buildings will fall, roads will crack, the power will go out and your cell phone will not work.
Do you know what to do when the ground starts shaking? Are you prepared?
§ Do you have an emergency kit that can feed and shelter your family for several days, or more?
§ Does your family have a plan? Do you have a meeting place? How will you reach each other when cell phones don’t work?
TVF&R has a comprehensive list of resources that can help you plan. Click here to see that list.
Most importantly, if you don’t have a plan, develop one now before you forget. “Almost everyone thinks about it, then our vanishing attention span takes us to someplace else,” says TVF&R’s Emergency Manager Jeff Rubin, “then eventually we’re in the middle of an emergency or disaster and wishing we had followed through. If you’ve ever worried for an hour about an overdue loved one, imagine worrying for a month.”

How to Recycle that Computer or TV!

2010-01-10T19:57:00.000-08:00

The new year brings an important reminder to all Oregonians: as of Jan. 1, 2010, it became illegal to dispose of computers, monitors or TVs in the garbage or at disposal sites such as landfills, transfer stations and incinerators.
This disposal ban is part of the same law that created Oregon E-Cycles, which provides free recycling of computers, monitors and TVs at any of the program’s 220 collection sites statewide. The law states that anyone violating the ban could receive a penalty of up to $500 for each violation. Each computer, monitor or TV disposed of improperly is considered a separate violation.
Visit Oregon E-Cycles to find a conveniently located collection site or call the toll-free hotline at 1-888-5-ECYCLE (1-888-532-9253).
Neither the ban nor Oregon E-Cycles covers computer peripherals (keyboards, mice, etc.) or other types of electronics, but DEQ encourages all Oregonians to recycle these items as well. You can find a partial list of other electronics recyclers on the Oregon E-Cycles website.
For questions about the new disposal ban, check out DEQ’s Q&A on the topic.