Loading...
07-12-2018 Council Newsletter C0Mxa1'NdWS1e#er Pro ndad 1a anP Ti aixi!"iry Gdurrii ot6 a xPrklr bacm to rzAj,abrecrit oftumn6 rifuet. July 12, 2018 1. Tualatin Valley Community Band Invitation Council is invited to attend this special 30`x' anniversary performance by the Tualatin galley Community Band at Cook Park in the Bishop-Scheckla Gazebo on Sunday,July 29,2018 at 7 p.m. 2. Construction Project Update Mike McCarthy attached an overview of road, trail and construction projects underway in the city. 3. Library Update The library attached a briefing on recent activity. 4. Public Works Update An update on Public Works activities is attached. 5. Press Release The city issued the following press releases this week: ❖ Five Tigard schools participated in 2018 Walk& Roll challenge ❖ Fanno Creek Trail closures coming to downtown and Dirksen Nature Park in July ❖ Community Preparedness Fair returns to Cook Park 6. News • State imposes new water testing rules in wake of algae blooms • Community cob oven fired up 7. Council Calendar Tuesday,July 17 Workshop Meeting 6:30 p.m. —Town Hall Tuesday,July 24 Business Meeting 6:30 p.m. —Town Hall 13125 S Nk Hall Blvd. Itgazd,OR 97:223 1 V•eb www tig nd-ot goy f Phone 5113.6319 41-1 F-�X- "03 684.77207 IDD 503 684 27-2 Item#1 Newsletter:r t1i - - - - -I I TUALATIN VALLEY C OMMUNITY BAND � Concert in the Sunday, July 29, 2018, 7PM Cook Park, Tigard Bishop-Scheckla Gazebo 0.'. k Tud�Vl�iry COMMUnlly saw' r Kevin Soon leads the band in celebrating their 30th year, with special guest TVCB Director Emeritus, Steve Heuser, returning to conduct two pieces. Bring the kids, pack a picnic, set out your blankets or lawn chairs, and enjoy live music in Tigard's largest park. More info at TVCB.org Construction Project Update —July 11, 2018 Item# Fanno Creek Trail Remeander Newsletter: The Fanno Creek trail is ,u��e closed.tl�rc���s;li.August from Main Street ihc��ugh ;ind inchidiiig) the Ash Ave_ trail cry>a.itn1g. This project is restoring Fanno Creek to a more natural flow path and realigning the trail. The contractor is removing the existing bridge and trail and excavating the restored creek alignment. Summer Paving S-2 Contractors is paring Greenburg Road and Tiedeman Avenue tonight where they intersect south of Hwy 217. Expect flaggers and delayed traffic tonight from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Next week the; will be paving Greenburg Road from Tiedeman Ave to Hwy 99\X'during the day—expect delays 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The remaining schedule is: Street Begin/End Location Ramp Work -Paving Dates Paving Greenburg Road/ North Dakota St to Hwy 217 Complete July 9-13 Night Tiedeman Avenue Greenburg Road Hwy 99W to North Dakota St June 11— my 13 ulv• 16-20 Da Intermountain Slurry Seal, Inc. will be slurry sealing many streets in northern Tigard in late July and early August. Slurry seal is a liquid mixture of thick oil, sand, and other additives applied to the surface of a roadway to extend its life by restoring the asphalt binder near the pavement surface. Work will involve closing the street from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.while the slurry is applied and as it dries. Residents will received a mailed notice and map with dates a couple of weeks before slurry seal and a door-hanger a couple of days before slurry seal. The schedule is: Cottonwood/ Cottonwood,Manzanita,Hazelwood, Ironwood, 114`'', 118', 119" July 24—30 Ironwood Summercrest East, Summercrest,Burlcrest, Burlheights, Gallo,Torla.nd, 113`'', 114`h July 24—30 Burlcrest, 113th 116"' Summerlake North Hawksbeard, Huntington,Eschman, Summerlake, Glacier Lily, July 25— Summercrest, Summer,Millview August 6 Summerlake South Morning Hill, Shore, Sheffield,Brittany,Laurmont,Falcon Rise, July 31 — 131't, 133rd, 134th August 7 Wilton/Tallwood Wilton,Tallwood,Ashbury, Feiring, Swendon,Walnut Creek, August 1 —7 Morning Hill est of 135th Castle Hill Northview,Liden,Windsong, Fern, 134th, 138th July 31 — August 7 Metzger School 87th, 90th August 8—9 Northeast Tigard 66th, 69th,Walnut Pl, Cedarcrest, Elmwood August 8— 10 72nd/Ventura Ventura,Landau,Locust, Oak,Pine, 69', 70th, 72"d, 74th August 8—10 River Terrace Area Construction • River Terrace subdivisions are under construction particularly on the east side of Roy Rogers Rd south of Scholls Ferry Rd. If you have any questions,please contact Mike NN-Ute at 503-718-2464. • A contractor is building a new subdivision on the west side of 150'Ave south of Hawksridge. • Bull Mountain Road Widening and Traffic Signal Construction: Work is underway to widen Bull Mountain Road (from 164th to Roy Rogers Rd) to 3 lanes with bike lanes, sidewalks, a roundabout,and a traffic signal at Bull Mountain and Roy Rogers Road.Visit GetUs f here.org for information and updates. Bull Mountain Road is closed from 164`'Ave to Roy Rogers Rd until August 20. ■ There are other significant road, sewer and water projects underway or planned in the area. Visit GetUsThere.org for information and updates. Dirksen Nature Park Construction begins in early August on an Interpretive Shelter/Restroom and Nature Play area in Dirksen Nature Park south of Tigard Street. The Fanno Creek Trail will be closed from August through October;users will be re- routed on a soft-surface trail through the park during construction. Hwy 217 Auxiliary Lanes The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) is designing a project to add an auxiliary third lane on Huy 217 southbound from Beaverton-Hillsdale Hwy to Hwy 99W, and Hwy 217 northbound from Hay 99W to Scholls Ferry Rd. More information is on the project website at hwy217.org. Wall Street (south of Hunziker) Wall Street is under construction south of Hunziker Rd. Access is available to local properties (including Potso Dog Park) but drivers should expect delays. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Transition Plan A consultant team is collecting data on sidewalks,paths,and ramps for our required ADA Transition Plan Update to inventory accessibility needs on public facilities (sidewalks,parks,buildings, etc.). Crews are working northwest of Hwy 99W this week and southeast of Huy 99W in July and August on this project to advance our accessibility and walkability for all ages and abilities. http://www.tiWd-or.gov/ada/ Interstate 5 (Hwy 99W to I-205) Paving and Auxiliary Lane The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) is adding a southbound auxiliary lane on Interstate 5 from Lower Boones Ferry Rd to I-205,improving on- and off-ramps, and repaving Interstate 5 (both directions) from Hwy 99W to I-205. Expect some night time lane closures through fall 2019. www.dnyurl.com./I5ODOTProject 113th Avenue south of Durham Road A contractor is building a new subdivision along 113th Avenue south of Durham Road. Daytime delays likely. Fanno Creek Trail (Woodard Park to Bonita and Hall Blvd to Tualatin) Design work is in progress on a project to build the remaining segments of the Fanno Creek Trail from Woodard Park to Bonita Road and build a new connection from the end of 85th Avenue (Hall Boulevard) to the Tualatin Bridge. Contact Mike McCarthy at 503-718-2462 or mikemntigard-or.gov with questions. 97th Avenue south of McDonald Street A contractor is building a new subdivision along 97`'Avenue south of McDonald St,including connecting View Terrace to 97th. Crews are preparing to pave the new street. Daytime delays possible. Oak Street near 90'h Avenue A contractor is working on Oak Street near 90th Avenue for a new apartment complex. Daytime delays likely. 76' and 79,h Avenues south of Bonita Road A developer is constructing the Elderberry Ridge subdivision on the south end of 76th Ave east of 79'Ave south of Bonita Road. Tiedernan Avenue and Tigard Street A developer is constructing a new subdivision on the south side of Tigard Street east of Tiedernan Avenue. Expect flaggers and delays on Tiedeman Ave as new storm and sewer connections are built near Meadows Ct, and on Tigard Street as a new water connection is built east of Tiedeman Ave. 68'Parkway south of Hwy 99W A developer is building a new self-storage facility on the west side of 68`x'Parkway south of Highway 99W. Some delays possible. School Construction Construction continues on Templeton Elementary School, and on the nein Durham Center education services building near Durham Elementary School. Tigard High School construction is in progress,with periodic sidewalk closures (with pedestrian detours) while the contractor is working in the immediate area. # Tigard Council F rom: T)Item Newsletter: The ipAcu-TursiND Tigard Public Library Update JULY 12, 20 S Ukuleles Galore! i Due to popular demand, the library has offered two ukulele workshops in the past two weeks. One was for kids and the other for adults and teens. We have offered them before for kids, but when adults chimed in and said they wanted one, too, staff developed a workshop for them. Both proved to be very popular. A total of 78 kids and families strummed happily and 61 adults exercised their fingers on the instrument guided by professional musicians. Some brought their own; others shared. j As one pleased adult remarked, "Was so happy rushed to make it from work. It ignited an interest and I made a new friend," In the kids program, a nine-year-old girl told the children's librarian that she - wanted three things for her birthday. One was a ukulele. Connecting the community one ukulele at a time. i Summer Reading SkyR.GCIlits The library's Summer Reading program continues to attract motivated readers. As of Tuesday, 2,293 kids and teens have signed up, and more sign up each day. The program has proven popular with adults, too. A total of 489 have signed up and they have submitted 101 entries to the library's adult reading drawing for one of four themed prize baskets. Adults can either sign up at the library or online at wccis.org/asrp. Summer readers of any age can sign up at the library until Tuesday, July 31. All participants have until Friday, August 31, to complete their reading goals. This year's theme for Summer Reading is"Libraries Rock."Tigard patrons are rockin'it. Books & Bits Has a New Look The Library's e-newsletter Books &Bits is nine years old. Time to BOOKSBITS revamp. The premiere issue of the new Books &Bits was sent out last week. It goes to everyone who has a Tigard Library card. The new version has less text and is designed to be easy on the eyes on phones, notebooks and desktop computers. Those who do not get it can subscribe themselves. In the first issue, the highest number of clicks was on the Subscribe link and the second higher was on the story about the budget cutbacks, which linked to the City's budget page. So far, most subscribers who have commented on the new look said they appreciated how it looks on their phones. The newsletter is available online. Just click on the picture at the trap of the library's home page htt : /www.tioard-or.govllibrarv.php Teens Tackle the Library From one teen about another,• "Ethan is a hard worker and an excellent shelver. Good job!" The Library's Teen Summer Volunteer program has a long tradition at Tigard. Teen volunteers began Saturday, June 23, and wil end Saturday, August 25. These volunteers help shelve and pull books that patrons have reserved, as well as assist with Youth Services events. Staff encourages the teens to write Bright Spots about their fellow volunteers to highlight teamwork and a job well done. These comments help teens appreciate their co-workers and are great for self-esteem. Teens volunteer on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. They do not need to attend every session, but commit to volunteering for at least 20 hours throughout the summer. So far, 29 teen volunteers have contributed 179 hours of service. Item# Public Works Update 7/12/18 Newsletter: Here is a summary of the work happening in Public Forks. 7-�Z�� Plenty of Fun at Pop Up in the Park on Wednesday Hula hoops,bubbles,water balloons,and more! Tigard Parks &Rec rolled out the red carpet for participants at Cook Park on Wednesday. Hosted activities included a photo scavenger hunt, water balloon toss and hula hoop competition. Kids enjoyed water play, a Soccer Shots demonstration,crafts and games like chess and checkers. Pop Up in the Park celebrates National Park and Recreation Monthand continues next Wednesday at Woodard Park. Fox more information visit www.tigard- or—goy/recreation. x_.y fir' Staffpictured.•Michelle Santorsola, Recreation_4ide and Anthony-Markey, Recreation Coordinator Summer Paving this Week: Night Work on Greenburg Road S-2 Contractors worked to pave portions of Greenburg Road and Tiedeman Avenue starting on Monday. Next week they rill be paving Greenburg Road from Tiedeman Avenue to Pacific Highway during the day—expect delays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pavement overlays on busy streets and on roads with severe cracks and potholes restore the road to good pavement condition. Intermountain Slurry Seal, Inc. will be slurry sealing many streets in northern Tigard in late July and early August. Slurry seal is a liquid mixture of thick oil,sand,and other additives applied to the surface of a roadway to extend its life by restoring the asphalt binder near the pavement surface. i Each year city staff work to plan the program,and as part of doing so send out thousands of notices to city residents. For more information,and to view an interactive map of the paving locations visit www.dggd- or.gov/paving facts/ 011 r 3 Mike McCarthy,Sr.Project Engineer&project manager for summer paving is pictured with contractors from S-2. Finishing Touches at Bull Mountain Park The Friends of Bull Mountain Park celebrated with donors on Wednesday night final finishing touches to the park.James Lukinich, professional chainsaw carver, is currently working in the park on original artwork on behalf of the Friends.The carvings vx-ill be placed near ,r the nature play area.All of the logs used in this project are from trees removed as part of the Walnut Street ` reconstruction. , r L 1 � � .R• A'T w � I - - Tnn f.nM ` • �f • "Il ��ylYn'. ay3r.re � yy poop '3:. Y�I� _� _• "LL����ii�� X111.,,, ' - Fanno Creek Trail Closes as Part of Remeander Project On Tuesday,portions of the Fanno Creek Trail in Fanno Creek Park closed to allow for continued construction on the �;t •� Fanno Creek Remeander project. The city is partnering a-ith Clean Water Services to restore Fanno Creek along two city- owned properties in Downtown Tigard. The trail will be closed for re-construction and to replace the Ash Avenue pedestrian bridge. What you can expect: • The trail will be closed from July 10 through the end of August. • The detour route will be along Burnham Street • Work hours will be Monday through Friday, 7 a.m.—7 p.m. • Construction noise during work hours. • Dump and log trucks hauling material to and from the site during work hours. Item#0 Newsletter: ' City of Tigard Press Release 13125 SVC Hall Boulevard I Tigard,Oregon 97223 j www.fgard-or.gov FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE I July 12, 2018 Contact: Tina Skiles Safe Routes to School Program Coordinator 503-718-2708 tins@tigard-or.gov Five Tigard Schools Participated in 2018 Walk+ Roll Challenge Tigard's Safe Routes to School program challenged all elementary and middle schools to go°beyond one- day national bike to school day events and promote active travel to and from schools. Five schools rose to the challenge and selected a four-week period from April 30 through June 14 to encourage active transportation. Together the initiative reached 2,827 students from kindergarten through fifth grade. Charles F.Tigard, Durham,Mary Woodward,Templeton and Metzger elementary schools all promoted and participated in the May 9 National Bike and School Day and Tigard Bike Rodeo on May 12.They also left gifts from the "Bike Fairy" on bikes on May 22. The initiative promoted activities like walking school buses,helmet fittings,punch cards for frequent walk and rollers,bike and helmet awards, and walking and biking safety programs. With funding from Metro's Regional Travel Options grant,Tigard's Safe Routes to School Coordinator worked with each school to fund an$1,000 incentive package that matches the unique needs of the school and their community. Charles F. Tigard,James Templeton and Metzger elementary schools used their portion of the Metro Regional Travel Option grant to supplement the cost of helmets for students, selling them for$1 to students and $6 for parents at school sponsored events. Metzger Elementary School also reserved a portion to support bike parking, safety equipment and/or traffic calming measures.Durham Elementary School will use its incentive to relocate bike parking that construction at the adjacent Durham Education Center will remove this summer.Mary Woodward Elementary will use its incentive to add a bike fix-it station and Safe Routes to School wayfinding signage to their neve bike shelter. Walk-and-bike-to-school activities encourage families to participate in healthy and active transportation. The Safe Routes to School program improves safety for all pedestrians and bicyclists in the community by reducing traffic congestion and motor vehicle emissions while increasing opportunities to be more physically active and connect with neighbors. To learn more about the city's Safe Routes to School program and activities to promote walking and biking activities,visit the city's website at:www.tigard-or.gov/srts.Tigard's Safe Routes to School program is grant funded through a partnership with Metro and the Federal Transit Administration. Page 1 of 1 City of Tigard Press Release 13125 S)X'Hall Boulevard I Tigard,Oregon 97223 www.tigard-or.gov FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE f July 5, 2018 Contact: Marissa Grass City of Tigard,Public Forks Department 503-718-2428 marissa@tigard-or.gov Fanno Creek Trail Closures Coming to Downtown and Dirksen Nature Park in July Two sections of the Fanno Creek Trail,in Fanno Creek Park and in Dirksen Nature Park,will be temporarily closed due to construction activities starting in July. In downtown Tigard,the City of Tigard is partnering vith Clean Water Services to restore Fanno Creek along two city-owned properties. Work has already begun at the project site. The project will reduce erosion,increase water quality,allow better flood passage and create a safety corridor for pedestrians.The Fanno Creek Trail will be closed to reconstruct the trail and to replace the Ash Avenue pedestrian bridge starting July 10. A detour route will run along Burnham Street.Residents,businesses and visitors can expect construction activity in the area during work hours,Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Improvements are also being made in Dirksen Nature Park,including construction of a new interpretive shelter,two nature play areas for children of all ages and a restroom. Oregon State Parks and Metro are partnering`Lith the city on these improvements. When the trail is closed on July 16 at Dirksen, a detour route will run through the park and along Tigard Street. Information about the projects,including detour maps,can be found on the city's website at: • Fanno Creek Remeander Project: www.tigard-or.gov/fanno_creek_remeander.php • Interpretive Shelter,Nature Play and Restroom Project: v-v,-w.tigard-or.gov/dirksenconstruction.php For more information about trails in Tigard visit: www.tigard-or.gov/trails. - City of Tigard Press Release 13125 SW Hall Boulevard I Tigard,Oregon 97223 www.dgard-or.gov FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 11,2018 Contact: Marissa Grass City of Tigard,Public Works Department 503-718-2428 marissaCdgard-or.gov Community Preparedness Fair Returns to Cook Park Jump start your emergency preparedness on Friday,July 20, from G to 9 p.m.with a free preparedness fair,barbecue and concert in Cook Park. "This information is vital for our community," says Mike Lueck,Tigard's emergency services coordinator. "You may be on your own for several days after a major disaster. The Preparedness Fair is an opportunity to get prepared for this critical time." Participants can learn how to turn off utilities,make an emergency preparedness kit,purify water, cook without electricity or gas and more. The event will take place in Cook Park, at the end of 92nd Avenue just off Durham Road near Tigard High School.The fair offers music by Robbie Laws Band,a free barbecue, activities,vendor booths and information to help families prepare for emergencies at home and at work. For more information,including how to get involved in Tigard's emergency preparedness and resiliency activities,contact Mike Lueck at mikelCtigard-or.gov or 503-718-2593. Item# Newsletter: 7 Z State imposes new water testing rules in wake of algae blooms Claire Withycombe/Capital Bureau Lake Oswego Review Editor Gary M. Stein contributed to this report. Friday, July 06, 2018 About 150 to 200 water systems in the state may be affected by the new rules, according to the Oregon Health Authority. COURTESY PHOTO:OREGON NATIONAL GUARD-Oregon Army National Guard Spc. Joshua White and Andy Smetana, with the city of Salem Public Works Department, distribiuted water to Salem-area residents in early June after toxins from algae blooms were found in the water. About 150 to 200 water systems in the state may be affected by new rules requiring testing for cyanobacteria that can cause harmful algae blooms. w New state rules will require some public water systems— _ including the municipal system in Lake Oswego—to regularly test for cyanobacteria that can cause harmful algae blooms. About 150 to 200 water systems in the state may be affected by the new rules, according to the Oregon Health Authority. The rules apply to public water systems that use surface water that has had harmful algal blooms or cyanotoxin detections or is susceptible to such algal blooms, and public water supplies that use water downstream from those sources. Lake Oswego has historically tested for cyanotoxins, according to water treatment plant manager Kari Duncan, following "best management practices"that include sampling in upstream reservoirs and along the Clackamas River. In essence, Duncan told The Review on Friday, the new rules simply require the city to do what it has already been doing voluntarily. "The new rule does increase the frequency of our testing by requiring bimonthly testing at our water intake, regardless of upstream water conditions," Duncan said. "For the voluntary program, we tested at our intake any time a bloom or toxin had been detected in an upstream reservoir. So this is a small change." Duncan pointed to recent infrastructure upgrades completed as part of the Lake Oswego-Tigard Water Partnership, which include state-of-the-art treatment systems at the plant she manages. "We are very much ahead of the rest of the state in being able to treat for these kinds of potential problems," Duncan said. The state is stepping in with new testing requirements after a panic late last month over levels of cyanotoxins in the City of Salem's water supply. Salem and surrounding communities served by that water supply are still under a do- not-drink advisory for vulnerable groups, such as young children and pregnant and nursing women. The new state rules—which took effect on July 1 —require certain systems to test raw water every two weeks, starting July 15 and continuing until Oct. 31. Suppliers using cyanotoxin-susceptible water sources and systems that buy their water from those suppliers will be subject to the rules, which require testing for two toxins microcystins and cylindrospermopsin. Those are the two cyanotoxins for which the Environmental Protection Agency has established health guidelines. The maximum allowed level of microcystins in treated water is .3 parts per billion for vulnerable people, and 1.6 parts per billion for healthy people 6 years and older. For cylindrospermopsin, the maximum amounts in treated water are .7 and .3 parts per billion, respectively. If either cyanotoxin is detected at a level higher than .3 parts per billion in the raw water, the system must test the raw and treated water weekly under the new rules. If any level of those cyanotoxins is detected in treated water, the water system must test treated water daily.A system in that circumstance can return to weekly testing after two consecutive days without detecting cyanotoxins in treated water. If the level of cyanotoxins is higher than any advisory level in treated water, the system has to get a confirmation sample as soon as possible within 24 hours, and issue a do-not-drink advisory if that confirmation sample shows an amount cyanotoxins higher than advisory levels. OHA says it will be "encouraging"water systems to notify the public within 24 hours if water tests show any levels of those two cyanotoxins, even if they are below advisory levels. But that won't be required. An erroneous alert about the water issue sent out by the state caused confusion when the do-not-drink advisory went out to Salem-area cellphones May 29, followed by a run on area bottled water supplies. While that mistake on the state's part was soon corrected, Salem has struggled with notifying people properly, due in part to delays in getting test results. The city put a blanket do-not-drink advisory into effect June 6 for vulnerable groups. Since June 19, Salem's drinking water has tested below advisory levels for those groups. "As harmful algal blooms become the norm in Oregon, as they are around the country, we must address this emerging threat to our drinking water supplies," OHA Director Patrick Allen said in a prepared statement. "These temporary rules close a gap in regulations and will help us protect our drinking water systems so everyone in Oregon is kept safe from exposure to cyanotoxins." The health agency is working with the state's Department of Environmental Quality to analyze samples at its Hillsboro lab, at no charge to water suppliers that meet the criteria. "The impacts of climate change will continue to exacerbate conditions that lead to algal blooms and having better data will help us understand the threat posed to our water systems and how we can reduce harm,"said DEQ Director Richard Whitman. Permanent cyanotoxin testing requirements are in the works. Community cob oven fired up, pizzas get rave reviews Ray Pitz Thursday, July 05, 2018 Project community effort by Supa Fresh Youth Farm, city, school district and Metro TIMES PHOTO: KIT MACAVOY- Cody Copp (left), JW who built the cobb oven, stokes the flames while teens play in the background and wait for the first pizza to be ready. Workers chopped up wood and kindling Friday on the athletic fields at Metzger Elementary School before getting a roaring fire going inside a structure that has been around since - prehistoric times: a cob oven. The oven was constructed by workers with the non-profit Supa Fresh Youth Farm, along with the help of the City of Tigard, the Tigard-Tualatin School District and Metro, said Katrin Dougherty, co-founder of Supa Fresh Youth Farm, whose headquarters are in the House of Bread, across the street from Metzger Elementary. But the goal Friday was to test the community oven for the first time by baking a bunch of artisan pizzas for Supa Fresh Youth Farm students. Dougherty said the oven was a simple but sturdy design that was a real group effort. "It's basically clay, straw, sand and water,"she said of the enclosed unit. "Once they dry and are properly cured, they last a long time." Dougherty said the farm had been thinking of ways to involve the community with a variety of projects but opted for the cob oven at the suggestion of Schuyler Warren, an associate planner with Tigard's Community Development Department, and the support of Metzger Elementary Principal Todd Farris. TIMES PHOTO: KIT MACAVOY-A margherita-style pizza is placed in the oven to cook. They also received a $20,000 Metro Community Placemaking f - grant, which awards funding to organizations that prompt people to think differently about a place and rely on a cross- sector collaboration from the public, private entities and the community. Next, Dougherty said students surveyed the community about the types of designs they wanted for the oven, coming back with a choice of six. Finally, Kiko Denzer, author of"Build Your Own Earth Oven," lent his expertize, helping coordinate the oven's construction. An Oregon artist and teacher, Denzer hosted a two-day workshop on how to build the domed oven, built on top of a mound of sand with the sand later removed to create the inside cooking space. "And we built the rest of the oven," said Dougherty. "The oven part took two full days." Plans now are to decorate it with such material as tile and plaster, and possibly including student artwork in the exterior design. Cody Copp, garden educator for Supa Fresh, estimated that between 12 to 15 students pitched in to create the oven, mounted on a more than 4-foot-tall cinder block base built in April with the help of Comcast volunteers during the company's Comcast Cares Day Project. "We would love for it to become some type of art piece," he said. "We're thinking of firing it up for one of the Movies in the Park night." TIMES PHOTO: KIT MACAVOY- Cody Copp (right) continues to work on the oven while Ian Crane (left) puts the finishing touches on a pizza. '=` # The ultimate idea for the oven is to allow its use by a variety of people once some guidelines are hammered out. r Tigard's Warren, the associate planner who helped forward the idea for the oven, said it's a great way to bring people together. "Almost every culture around the world has some variant on the community hearth, where people gather to bake, and almost every one of those cultures has their own take on some kind of flatbread," said Warren. "We're hoping to see this oven become an important gathering spot for the Metzger area on the days that it is fired up. It has been great to see the SupaFresh group take the lead in building this important community amenity." Back at Friday's inaugural try out of the oven, students could choose the ingredients for their pizza from a table of fresh garden ingredients. In the early afternoon, the first pizza—topped with cheese, sauce and basil—was taken out. Kevin Atten, a farmer with Supa Fresh, took the first bite. His consensus? "It's a little doughy," he admitted. "The first one's always the sacrifice." Minutes later, a second pizza is pulled from the oven. Still a little doughy, but it was getting better. "It is so good,"said Brenda Avila, a Supa Fresh youth case worker. "It's tastes smoky (in a good way)." TIMES PHOTO: KIT MACAVOY-Tyson Olsen (center) is among the first in line to try the first successfully-cooked pizza produced by the new oven Finally it was the third one that proved to be a charm as Anna • Klinesteker, who works with Supa Fresh's paid internship programs, declared her verdict: "Delicious." COB OVEN SPECS With a customized, hand-built wooden door, the interior width spans about 27 inches, complete with a 16-inch-tall ceiling.Walls are 4 to 6 inches thick. ABOUT SUPA FRESH YOUTH FARM Supa Fresh Youth Farm was started as a secret garden at Durham Education Center Alternative High School by Katrin Dougherty and Mia Barlett. Part of the Tigard-based Oregon Human Development Corp., they work with at-risk or less-advantaged students ages 16 to 24. 'r OK . TIMES PHOTO: KIT MACAVOY- From left to right: Isaiah Schwab, Luis Zuniga, Tyson Olsen, Austin Smith and Andrew Faulkenberry rest in the shade on an earthen bench while waiting for the cob oven to produce its first pizzas.