Sunnyslope Neighborhood Association

Great progress is being made on the Sunnyslope Park improvements!  Here is a schedule of upcoming events as we prepare to install new equipment:

Oct 1-5: Inmate work crews will begin preparation of the area for the removal of the play structures.

Oct 8-12: Contractors will complete the removal.

Oct 13: BUILD DAY @ 9am start time — volunteers* will install the new equipment. Coffee and donuts for the helpers in the morning!

Oct 15-19: Contractors will finish off the drainage and safety surface.

Oct 27 Hopefully it is ready for play!

See a drawing of the new equipment on our Facebook page!

* The leader of the installation is Jack Dalton (jbdsalem@gmail.com). We are lucky to have him – he has a lot of experience with park equipment and he is a neighbor as well. He is looking for many volunteers to show up on Saturday, October 13 to help install the new play structure. He welcomes any groups (boy scouts, community service, etc.) to help out on the day. He says that older kids can help alongside their parents, but must keep out of the actual construction area due to large holes.

Make sure you join Sunnyslope for its Annual Meeting this April 19, 7pm at Schirle Elementary School.  And, see the annual newsletter for all the details about what is going on at Sunnyslope.

If you are interested in learning more about the proposed Sunnyslope Community Garden, you’ll want to attend the January 19 Sunnyslope Neighborhood Association. We’ll be meeting at Schirle Elementary School, at 7 p.m.

And, the garden now has an email address: sunnyslopecommunitygarden@gmail.com.

You are invited to bring questions and concerns about the proposed community garden on the vacant land on Liberty Rd. to a meeting on December 15, 7 p.m. at Schirle Elementary School. The following letter from Sunnyslope resident Sally Cook explains what is happening:

Greetings,

My name is Sally Cook and I am a resident of the Sunnyslope neighborhood. The city has agreed to allow for a community garden in the two vacant lots that have been for sale on Liberty Rd between Lockwood and Cunningham. I have been working with Marion Polk Foodshare and the Sunnyslope Neighborhood Association to establish the best use of this land as possible.

This community garden is in the very early planning stage. I want to make sure that neighbors and surrounding businesses have a chance to voice any concerns and be involved in the design and planning of the garden. The following concerns about using this space as a community garden are already being addressed:

• Parking – parking should not negatively impact neighbors or local business.
• Appearance and design of garden – because Liberty Rd is highly visible, and the land is directly behind neighborhood homes, any garden should be designed to add to the value to the area and not create an eyesore.
• Effort should be taken to make use of existing features such as established trees and wildlife in the community garden.
• Clear guidelines for garden use and a process for conflict resolution should be established to allow for maximum self-sufficiency and productivity.
• Minimize costs of garden in keeping with a self-sufficiency model.

If you have any feedback, other concerns about the project or would like to be more involved with the community garden, please come to the next Sunnyslope Neighborhood Association meeting at 7pm on Dec. 15, 2011 at Schirle Elementary School.

If you are unable to attend this meeting and have questions or would like to be more involved, please contact Ian Dixon-McDonald with Marion Polk Foodshare. His number is (503) 581-3855 ex 329 and email address is imcdonald@marionpolkfoodshare.org. Thank you!
Sincerely,

Sally Cook

The leaves are starting to pile up in the Sunnyslope Neighborhood, so mark your calendars to bring your bagged leaves to the annual Fall Leaf Haul at Sprague High School parking lot, December 3rd, from 9am-3pm. It is free to drop off your leaves, thanks to committed neighborhood volunteers, the City of Salem, Marion County Solid Waste Management, and our garbage haulers. But you can give back by donating to the Marion-Polk Food Share or the Salem Parks Tradition Fund. For more information or to volunteer, call 503-589-2195.

An anonymous donor has generously given the City $7500 for improvements at Sunnyslope Park. The Sunnyslope Neighborhood Association has the opportunity to apply for an additional $7500 from the Salem Park Improvement Fund, potentially bringing in $15,000 for the park. Are you a Sunnyslope Park user? Do you have ideas for park improvements? Come to the June 16 Sunnyslope meeting to join the discussion.

The vacant properties on the west side of Liberty Road between Browning Avenue and Cunningham Lane are surplus land from the Liberty Road widening project. The parcels were replatted to remove individual property lines and in their current configuration consist of 2 separate large parcels. The north parcel consists of .82 acres and the south parcel consists of .99 acres. Both parcels are zoned RS, single family residential.

The City is accepting offers on the properties until they are sold. For more information contact Dianne Majors, Urban Development Department (503) 588-6178 ext. 7594.

In November 2008, Salem voters approved funding for improvements to Skyline Road SE from Kuebler Boulevard SE to Liberty Road SE. Design will begin this Fall, property acquisition is projected for Summer of 2012 with utility relocation projected for the Fall of 2013. Construction is scheduled for the Spring through Fall of 2014.

Skyline Road SE improvements include a travel lane in each direction with a center turn lane, bicycle lanes, curbs, and sidewalks.

If you have questions about the project, please contact Gary Myzak, Program Manager, at 503-588-6211.

In November 2008, Salem voters approved funding for the widening of Kuebler Boulevard SE. Construction has begun and the speed limit has been reduced in the Kuebler Boulevard SE construction area to 35 miles per hour.

Kuebler Boulevard SE improvements include adding an additional travel lane in each direction with bicycle lanes, curbs, and sidewalks. Additionally, dedicated right turn lanes will be provided from Kuebler Boulevard SE at the Sunnyside Road SE and Lone Oak Road SE intersections.

The traffic signals on Kuebler Boulevard SE will be interconnected from Liberty Road SE to Commercial Street SE and on Sunnyside Road SE from Kuebler Boulevard SE to Commercial Street SE. The existing traffic signals on Kuebler Boulevard SE at both Sunnyside Road SE and Lone Oak Road SE will be replaced.

The travel lanes will shift throughout the duration of the project to allow each stage of construction while maintaining one lane of traffic in each direction. Intersection areas will periodically have flagger-controlled traffic during non-peak hour times. Traffic flow interruptions are expected. Night time work will be required for certain construction activities.

If you have questions about the project, please contact Aaron Edelman, Program Manager, at 503-588-6211.

You are invited to join a new community organization, Neighborhood Harvest. Its volunteers gather unused fruit from Salem ’s backyards, share the bounty with families who are hungry, and take home free produce, grown right here. Neighborhood Harvest seeks to create community and strengthen neighborhood friendships, alleviate hunger, create awareness of our abundant edible landscapes, and promote sustainable lifestyles. It is affiliated with Friends of Salem Saturday Market and linked to Marion-Polk Food Share through donations of produce.

Energetic, responsible volunteers are needed. Sign up to be a harvest leader, neighborhood coordinator or site scout. You will be shown how to organize a fruit-picking adventure while meeting neighbors and new friends.

To volunteer, contact Katherine at kdaniels@salemharvest.org. Register your tree, vine or berry bush using our online form, or contact Dick at dyates@salemharvest.org. For information visit www.salemharvest.org or contact Lisa at lclark-burnell@salemharvest.org.