From depave.org: What a grand celebration! Over 150 depavers came out to kick off the transformation of the Baltimore Woods Connectivity Corridor from a two-acre parking lot into an Oregon white oak and native wildflower meadow.

The festivities included a small celebratory depaving, great music by Zimba Marimba and Paul Bishop’s Trailer of Sound, a rockin performance by The Sprokettes, delicious food provided by the donors below, art and nature activities with Rewild Portland, and opportunities to learn about the npGreenway that will one day traverse the site.

Project partners include the Friends of Baltimore Woods, Portland Parks & Recreation, the Portland Bureau of Environmental Services, SOLVe, Metro and the Office of Healthy Working Rivers. Thanks to City Commissioner Dan Saltzman and Metro Councilor Rex Burkholder for helping us break ground!

When: July 28, 2012
Where: Baltimore Woods in St. Johns – 6600 N Catlin Avenue
Size: 2 acres
Event coordination: Eric Rosewall & Kate Skelton. Art coordination: Ted Labbe
Event sponsors: Big Kahuna’s BBQ & Catering, Burgerville, Cathedral Park Kitchen, Food Front Coop, Fred Meyers, Grocery Outlet, Gunderson, Krugers Farm Market, Linnton Feed & Seed, New Seasons Market, Proper Eats Market, Schultz-Clearwater, Starbucks, Tulip Bakery, Laura Witford

Many thanks to the artists that contributed to the project: Dan Dancer (the WILD idea), Mary Bushman (the oak tree) and Nina Montenegro (the tiger).

Special thanks to tree climbers Robert Bundy, Jason Torres-Morrow, Tre Arrow and Sean O’Connor for their help with installing and maintaining the time-lapse cameras over the course of the project.

The larger excavation and subsequent habitat restoration by the Parks and the Environmental Services Bureaus continued through late 2012.