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race

Hey Everyone,
I got this email from Will Bates he has to do with 350??? (sorry if i am wrong) well there is this race going on for the oil spill . I dont really know how to explain this and i thnk its for collage students well the races teams are. but please cheack this site out. www.greatpowerrace.org It will provide any questions

Claire's Orenco Station Conference Outing Summary 05.06.10

Orenco Station Conference Outing

1. At 9:00 a.m., our conference group walked to the 15 Belmont bus stop on Belmont. We road the 15 Belmont bus to SW Morrison and 17th (PGE Park) where, after observing the transit stop, we boarded the MAX Blue Line (MAX being the light rail system in Portland). While riding to Orenco Station the experts and I noted changes from downtown Portland to the suburbs of Portland. Once we arrived in Orenco Station we jotted down our first impressions. Afterwards, we separated into our expertise groups. The Housing Group (today consisting of Heath, Junior, Amy, and I) walked along a residential street and a multi-use street, observing the housing in Orenco Station. Approximately twelve minutes later, the experts gathered to share what each group observed. Barbara, a manager, then gave us a tour of New Seasons Market (the Friendliest Store in Town!), the organic, locally grown, lush foods tantalizing our ravenous bellies (riding in a train apparently causes immense hunger). Thankfully, we were able sample sharp cheddar cheese and eat our lunch at New Seasons. I had a warm spanakopita and a cool kumquat fizzy drink. On the walk back to the Orenco Station MAX stop Julian Smith, another expert, offered BBQ (barbecue. I know. What a peculiar—and very American as I have learned—acronym.) flavored sunflower seeds. Thinking they were pumpkin seeds, I tossed a generous handful into my mouth. Julian, Levi (Food and Health Safety expert), Haven (Food and Health Safety expert), and Lisa (Economics expert) gaped in astonishment. Levi exclaimed, "You're not supposed to eat those!" I am sure my eyes visibly widened. "You're not?" I asked. "No!" I ran to the trash can and spat the shards of sunflower seeds out of my mouth. For the remainder of the walk, Julian and Levi coached me the (proper) way to eat sunflower seeds. We arrived back at the SES Conference Headquarters at 3:00 p.m.

2. A Mixed-Use Urban Center is a town focused around amenities. Orenco Sation encircles the main street that consists of everyday use businesses like restaurants, grocery stores, public transportation, and health facilities. By designing a community that centers around a dozen businesses versus a community built around several business areas, Orenco Station can keep in mind the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) and avoid sprawl. I like the Portland metropolitan area idea of creating a number of small towns along the light rail system because I think this method of expanding the city will better control urban sprawl. By having quite a few towns based around everyday businesses I think stronger communities will be established at a lower cost.

3. I think people choose to live in Orenco Station for different reasons. Some people may not like living directly in a city because of the noise, smells, and tighter spaces, but like having easy, quick (30-ish minute) access to a city. Others may work in Portland but cannot find housing or do not like the housing in Portland, therefore live in a suburb. Benefits of living in Orenco Station include the quiet environment, walkability, nearby open spaces, five minute access to public transportation, daily needs and additional businesses within walking distance (grocery store, restaurants, florist, dry cleaner's, dentist, accountant, pet store, wine shop, optician, and more), and convenient access to Portland, by MAX or car. Challenges of living in Orenco Station could be the lack of close-by (less than five miles) libraries, a variety of restaurant cuisines, sports leagues, and multiple of the same kinds of businesses (if I do not like this dentist, I will be making the choice to commute to another dentist's office). But, in my opinion, while it may not be über-convenient to get to some places, the light rail system is within walking distance and the freeway is close by, meaning access to places in or along the way to Portland are convenient.

4. I think successful achievements by the urban planners of Orenco Station are the walkability, the close proximity to everyday businesses, the greenspace, the amount of diversity (in my opinion, better than the typical suburbs I have seen), the access to public transportation, and the tight community feeling. Compared to other suburbs I think Orenco Station has a remarkable amount of community feeling. This feeling was achieved by small front yard space, alley garages, mini sidewalks that create alternate paths, and the businesses located within a couple blocks.

Orenco Station could be improved by adding bike paths and ways of encouraging people to bike. I did not see a play structure or any sports facilities, which could definitely attract the youth of the community, a vital component of having a diverse area. Maybe we were just in Orenco Station at a quiet time but I only saw two mothers with their little ones and four people walking their dogs, three of the four dogs the dog size "small". I think Orenco Station would flourish one hundred percent if more people were outside.

5. After being in Orenco Station, I feel that Brownsfields would flourish if the designers keep in mind the successful outcomes of a compact community: skinny streets, small front yards, allies, businesses with in walking distance. What better way to get to know your neighbors than being situated ten feet away form them—opposed miles of golf-course replica, manicured lawns away? Walkability is also key. When walking outside I know I am more likely to stop if something or someone I see interests me, whereas when driving, it is a major inconvenience to pull over my car and spend ten minutes finding a parking space. By creating a walkable community the result is exactly that: a community.

6. On the MAX ride from downtown Portland to Orenco Station in Hillsboro the most notable change was the progression of larger, more frequent greenspace as we traveled towards Hillsboro. After our trip to downtown Portland last week, I know that besides the Park Blocks and Waterfront Park most of the community spaces are blocks with pavement, seating and fountains, opposed to grass. As we traveled away from downtown I realized there is an abundance of grass and forest alongside the freeways and in the suburbs. The office buildings also seemed to go through a smush and stretch Photoshop effect. Unlike the towering buildings of downtown the buildings on the way to Hillsboro were lower and wider. The overall change was the increase of space and the decrease of height.