Several weeks ago when the Occupy Portland encampment in Chapman and Lownsdale Square was evicted I signed a petition to express my outrage.
Well I got a form letter back that not only ignored my request but showed ignorance of the reality of the Occupy Encampment.
I had no problem enjoying the park. In fact I enjoyed them more because instead of seeing neglected homeless people (the wait list for emergency shelter is three months long) I saw a vibrant expression of community and social responsibility.
To think that having the parks, which are still surrounded by fences, available for use by the public without expression of political angst would be better for the city and its inhabitants is ludicrous.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts about the Occupy Portland movement .
Over the weekend, I received numerous electronic petitions concerning the dispersal of Occupy Portland encampments.
I support the right of Occupy Portland to engage in peaceful protests, and share the movements concerns with the growing inequality in our country .
At the same time, I believe it is time to move beyond encampments as a way to express support for the movement. The City of Portland will continue to enforce all parks rules so that everyone in our city has access to our parks.
Thanks again for sharing your concerns with me.
Sincerely,
Nick Fish
Office of Commissioner Nick Fish
www.portlandonline.com/fish
Contact info
1221 S.W. 4th, Room 240
Portland OR 97204
(503) 823-3589
F: (503) 823-3596
On the Commissioners website is a video of a news report that will not embed here. In it they say how much to fix a variety of issues including the bathrooms and the grass.
$36,000 for fixing the bathrooms? Do you know why it is so high? Because the drainage pipes are so old they have been damaged by the roots of the trees. Occupy Portland was in contact with the Mayors Office and were trying to get enough information together to fix them. But the Mayor never responded to our requests. Blaming that on the Occupiers is deceitful to the extreme.
The grass has never been as green as was shown in that video. It was always shabby with bare spots because the trees defense mechanisms prevent foliage from growing under them.
Like this:
I find the response to be bureaucratic and insulting.