(PORTLAND,OREGON, April 30, 2020) - Today, Transportation Commissioner, Chloe Eudaly, and Presenting Sponsor Kaiser Permanente announced that the May and June editions of Portland Sunday Parkways will take place as all-digital events.
”Sunday Parkways is close to my heart—I love that it connects communities, and it fosters the healthy, active use of our streets for all Portlanders,” said Transportation Commissioner Eudaly, “Unfortunately, Sunday Parkways, as we know it, is simply not possible during this public health crisis—we cannot gather on our streets right now. But we’re not giving up on this tradition! We worked to find a creative solution—one that maintains the community connection and active spirit that defines Sunday Parkways—and I am excited to see Portlanders come together in this new way. Thank you to PBOT and Kaiser Permanente for your work, making this a reality. I hope to see you all at a Sunday Parkways event in person later this summer.”
“During the pandemic, the health and safety of the public is our paramount concern,” said Dan Field, Executive Director of Community Health for Kaiser Permanente Northwest. “By converting the May and June Sunday Parkways to an all-digital platform, Portlanders can connect with each other in a fun and safe way.”
For May’s all-digital Sunday Parkways, PBOT and Kaiser Permanente have organized a series of digital events that Portlanders can participate in, including exercise classes, bike repair tutorials, and art and wellness projects. To support the vendors and other organizations that normally participate in the event, the digital Sunday Parkways will also showcase Portland businesses on a virtual platform.
“In re-imagining this event, we also want to hear from Portlanders what they would like,” says Sunday Parkways Director, Mychal Tetteh. “That’s why we’re encouraging people to send us their ideas. Help us co-create this event. We, the Portland Sunday Parkways team and our Presenting Sponsor Kaiser Permanente, will do our best to brighten your day and help you better connect to helpful resources, your neighbors, and the broader Portland community during this time.”
Portlanders interested in submitting their ideas should go to PortlandSundayParkways.org to fill out a short household survey on what community resources we can develop for a virtual Sunday Parkways. In addition, the Portland Sunday Parkways team can also be reached at 1-503-823-4414 or by email at PortlandSundayParkways@portlandoregon.gov.
PBOT and Kaiser Permanente will monitor the public health situation closely to determine whether the events scheduled in July, August and September can be held in their traditional form. In making this determination, public health and safety will be the top priority. If the events later in the summer cannot be held safely outside, PBOT and Kaiser Permanente noted they would hold them as digital events.
