Designing landscapes to serve a diverse population is a complicated process, but one that can benefit entire communities. But some observers say that process in the Portland-metro area needs to be better at including minority populations.

Randy Gragg, director of the John Yeon Center for Architecture at the University of Oregon, said the city and Multnomah County need to be more inclusive.

“We have not done a very good job and could improve our game a lot,” he said.

The solution may be for government officials to do more of what community groups have done – go into neighborhoods to reach people instead of relying solely on input gathered at public meetings.

Changing demographics and input collection

Portland is becoming more and more diverse. From 2000 to 2010, its nonwhite population grew from 25 percent to 28 percent, according to , which cited data from Portland State University’s Population Research Center.

Portland’s population in 2015 was about 9 percent Hispanic or Latino, 7 percent Asian, 6 percent African-American and 1 percent Native American, with lesser numbers for Pacific Islanders and others, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Recent immigrants to Portland include families from: Ukraine, Romania, China, Vietnam, Somalia, Afghanistan, Turkey, Bhutan and the former U.S.S.R, to name but a few, said demographer Charles Rynerson, a research associate at the PSU center.

Connecting with people in so many different cultures can be difficult. Metro’s normal public input collection process for a park, for example, is to form a stakeholder advisory committee and then hold four public meetings. But that isn’t enough to reach underserved populations, said Olena Turula, a landscape architect and project manager for Metro.

However, Metro is beginning a study to determine the best ways to reach minority populations. The effort is expected to require 18 months.

“We’re just a little ways into it,” Turula said, “but it’s about taking time to build relationships with people.”

The city of Portland, meanwhile, also is seeking new ways to reach people in ethnic neighborhoods, such as connecting with community leaders and local groups. But the city’s outreach process still relies heavily on evening open houses – and not everyone can attend meetings at night, according to Laurie Matthews, president of the American Society of Landscape Architects’ Oregon chapter. Plus, people in some cultures distrust authority and aren’t comfortable in those settings, she added.

“This is one of the most pressing issues facing landscape architects today,” she said. “I have high hopes that Portland will make some significant changes and be a leader in terms of public process and design in terms of equity and diversity.”

Portland Parks & Recreation is trying to be more inclusive in its efforts, bureau director Mike Abbate said. A recent symposium by ASLA Oregon impressed him.

“It just tells me people in the design professions are trying to figure out what it means to design a thing equitably for communities,” he said.

Abbate said the parks bureau is connecting to minority populations in several ways, often through churches and community centers, and through sports like soccer and basketball.

“We have to go out to those folks, have relationships with leaders and mentors and entice them to bring people in,” he said.

Diane Jones Allen, a landscape architect and principal at DesignJones LLC in New Orleans, spoke at the ASLA forum and said the old methods of holding open houses or initial design charettes do not work very well.

“A charette means you come in and stick pins on a map but at the end (what is built) is nothing like what you really wanted,” she said. “It’s better to get to know the community members first and then keep them in the entire design process. It’s a longer process but you have to have a commitment.”

Walker Macy works on a lot of public projects, said Chelsea McCann, a landscape architect at the firm. Over time, it has discovered that to collect public input, there are better ways than holding meetings, she said. For instance, by first engaging community leaders and groups Walker Macy is able to reach more people.

“It’s a lot more legwork, but diversity of feedback is much improved,” she said.

Diving into communities to serve all populations

The success stories of spaces designed for diverse populations are mostly community-driven. Lee Dayfield, the driving force behind development of in Gresham, said she knew how important it was to consider the surrounding Rockwood neighborhood, which has a large Hispanic population.

Months of community outreach, led by planning and design firm MIG Inc., started with a declaration of cooperation by community members and 17 partners, including Human Solutions, the city of Gresham and the Audubon Society, to devise a plan.

One of the group’s preferences was for covered picnic tables, though Gresham city councilors were hesitant to approve that aspect because they were worried the tables would attract “ne’er-do-wells,” Dayfield said. She finally told the councilors that they would never know if the plan would work unless they at least tried, she said.

“You can’t not build things out of fear,” she said.

The park, which is owned by city, has covered picnic tables, walking trails, a nature play area, many educational programs and a 50-plot community garden. It brings different cultures together, Dayfield said.

“We have people from all over the world (visit the park),” she said, “and the most amazing thing is that some of them have seeds from their own country, from Taiwan and Africa, and with Russians and Asians and Hispanics.”

Gresham Mayor Shane Bemis praised the volunteer and collaborative effort to create the park.

“Not only is Nadaka a great example of community involvement in design, it is a perfect example of the community really leading the way throughout the project,” he said.

MIG Inc. also led much of the public outreach for the in North Portland. Landscape designer Madeline Carroll worked with the Community Cycling Center to gather input from even the youngest members to inform design, said Christina Frank, a landscape architectural designer with MIG.

“The kids were involved, even after the park was built,” Frank said. “She engaged the kids with thinking rules of engagement, making it safe for everyone.”

Another collaborative design in the works is the one for Cully Park, said Tony DeFalco, eco-district coordinator for community group Verde.

DeFalco said he has renewed hope that the landscape architecture community can help create a Portland that has more inclusive outdoor spaces – whether public, private or nonprofit – that reflect neighborhoods’ heritage and history.

Donita Sue Fry of the Native American Youth and Family Center knows about valuing her heritage. For years, she’s been involved in planning for Cully Park, on a site that formerly held a Native American culture. That inclusion might not have happened without community input like hers, she said.

“Native American history is American history and when we are not acknowledged in public spaces and trails we are perpetuating institutional racism,” she said.

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