Metro Parks: Input cut short for community center

In the summer of 2017, Metro Parks convened two community meetings to discuss how best to operate Portland Park and Community Center. At the second meeting, concerned citizens were promised a third meeting.

The purpose of that additional meeting was to review the results of Metro Parks field interviews and evaluate in greater detail the community need for this facility.

In anticipation of the third community meeting, Portland Avenue neighbors assembled informative statistics and trend data to identify essential services.

That meeting never occurred. Instead, a year later, the third meeting became an announcement: Korean Women’s Association and the Tacoma Housing Authority were selected to operate Portland Community Center.

Metro Parks decision-making was greatly flawed. It promised the community a strong voice to help plan future use of the center.

We must ask: How can Metro Parks hope to represent the concerns and needs of area residents if they are left out of the process?