It was a big deal when Gradin Community Sports Park opened in 2009. The Portland Timbers took the field, and the crowd went wild. It was, well, a ball for all.
But after the excitement, and in the years following, most of the park land sits empty. Families line up to use porta potties. There is no running water, no concessions, no walking path, no playground. Teams are turned away when all the soccer and softball fields are booked
The City just hasn’t had the money to build out the rest of the park.
Isn’t there a sports rule, never give up?
Behind the scenes in the community, and at City Hall, everyday champions refused to throw in the towel.
Dozens of local organizations kept the park in play, from the Eastside Timbers and Western Oregon University to the Rebels Softball organization. Over at City Hall, staff drank lots of coffee and wrote grants. Our government relations managers, past and present, drove to the state capitol in Salem several times with a dream book, pitching the state for money for Gresham, for our community.
And finally, in 2022, we found a real team player: Congressman Earl Blumenauer.
Homerun!
Here’s what’s happening: Gresham is in the fourth quarter and we’re looking at a $5.5 million win!
With Blumenauer’s help, the latest congressional funding package contains $2 million dollars dedicated to the development of Gradin Sports Park.
This $2 million in federal funding will go with $2 million in Lottery awarded to the City. Plus, we’re dedicating just over $1 million in system development charges.
Youth sports is the fastest growing tourism area in Gresham. Gradin is one of the few places for tournament play in the East County. More fields means more tournament play in Gresham and more spending at local hotels, restaurants and shops.
A bigger sports park is great for families, too. We want to give our community safe places to gather and have a friendly game of soccer or walk the park.
After decades of waiting, the development of
Gradin Sports Park is a historic moment for the City of Gresham.
The dream of creating a space for first goals to be scored, home runs cheered, families to spend precious time together, and a community to be strengthened is finally happening and we can’t wait to watch it all unfold.