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The public is invited to an open house at city hall to view displays, ask questions and learn more about what the Natural Resources Program is doing to protect and enhance the city’s natural resources. Display boards and brochures will be available and City staff will be on hand to answer any questions you may have. Some of the topics we will be covering include: restoration projects such as the Boeckman Creek Fish Passage and Stream Restoration Project, invasive plant species removal and native plantings through out the city, the hedgerow planting next to the community garden, stormwater management, the Boeckman Road "Green Street" design, environmental stewardship, the City’s annual WERK Day Event, SMART transportation options, volunteer opportunities and local partnerships. There will also be a slide show, refreshments, giveaways and a raffle prize. Come join us for this fun learning experience.

The City of Wilsonville is celebrating Earth Day by providing an open house at City Hall on Wednesday, April 16, from 12 to 5 PM. There will be informational material: displays, maps and brochures and City staff will be on hand to answer questions about the various ways we are protecting and preserving the natural resources in Wilsonville.
Please contact Lisa Nead, 570-1535 for further information.

As you travel around town, you may notice new left turn signals with a flashing yellow arrow. One such signal was recently installed at the intersection of Rebekah Street and Wilsonville Road. Flashing yellow left-turn arrows are becoming more common throughout the state and can promote better movement of traffic on busy roads. Some motorists, however, may not yet be familiar with these signals and the proper traffic procedure. The Oregon Department of Transportation provides helpful information on flashing yellow lights for motorists

The City reminds drivers to remember to always yield the right-of-way to pedestrians and drive safely!

The City would like you to know that the entrance to Memorial Park will be open during the driveway re-alignment construction project, except for three (3) days of paving that will take place in May (weather dependent). At that time, vehicles and pedestrians will be detoured through Murase Plaza Park’s parking lot.

According to the City, Montebello Drive will undergo pavement cutting today. Canby Excavating plans on saw cutting the pavement on Monday, March 31 and depending on weather temperatures begin the final paving on Tuesday, April 1.

The Heritage Tree Program annually designates individual trees or groves of trees within the city limits that have some significance to the community, link to history, heritage or uniqueness.

The City of Wilsonville Heritage Tree Committee is now soliciting nominations for 2008 Heritage Tree designation. If you are familiar with an old tree in Wilsonville that has a tie to history or is a significant landscape feature, please consider submitting a Heritage Tree Nomination Form.

This story came from the City’s Newsletter The Boones Ferry Messenger, and was written by City of Wilsonville Employee Lisa Nead.

For those of you who have wandered down Schroeder Way or Kolbe Lane over the past two weeks you couldn’t help but notice that there’s a new pedestrian bridge in town. This new feature is part of a larger project the City started in August 2006, to improve fish passage and restore the stream banks along a stretch of Boeckman Creek within Memorial Park.
The first phase of the project was completed in December 2006, and included the removal of a culvert along the lower section of Boeckman Creek, the restoration
of adjacent stream banks, the planting of native vegetation along the banks and the installation of a 75-foot long pedestrian bridge across the creek. The reason for the culvert removal was due to its placement above the water level that blocked the migration of fish and eventually scoured the adjacent banks. The Oregon State Land Board honored the City of Wilsonville with the 2006 Stream Project Award in recognition of responsible, sustainable stewardship of state resources by individuals and organizations for this project.
The second phase of the project included similar restoration efforts on a section of Boeckman Creek north of the first phase. Work began in September 2007, with the removal of an existing culvert, the restoration of the creek by incorporating the use of living plant materials to direct the creek flow and stabilize the banks, and the installation of a 50-foot long pedestrian bridge.
The completion of this project has created a more open, inviting viewing opportunity for the public to enjoy the beauty of Boeckman Creek and its surrounding natural
area. Although this is one component of the project’s objective, it does not tell the whole story. It is important to point out the larger picture here, which is, the existence of the ever present, but not always seen, fish and wildlife that share this natural area with the humans that occupy the park.
Preserving and restoring this section of Boeckman Creek has improved valuable habitat and provided a safe passage through Memorial Park, ultimately encouraging migration of salmon and steelhead from their spawning grounds. In order for these efforts to prove successful, it is important that all those who share in the use of Memorial
Park respect and appreciate the fact that the enhancements
to these natural areas are not just for human enjoyment but are an essential part of the survival of our fish and wildlife.
One of the ways we can show this respect is by keeping our dogs on a leash. When dogs and/or people venture off the main trails down to the creek they trample sensitive vegetation that hasn’t had a chance to flourish, they disturb the protective material that is placed there tomaintain the structure of the bank, they unknowingly leave scents that deter wildlife from drinking the water that is essential for their survival, and finally dogs can leave fecal matter that contaminates our water.
For those dog owners eager to allow their pets to run freely off leash, the City has provided a designated dog park area east of the sports fields in Memorial Park. It is a perfect location for dogs to socialize, interact, run and chase balls. The City has made recent improvements to enhance the dog park by adding two covered shelters as well as potable water for dog owners and their pets.

When Mark Ottenad quickly disappeared from the Chamber of Commerce late last autumn, I asked around and couldn’t get any information on where he went.  Just that he had a ‘new opportunity.’  Well, now we know he didn’t go far. 

Read this excerpt from the City of Wilsonville’s newsletter: "Mark Ottenad, Wilsonville’s new Public/Government Affairs Director, has worked in Wilsonville for the past four-and-a-half years as Executive Director of the Wilsonville Chamber of Commerce, which operates a regional visitor information center."

The Wilsonville Public Library, through the Wilsonville Public Library Foundation, received a $10,090 grant from The Oregon! Ready to Learn Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation.
The grant will fund the library’s Book Bridges program at the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility. Library staff currently works with the Early Head Start program at Coffee Creek to provide library services to incarcerated mothers and their children ages’ birth to three years old.

The Book Bridges program will expand this partnership to include:
• Monthly Storytime sessions
• Monthly Parent Training sessions to address early literacy development and storytelling techniques
• Monthly selection and delivery
of appropriate library books
• Development of a personal library for each participant and her child, to consist of the books presented at Storytime
• Community library introduction
for each released participant, to include location, hours, Storytime schedule, and library card (or application)
to the library in her new community.
“The goal of the program is to extend the benefits of Storytime to some of the most vulnerable children in our society. It give parents the skills and encouragement to read and tell stories to their children and to increase understanding of the role of reading and stories on children’s literacy and learning development,” said Wilsonville Library Director Pat Duke. “Our staff will also work to introduce released parents to their future local library in order to encouragethem to attend Storytime with their children and continue to read to their children.” Director Duke said the program was developed by Youth Services Librarian Keren Joshi, and Children’s Assistant Terri Wortman. Keren’s Doctorate from the University of Illinois focused on children’s early literacy development.