The Oregonian recently published an article about the resurgence of interest in neighborhood associations, profiling 5 out of the 95 in Portland – and we made the cut! In fact, the first picture is of the Woodlawn Triangle. Woodlawn Neighborhood Association board members Anjala Ehelebe and Shirley Minor are both quoted and pictured in the story. Go Woodlawn!
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2 Responses to “Woodlawn profiled in Oregonian”
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This is great! The only thing is, we do not have a sex club in our neighborhood. We do have a business that hosts private parties that may have sexual themes, but I don’t think we really want reporters saying we have a sex club! I don’t think that is accurate, and certainly not the kind of publicity we want for our community, I would think.
Woodlawn: rediscovering its best features
Anjala Ehelebe and Shirley Minor stroll along the once-thriving, pie-shaped business district on Northeast Dekum Street, known as the Woodlawn Triangle.
Ehelebe, a local historian, wants to turn clocks back to when Woodlawn, in the 1920s and 30s, meant commerce, neighbors working with neighbors and a place to see and be seen.
“You can look around and see that it is slowly coming back.”
Why the change?
“I think people were tired of the gangs and bad reputation of Woodlawn, so they joined the neighborhood association and began pulling together,” said Minor, an association board member.
Fredrick D. Joe/The OregonianAnjala Ehelebe, (left) a local historian, accompanied by Shirley Minor, board member of the Woodlawn Neighborhood Association, says, “The association is playing a key role in revitalizing the area and giving everyone a feeling of pride once again.”
The women delight in chatting with young entrepreneurs who are transforming empty storefronts into hip businesses, including Firehouse restaurant — in the restored 1905 fire station — a coffee shop, pizzeria, boutique, gift shop, fitness studio and naturopathic clinic.
A block away, the community garden is in full bloom and next to it, Woodlawn Park has been reclaimed from young thugs. Other efforts include neighborhood cleanups, a voter registration drive, free tool library, landscaping projects, historic tours and park concerts.