Senior Center (Nancy Ream Enabnit)
If it’s July, then pie happens. Another profitable Sandy Mountain Festival yielded $4000 in pie, cookie, coffee and tea sales. The net proceeds benefit the area’s meals-on-wheels program.
The Sandy Senior Center was selected as a site for a new type of Tai Chi-based exercise program focusing on helping older adults maintain and improve their balance and wellness. Bonnie Newman, long-time recreation department Tai Chi instructor, received specialized training and is serving as teacher. Classes are held on Wednesday and Friday afternoons and are at capacity with 20 participants.
Parks
On July 25th Sandy hosted the Quarterly Trails Forum sponsored by Metro. Trail enthusiasts came from throughout the region to learn about construction of Tickle Creek Trail and walk the trail from east to west. Kathleen Walker of the Mt. Hood National Forest presented information on trail development in the Villages of Mt. Hood and in the Zigzag Ranger District. She explained the long-term goal of a Timberline to Town (Portland) Trail. Staff from Clackamas County conducted an on-site tour of the Boring Station Trailhead and discussed its construction and relevance to the Springwater Corridor. Participants also toured a section of the Cazadero Trail escorted by personnel from Oregon State Parks.
Recreation (Sarah Richardson)
Sandy Adult Softball League was in full swing throughout July. With construction of new fields at Sandy High School, the fourteen teams played all games at schools in Boring and Welches. The league culminates with a playoff tournament in August.
Once again a successful slate of Mountain Festival Children’s activities were offered free of charge. The Pet Show, Bike Derby and Kids’ Parade attracted record numbers of boys and girls.
Citizens enjoyed day camps, field trips, soccer camps and many other offerings advertised in the Summer Recreation Guide.
Sandy Summer Sounds and Starlight Cinema got rolling in July with another successful Shakespeare in the Park, Wine in the Woods (new this year) and weeks of a fantastically diverse line-up of live music as well as five weeks of popular outdoor movies.
Transit (Julie Stephens)
Total ridership this month was 21,751, representing just over a 5% increase from the same period last year. The SAM-Gresham increased by 4.6%, while SAM-Estacada increased 7.3% and STAR use was up by 6.8%. The ED program jumped to 143% over the same period last year.
Progress continues with the Contractor for the Transit Center. Solar lighting has been ordered for the bus shelters.
Staff continued work with TriMet and the other regional transit providers toward an update of the regional Elderly and Disabled Transportation Plan.
Eleven participants went to the Portland Farmer’s Market in Pioneer Square this month.