NW Hub fund-raising, Cherriots West Salem Service, State Hospital: Newsbits

If you're on the Facebook this is all old news, but lots of exciting things going on at the NW Hub in the old Safeway at the corner of Market and Broadway.

New Sign - via NW Hub

Racks recycled from old pallets - via NW Hub

A local business has donated a year's worth of rent and utilities, and they're working on raising funds for other tools, supplies, and operational expenses.

Check it out. The project will recycle old, surplus, or unwanted bikes and bike parts, provide regular bike shop services for those who can pay, a coop membership for DIY projects, as well as free bikes and services for those who can't pay.

Totally a worthwhile project.

Cherriots in West Salem

Service in West Salem remains a problem, and hopefully the new appointment-based mini-bus service will be temporary or will otherwise grow into something more substantial. In the meantime, the new "Connector" service launched yesterday.

The West Salem Connector launches today! This pilot project is free the 1st 6 months http://t.co/4dvxkbs67x #SalemOR pic.twitter.com/5qYrBnDYWu

— Salem-Keizer Transit (@Cherriots) June 1, 2015

New appointment-based bus stops in West Salem - via Cherriots

From Cherriots:

The West Salem Connector will run from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Riders will book a trip at Book.cherriots.org, or by calling 503-361-7551. The online system provides a convenient way for riders to book trips from their desktop or mobile phone.

Twenty-four Connector points clearly marked with signs will be placed throughout the West Salem service zone. Because its route is based on trip requests, the Connector does not have a set schedule like regular Cherriots routes. The Connector will only visit a Connector points when there is a trip booked at that stop. The Connector bus will loop through the West Salem service zone picking people up and dropping them off. At least once an hour the Connector will return to the Glen Creek Transit Center, located next to the Roth’s on Wallace Rd., to connect people with regular Cherriots service.

Almost all Connector points will be located on residential streets, but one Connector point will be located at the Safeway on Edgewater St., connecting the neighborhood to shopping and to regular Cherriots bus service on Edgewater.

You can book trips from as little as one hour in advance to up to two weeks in advance. At the Glen Creek Transit Center you can also catch the Connector without booking a trip, and request a drop off. The bus will be at the Glen Creek Transit Center from 37 minutes after the hour to 45 minutes after the hour; for example, from 12:37 to 12:45, or from 1:37 to 1:45. Please remember that the driver will need to fit your request into his schedule of prescheduled pick ups and drop offs. We cannot guarantee you will be able to ride the bus unless you book a trip in advance.

State Hospital Town Hall

Summary of Current Status
(proposed demolitions and park area added)

State Representative Brian Clem wants your opinion on the north campus of the State Hospital redevelopment. From NEN:

The North East Salem Community Association, which represents the community bordering Northeast Neighbors to the East, has announced a Town Hall Meeting with Representative Brian Clem to discuss the latest news regarding redevelopment of the North Campus of the Former Oregon State Hospital, located between Center and D Streets in Northeast Salem.

As many of you may know, after successfully halting what many felt was an ill-timed and executed sale effort, Rep. Clem requested funds to prepare the property for sale, including the demolition of the majority of the buildings on the site. After considerable discussion, the membership of NESCA voted to support the Representative’s initiative, which is still pending in the Legislature. The NEN board is also considering a motion to formally support Rep. Clem’s initiative, but has not completed deliberations.

Rep. Clem is holding a Town Hall Meeting where he will discuss the project generally and his specific efforts and the future of the project on June 2nd at 6 p.m. at the Hoover School cafeteria, located at 1104 Savage Road NE, Salem, OR 97301.

Residents of NEN are welcome to attend to learn more about this important development that will impact the quality of life for our neighborhood and broader community.

SCV has additional thoughts here and here.

Traverse City - The Kirkbride restoration
is disconnected from the city

It's a suburban campus, not an urban neighborhood
via the Village

(In the second note they discuss the Village at Grand Traverse Commons, and suggest that it is "a beautiful solution to urban sprawl" - a direct quote from their own marketing materials, by the way - but in fact it is more an expression of urban sprawl, not solution. It is a suburban-styled auto-dependent development disconnected from the street grid and separated from the town by a State Highway. It is also a heavily touristed town and the development is targeted more towards resort demographics than towards a mixture of local residents. To put it another way, the project looks very pretty, but is deficient in mobility and connectivity. It is a model more in surface and building renovation than in urban structure or form. It's relevant, but shouldn't be a deep model for our own redevelopment.)