Sustainable Portland Action Sports Complex and Resort

The same group that puts on the Nelscott Reef tow in surf competition in Oregon have unveiled a proposal to transform the aging and drastically underused Rose Quarter facilities of Portland, Or.

The plan would transform the Portland Memorial Coliseum and adjacent areas into Portland’s Sustainable Action Sports Complex and Resort. With sustainability being a key focus of the project, the resort/hotel and other new buildings would target LEED Gold or better certification using  innovative waste water strategies like the “Living Machine” and “Eco Roofs” to reach their sustainable design goals. They also plan on using Geothermal, Wind and Solar as sources of energy for the complex.

In one hand the plan seems like a great idea. Re-invigorate an aging and underused sports complex with the fastest growing segment of the sporting industry…”Action Sports”. Young and old would be able to enjoy surfing, skateboarding, BMX biking, rock climbing, kayaking, and white water rafting year round regardless of weather conditions. Seems like a great thing right….I know a lot of people in Seattle would love to not have to drive hours to get a quick surf session in.

On the contrary, many feel the complex would exploit the ideal of many of these sports by creating a pay-to-play scenario and somehow undermine the soul of these sports. The idea that action sports should be exclusive to the individuals that “work for it” or “put the time” in is a commonly voiced opinion, especially among area locals.

I see a major contradiction with this soulful, local-ism attitude. These same individuals that are against building a highly accessible and Sustainable Action Sports Complex in Portland are the same individuals that don’t want their local surf spots, dirt jumping or skate areas revealed and overrun by the public at large. If you don’t want your local break to become crowded then you should be supporting a project like this. It encourages a revitalization of the area with a sustainably built, modern sporting complex, which will allow thousands of people to enjoy sports they may not have easy access to…and it will keep them out of your lineup.

You can contact the Rose Quarter Development Project directly with your public comment. I am sure this will be a heated debate.  I would love to hear readers opinions on the proposed plan…