Residents improve communities near garbage facilities and landfills

From a chalk art festival in Forest Grove to fighting air pollution in Northwest Portland, residents around greater Portland worked together in 2016 to improve their neighborhoods using grants funded by garbage and recycling fees. The grants are awarded annually through Metro’s Community Enhancement Program. The program retains one dollar for every ton of garbage deposited at a participating transfer station or landfill in the greater Portland area, and then invests those funds in the surrounding areas. “The money is used to improve the quality of life in communities that host garbage and recycling facilities,” said Molly Chidsey, Metro community partnerships project manager. Seven cities participate in the program, including Forest Grove, Gresham, Portland, Oregon City, Sherwood, Troutdale and Wilsonville. On April 1, 60 or so Kenton residents gathered for “April Tool’s Day,” the grand opening celebration of the North Portland Tool Library Annex. The North Portland Tool Library, located in the basement of the Historic Kenton Firehouse, stocks 3,500 tools available for free loan to their 6,000 members. Before building the annex, members had the difficult and dangerous job of carrying large items such as table saws, ladders and lawn mowers up and down the basement stairs. Now, the tool library has an easy-to-access above-ground space for storing and repairing large tools. “As a member myself, I love saving space at home, and saving time and money by renting…