Just in time to celebrate its second Nature in Neighborhoods grant, the Friends of Nadaka Nature Park is hosting its second annual Nadaka Community Festival from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 11.

Enjoy free live music, hot dogs, children’s activities and face painting while learning more about plans for a community garden and other improvements for 2 acres of the 12-acre site, located at Northeast 174th Avenue and Glisan Street.

In May, Metro awarded the Friends of Nadaka Nature Park nearly $239,000, which allows the Friends to dig on its garden plan.

The garden project includes a rain garden, orchard, berry patch, natural meadow, pathways, restrooms, a nature-based play area and a 60-plot community garden, which will double the number of community garden plots in Gresham.

It is one of six projects to be awarded a total of $1.7 million in grants financed by the 2006 natural areas bond measure. This is the fifth year of the Nature in Neighborhoods grant program, which has awarded $6.6 million to projects across the region.

The future garden area is next to St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church on Glisan.

The project also includes a 5-year plan to improve the habitat, remove invasive species and diseased trees, and provide nature-based education on wildlife, gardening and stormwater management.

Friends of Nadaka Park will continue to include the community in actively caring for the park. Neighbors and nearby residents often meet for morning cleanup parties, including one on the day of the festival. In fact, to date the project includes more than $40,000 in volunteer labor and in-kind donations.

To donate labor, plants, gravel or other supplies to carry out the project, contact Jane Van Dyke at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

In 2009, Metro awarded Nadaka a $220,000 Nature in Neighborhoods grant, which helped purchase an adjoining 2-acre parcel, allowing people to access the park from Northeast Glisan Street. The access was vital if the park were to serve the low-income, ethnically diverse Wilkes East and Rockwood neighborhoods.

Before that, the 10 acres were covered with Douglas firs with the only amenity being a quarter-mile loop.

Partners include the Columbia Slough Watershed Council, Audubon Society of Portland, Wilkes East Neighborhood Association, Rockwood Neighborhood Association, city of Gresham, East Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District, St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church, Verde, H.B. Lee Community School, SnowCap Community Charities, Police Activities League, Pacific Gardens Alzheimer’s Special Care Center, Metropolitan Family Services, Human Solutions, Grow Portland, El Programa Hispano, Eastrose Fellowship and Coalition for a Livable Future.