With all the little neighborhoods clustered together in NE Portland, the task of sorting out one from the other can be a challenging one, and Beaumont-Wilshire is a prime example. So wouldn’t it be nice if visitors to and passersby through the B-W neighborhood actually knew where they were? The BWNA Board has felt that way for some time, but viable plans have proven illusive. First there was the suggestion of exploring the possibility of placing a large neighborhood welcoming sign in the vicinity of NE 42nd Avenue and Fremont Street—the hub of Beaumont Village—but the proposal fizzled for lack of specifics. More recently, Board member Dave Anderson led the effort to get Beaumont-Wilshire “sign caps” installed atop 20-25 street signs throughout the neighborhood—a project patterned after what already exists in the nearby neighborhoods of Roseway, Sullivan’s Gulch, and Dolph Park. Articles were published in this newsletter explaining and promoting the proposal—including renderings of two sign cap designs for residents to choose from. But the fundraising drive that would have been needed to cover the estimated $3000 price tag ended up garnering little support, thus forcing Dave and BWNA to throw in the towel on the project at October’s general meeting. Then, out of the blue, just a few days after the meeting, an unexpected windfall changed everything.
It was a classic “darkest before the dawn” scenario, triggered by a serendipitous phone call from Pizzicato President Tracy Frankel. Ms. Frankel posed a question: Would the neighborhood be supportive of having the 5-by-18-foot “Pizzicato” sign that currently sits above the Beaumont Plaza Pizzicato pizza parlor replaced with a “Welcome to Beaumont-Wilshire” sign—all expenses covered by Pizzicato? Shocked but elated, I responded: “Ah. . .of course, definitely!!” Ms. Frankel went on to explain that she had long considered the sign much too large for the size of the parlor and thus was very pleased to be able to make a “donation” for the benefit of the neighborhood. She then floated the idea of holding a neighborhood contest for the purpose of selecting a design, to which I immediately agreed.
Contest Rules
- The sign is to be designed for the purpose of welcoming the public to the Beaumont-Wilshire neighborhood. It may include a logo, the style of printing may vary. (Keep in mind that people will be viewing the sign from street level.)
- Entrants must reside within the Beaumont-Wilshire boundaries. (See Beaumont-Wilshire boundary map below.)
- Entries must be received no later than December 15, 2012—one entry per person.
- Pizzicato will choose the winning design and announce the winner on December 31, 2012. The prize for the winning entry will be a Pizzicato gift card.
Send your design via e-mail to Tracy Frankel at tracyf@pizzicatopizza.com (and “cc” to Al Ellis at president@bwna.us as well).
The neighborhood thanks Pizzicato for its generosity… and may the coolest design win!
Beaumont-Wilshire Neighborhood Association Boundaries
All residents, property owners, government agencies, business licensees, and non-profit organizations located within the boundaries of the Beaumont-Wilshire Neighborhood Association may consider themselves members of BWNA. Membership is free. Members are welcome to attend any BWNA business meeting.