Most of us have fond memories of teachers who positively influenced our adult lives. The new maintenance supervisor for Portland Parks & Recreation’s northeast section of the city, including Wilshire Park, certainly does. Oregon native Violet Dillard grew up in a family of chefs — her mom still owns Portland’s Yoko’s Restaurant and Sushi Bar. Dillard attended Grant High School partly because of its Japanese immersion program. But it was her biology teacher, Mr. Holland, whom she credits for inspiring in her a love of nature, driving her to obtain a degree in environmental science and urban ecology at Portland State University.
Now, as Northeast Maintenance Supervisor, she oversees six park technicians and four horticulturists, whom she relies on to complete everyday operations. Together, along with the professional repair and maintenance services teams, they are responsible for the flora, infrastructure, equipment, graffiti removal, and general health and welfare of 30 parks in Northeast Portland, some more challenging than Wilshire to maintain.
Despite being in her new position just since September, Dillard is working on a couple of priorities for Wilshire Park, including the old cement wading pool. Possibilities include using the existing plumbing as the beginnings of a children’s splash pad or simple removal and replacement with plantings or more turf.
Other priorities for Dillard include encouraging use of the park for educational and other constructive student activities and moving maintenance away from using gas-powered equipment like leaf blowers and trimmers. The move will bring the department into compliance with Portland’s 2019 ordinance directing bureaus to convert to electrical maintenance equipment.
In college Peter Mogielnicki vacillated between careers in writing or medicine. He chose the safer route but since retirement has enjoyed writing short essays for his blog at Cereflections.com, reading, working on environmental and biodiversity issues, and birding and identifying insects (bugging??) with his grandchildren.