Ron and Dorothy Strasser
below is what i sent to the mayor and councilmen (why no women?). these are just some of reasons not to move it. i am sure you folks can think of others. i do believe that the access now available is the most important as gas prices will never be LOW again. this alone will impact the entire metro population. thanks for the heads up and contacts.
ron
I live in North Portland near UP. I also use the PIR area for mountain bike races in the summer/Cyclocross in the fall. I know my use is not a noise issue, but so many other users use the area that it serves the whole community at the expense of few. Living here in North Portland, I know well the sound involved when cars race out there. I also know that the sound will impact those closest the most, but most events take place out there during dry (spring, summer, fall) weather. During this time the wind direction is usually from the North, Northwest and or West. Moving the raceway to Rivergate will not remove the main problem of the noise traveling to neighborhoods because it will still travel with the wind. The main neighborhoods to see improvement would be Hayden Island ( I wonder what the average income is there?) and Kenton. We (University Park) get the noise when the wind is from the North in our neighborhood, but we can hear I-5 when the wind is from the East/Northeast. All neighborhoods have to deal with different infrastructure issues. My house shakes when trains move through the rail cut near Fred Meyer but I am not going to ask you to move the railroad tracks. A huge race complex that is used throughout the year for different events is part of that infrastructure. At the present location, PIR is in a perfect location with regard to the MAX line, the I-5 interchange and all the other parks/public access areas that now benefit from this transportation infrastructure. When change will bring big gains, it makes sense. Moving PIR does not make sense because it will be a negative impact of the transportation issues of the Pennisula as well as a general waste of money that could be better used on other more important Portland area needs. I can live with the noise of PIR as the wind blows. As far as all neighborhoods impacted by PIR, the Airport, Railroads, High Schools, Industry, Highways/Freeways, etc. I just have to say that folks living near this type of expensive, needed facilities have to ask themselves if they can live with that environment. I know some folks do not have the abililty to "move away" from the noise, but more and more our society seems to not want to do our individual part to help the general population. I used to work with a person living in the Beaverton area. He bought property near St. Helens and built a large new home. He then began complaining about the car race track located near by and pledged to get it shut down or moved. That has not happeded yet to the best of my knowledge. Nothing is perfect, but I have lived in NE and North since 1977. Airport, Freeway, Railroad and PIR are just part of the territory. I urge you to leave PIR as is. Or... on the lighter side... move it to the St Helens site!
Thanks for your time.
Ron Strasser
7125 N. Newell
Portland, Oregon 97203
503-285-6356
----- Original Message -----
From: Saul Lopez
To: obra@list.obra.org
Sent: Tuesday, April 25, 2006 3:30 PM
Subject: [OBRA Chat] ORPCA NOTICE - PIR Alert j
Got this from a friend at work who races (his car) at PIR. Not sure how many of you are aware of this or the accuracy of the info but passing along.
Thanks.
From: Harry Danberg [mailto:harry@danberg.com]
Sent: Monday, April 24, 2006 9:27 PM
To: Harry Danberg
Subject: ORPCA NOTICE - PIR Alert j
Fellow Oregon PCA Members:
John Draneas sent this to me and asked for me to forward it to the membership. I think this is a significant issue that we should make our voices heard.
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Harry,
The PIR politics have heated up again, and time is critical. Would you please forward this to everyone on our list?Thanks.
John
As you may have read in the Oregonian last week, the politics surrounding Portland International Raceway have heated up. The City Council is resisting the necessary noise variance for the Champ Car race, and has directed the Parks Dept. to move on the suggestion that PIR be moved from its current site. That is financially absurd, and the expectation is that the effort will change into a move to simply close PIR.
We all know how important the track is to our Club. Even if you don't use the track, you benefit because our track days and other track events generate a significant chunk of our annual revenue, which finances our other Club events.
Many of us recall clearly how we fought this battle several years ago, and succeeding in preventing the construction of the amphitheater that would have decimated the track. The project was proposed by Paul Allen, one of wealthiest men in the world, with the assistance of Neil Goldschmidt, and was supported by the then mayor. Many were surprised by the number of citizens who use or benefit from the track, and were willing to exercise their political muscle to protect it. Now it's time to do it again.
Please take a few moments to send an e mail or place a phone call to the members of the Portland City Council, and tell them how they are way wrong to be thinking about closing the track. Of course, the more personalized the message, the better. But, even if you don't have time to write much, just send a short note, even as short as "Keep PIR where it is." The fact is that sheer volume of comments makes a big point.
E Mail addresses for the Council are:
mayorpotter@ci.portland.or.us;commissionersam@ci.portland.or.us;commissionersam@ci.portland.or.us;
dsaltzman@ci.portland.or.us;erik@ci.portland.or.us
Phone numbers are:
Mayor Tom Potter 823-4120
Dan Saltzman 823-4151
Randy Leonard 823-4682
Erik Sten 823-3589
Sam Adams 823-3008
Feel free to write or say anything you wish. If you could use some help in composing a message, here are some key points that you can use as you wish:
*My fellow Club members and I represent a broad cross section of voters. PIR is very important to us. The PIR users are a huge group.
*PIR is the only facility available to us within reasonable distance.
*You may recall that we started night-time drag racing at PIR in response to teen-age street racing tragedies. Since then, we haven't had any more of these tragedies.
*Your denial of the noise variance will probably cost Portland future
Champ Car and other professional races.
*Champ Car, and before it CART, made us $8 million of which $4.5 million
was spent on PIR.
*PIR is the cities ONLY profitable facility and has NEVER cost the tax
payers a dime. It is also DEBT FREE!
*Why jeapordize the ONLY viable sports franchise we have?
*Just two years ago, we approved a master plan for PIR after 12 years
work and $1 million of our, the users, money was spent on studies.
*Moving PIR to Rivergate would rank right up there with the tram, Civic Stadium and the Rose Garden.
*Champ Car and the IRL are about to merge. as a result of 10 or so tracks
will be dropped. With this lack of support that will probably now include
PIR.
*There goes ABC live and the famous opening shot with Mt. Hood in the
distance. Do any of you even listen to POVA and the Business Alliance?!?
*PIR: 640 event days, no tax dollars. Countless users, a staff of just
six and lots of small businesses that depend on it.
*We've been good stewards of this unique facility and have consistently
monitored and tightened noise standards for decades.
*At peak attendance, pro racing drew 75,000 fans to PIR. These are our
friends and they vote!
Thanks for your willingness to help. Maybe one of these times we will win the last battle.
John Draneas
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