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- New Visual Identity
- Community Choice Grants: Project Design Phase Underway
- Industry Higher Education Workforce Development Initiatives in the Sunrise Corridor
- Community Tree Planting – Saturday, Feb. 7
- Oregon 2026 Lunar New Year Gala at Keller Auditorium
- Your Sunrise Story
New Visual Identity
We are excited to share the Sunrise Community Coalition’s brand-new logo! After reviewing several design options, our Leadership Group selected a look that best represents who we are today. You will start seeing the new logo in places where the coalition shows up in the community, as well as on limited quantities of sweatshirts, beanies, tablecloths, and printed materials at community events. It carries forward many of the familiar aesthetics from the visioning project, while offering a refreshed style that better reflects the coalition's work and direction.
Community Choice Grants: Project Design Phase Underway
Metro’s Parks and Nature Community Choice Grants program is entering its next phase, with selected project ideas advancing to community-led design. Community Choice Grants are a voter-approved program that puts community members in the lead to imagine, design, and help choose local parks and nature projects.
Out of more than 170 ideas submitted across each of the six Oregon Metro districts, 50 projects are moving forward to be further developed at a series of Community Design workshops this February. These workshops bring together local park providers, advisory boards, planners, and community partners to collaboratively shape conceptual designs and preliminary budgets.
Upcoming Workshop:
Adaptive Access to Riverside Park Community Design Workshops will be held:
- Gladstone Parks and Recreation Board: Feb. 9, 2026, 5:30 – 7:30 pm.
Future Community Choice Community Design Workshops:
- Milwaukie Parks & Recreation Board: Feb. 18, 2026, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
- Oregon City Joint Natural Resources Board and Parks & Recreation Board: Feb. 26, 2026, 6 – 8 p.m.
- NCPRD District Advisory Committee: Feb. 11, 2026, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
In the spring, community members will have the opportunity to review the completed workshop designs and vote to recommend which projects for funding. Final funding decisions will be made by the Metro Council in summer 2026.
Learn more about the Community Choice Grants program
Industry Higher Education Workforce Development Initiatives in the Sunrise Corridor
The Sunrise Community Coalition is not only about roads and infrastructure; it also focuses on strengthening the local workforce and economy by connecting educational organizations with quality job opportunities. In partnership with the Clackamas County Office of Economic Development, the Coalition is co-creating industry-higher education workforce development projects that can meaningfully impact Sunrise Corridor over the next year, in collaboration with higher education institutions, community-based organizations, and businesses within the Sunrise Corridor’s geographic boundary.
These efforts will prioritize short-term, ready-to-implement projects that build on the existing work of regional and community partners, with the goal of supporting educational pathways into real-world job opportunities.
The desired outcomes of these initiatives are to expand access to industry-relevant training, strengthen work-based learning opportunities, support youth and early-career pathways, and address practical barriers to participation. Additionally, these projects will primarily benefit Sunrise Corridor residents, students, or employers and are expected to be completed by fall 2026.
Community Tree Planting – Saturday, Feb. 7
Friends of Trees will host a community tree-planting event at three community planting sites in the Sunrise Corridor on Saturday, Feb. 7, and invites volunteers to participate.
In partnership with Clackamas County, Friends of Trees will plant 15–20 large stock trees in shared community spaces such as parks and green spaces. The planting will take place alongside an existing Friends of Trees volunteer event in the Windswept Waters neighborhood, as well as Veterans Village and Riverside Park, as part of a larger, community-focused day of planting.
This winter event supports the Sunrise Corridor Vision by building momentum for future neighborhood and residential tree plantings, particularly in areas most impacted by heat.
Find more information and to register as a volunteer.
Oregon 2026 Lunar New Year Gala at Keller Auditorium
The Sunrise Corridor Community Coalition is proud to be one of the sponsors of the Oregon 2026 Lunar New Year Gala, hosted by the Chinese Friendship Association of Portland (CFAP) at Keller Auditorium on Saturday, Jan. 31, from 5 - 9 p.m. CFAP is a strategic cultural and communication partner with the Sunrise Community Coalition, working in collaboration to advance the goals of the Sunrise Corridor Community Vision Plan. To celebrate the Lunar New Year with our community, the Sunrise Community Coalition will give away five tickets to this special event.
The gala will feature performances by local and international artists, celebrating the Lunar New Year through music, dance, and visual arts. CFAP is a longtime nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting cultural awareness, fostering understanding, and building stronger connections across communities. The Oregon Lunar New Year Gala annually draws thousands of attendees and artists and has a strong tradition of accessibility and community giving.
We’re honored to support this celebration of culture, creativity, and community, and we encourage everyone to learn more about CFAP and its important work throughout the region.
Your Sunrise Story
Name: Marchelle Paholsky
Role in the Sunrise Community Coalition project: Leadership Cohort Member
1. What is your connection to the Sunrise Corridor community (Example: resident, business owner, community organization, etc.)?
I am a resident of Happy Valley and a community leader. I serve as the Chair of the Happy Valley Planning Commission and as a board member of the Happy Valley Parks and Recreation Foundation. I was also a candidate for Happy Valley City Council in 2024.
2. Why did you decide to volunteer for the Sunrise Corridor Visioning process?
I moved to Happy Valley five years ago after being a long-time Portland resident, where I was deeply involved in my community. After relocating, I was eager to find a meaningful way to connect locally and contribute to a project that aligned with my skills and interests. I wanted to be involved in something that would make a tangible difference for both residents and businesses. The Sunrise Corridor Visioning process checked every box—it offered the opportunity to engage with my community, apply my experience, and help shape a project with lasting impact.
3. Which of the Vision Plan’s priorities (transportation; jobs and economy; neighborhood and places; and open space, public health, and environment) are you most excited about, and why?
Honestly, what gets me most excited is how transportation and neighborhoods connect, especially when you add open spaces and the environment. As someone who’s been a Planning Commissioner and run for City Council, I hear all the time from people about how growth is changing their day—to—day—things like traffic, safety for walkers and bikers, and making sure we keep our parks and green spaces. That’s why a lot of folks moved to Happy Valley in the first place! These aren’t just big ideas; they really affect how we live, get to work, and spend time with our families. I’d love to see smart transportation planning go hand in hand with great neighborhood design, so we can reduce traffic, make streets safer, and build a healthier, more connected community.
4. What do you hope this project will bring to your community in the future?
Jobs and access to our city. Happy Valley has big plans for the future, and we will rely heavily on an upgraded transportation corridor to support our future development.
5. What’s something you’ve learned or enjoyed most while being part of this volunteer group?
I have been impressed by the strong commitment and engagement from all segments of our community, including our diverse immigrant population, dedicated elected officials, and local business owners. Each meeting and event has reinforced my enthusiasm for continued involvement, and our community members are deeply invested in this project.
Wildcard Question
If you could describe the Sunrise community in one word, what would it be?
Empowering - This whole project is really about people. Everyone involved in the visioning process and the leadership group has had a say in what’s happening, and you can tell their ideas are being listened to and reflected in the results. As someone from the community, you can feel the trust, the sense of belonging, and that everyone’s working together. Honestly, I’ve never felt this level of empowerment in any other community project I’ve been part of — it’s something special.
Anything else you’d like to share?
When I imagine the future, I see myself years from now, driving along the Sunrise Corridor with my grandchildren. I hope to be able to point out the vibrant neighborhoods, the thriving parks, and the bustling community spaces, and say with pride, “I helped make this possible.” To know that my efforts—alongside so many passionate neighbors—helped shape a place where families can connect, grow, and dream, would be an incredible legacy. That sense of belonging and contribution is something I want to carry with me.