Scandinavia: Vision of Portland’s future?
Portland ambassadors find transportation and sustainability inspiration while on a weeklong tour
The Portland Daily Journal of Commerce – July 1, 2008
A group of 40 Portland ambassadors has returned from its whirlwind, weeklong tour of Scandinavia, during which its members studied issues pertaining to transportation and sustainability.
The trip is expected to shade policy decisions at the state and local levels.
From June 14-21, the assortment of business leaders, politicians and urban and transportation planners traveled through the land of fjords, reindeer and windmills in search of knowledge and inspiration, said Anne Mangan, business development manager for the Portland Development Commission and an organizer of the trip.
The city’s in-the-works Economic Development Strategy, tied to the Portland Plan, will use ideas garnered from the trip. That strategy is expected to be completed within the next six to 12 months.
In addition, members of the Oregon Economic and Community Development office were among the group, and may use what they learned to continue building the state’s sustainable energy clusters.
“This whole trip was leaning more toward policy development than just meeting with businesses,” Mangan said, adding that Scandinavia can be viewed as a template for what the city aspires to be.
If Portland wants to look like Europe, then it’s well on its way. Copenhagen is among the world leaders in producing and exporting sustainable energy and, Mangan claims, Portland could conceivably claim that title for the United States.
The city is already checking off the boxes in an attempt to feel more Euro-influenced.
Zippy bicyclists maneuvering through traffic: Check.
Streetcars filled with commuters: Check.
Plans for district energy grids: Check.
A growing sustainable energy business cluster: Check.
Colin Sears, an economic development manager for the PDC and a trip attendee, was struck hardest by Scandinavia’s ability to foster solid public-private investments. He said this is more evident in Sweden than in Denmark, which relies heavily on incentive programs.
The incentive programs, which amount to large public subsidies, are less realistic for Portland, he said, because they’d be harder to support during cash-strapped times.
During their visit, the ambassadors met with various Scandinavian leaders, including the deputy mayor of Helsinki, Hannu Pentilla, and Kimmo Sinisalo, a public transportation expert.
Some of the ambassadors went through the original Nokia manufacturing plant, which since being decommissioned has become a home to art galleries, performance space and artist studios.
Other ambassadors toured the Helsinki Tram Museum, which features an overview and information about public transportation in Finland.
Ambassadors Sam Adams, his Chief of Staff Tom Miller and Metro Council President David Bragdon were given private tours of all of Helsinki’s streetcar lines as well.
Ambassadors Steven Poland, an architect with Ankrom Moisan Associated Architects, and developer John Carroll studied district heating grids – a way of supplying energy from waste heat generated by industries – and sustainable architecture practices.
Poland came away inspired and humbled.
“What they’re doing over there is light years ahead of what we’re doing,” Poland said.
Poland and Carroll hope their next project, the redevelopment of the 10th and Yamhill parking garage, will be a forward-thinking project that uses some of the techniques they saw on their trip.
Sears, the PDC economic development manager, thinks there’s a lot Portland can learn from the trip.
“These places have grounded their economies with green energy being the cornerstone,” Sears said. “That gives us a template for the future.”