May 31, 2011

We hope you've seen the June issue of Portland Monthly, which includes a lovely tribute to outgoing Parks Director Zari Santner from Editor in Chief Randy Gragg.

Under Santner's leadership, he writes, "Portland became one of the first major American cities to routinely integrate natural habitat" in its parks.

"And, true to her training at Harvard Graduate School of Design, Santner turned the city into a veritable theme park of contemporary landscape architecture by such major figures in the field as Peter Walker, Laurie Olin, Herbert Dreiseitl, Cheryl Barton, and George Hargreaves."

"Let's hope," he concludes, "the next parks director has as much vision, both near and far. 

The recruitment for our next Director is underway - visit pdxparks.org/director for more on the position, our ideal candidate profile, and how to apply.

Parks Near and Far

Photo: The Eastbank Esplenade, one of Zari's signature accomplishments