Tigard's planned 2,400-foot greenway and wetland restoration north of Oregon 217 faces an uncertain future after the Metro Council awarded the city less than half of what it requested in parks bond funding.

The Metro Council voted July 21, to distribute more than $26 million across 51 parks and nature projects regionwide, the largest single round of grants ever awarded through the voter-approved bond program, according to Metro spokesperson Hannah Erickson.

But Tigard's greenway project came up short: the city asked for nearly $3.9 million and received $1.5 million.

"Unfortunately, that $1.5 million amount will leave a $2.3 million funding gap that's large enough to make the project unfeasible," Mayor Yi-Kang Hu told the Metro Council at its meeting in Milwaukie.

Metro staff had initially recommended full funding for the greenway. No public explanation for the reduction appeared in meeting coverage or Metro's published materials.

The stakes go beyond the dollar gap. Tigard city staff told Metro the project needs to begin soon so the city can secure land donations from two private property owners and align construction with a pipeline project already planned by Clean Water Services, the county's regional water utility.

Metro Councilor Gerritt Rosenthal attempted to redirect money to Tigard by pulling funds from Working Theory Farm in Hillsboro and the Bird Alliance of Oregon's east Portland nature park. The full council voted down Rosenthal's proposal.

The bigger picture

The $26 million came from a $475 million parks and nature bond that voters in Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington counties approved in November 2019 with 66.8% support.

The bond's Nature in Neighborhoods capital grants program holds $40 million total; the Large-scale Community Visions Program has up to $50 million.

Erickson said more than 250 project ideas were submitted across five grant categories. The largest single award went to Working Theory Farm, which received $3 million to buy farmland for a youth agriculture program.

Metro Council President Juan Carlos Gonzalez called the vote "a very successful day of supporting our regional partners in conservation and access to nature."

What's next for Tigard

The city has not announced how it will close the $2.3 million gap or when its council will next discuss the project. Residents can view the full list of funded projects at oregonmetro.gov/stories/26-million-grants.