Since Portland International Raceway (PIR) emerged on the flooded grounds of Vanport 60 years ago, the track has elicited mixed emotions from Kenton neighbors. With a recent Willamette Week article (“For 60 Years, This Racetrack Has Been the Loudest Park in Portland”) sparking renewed discourse around the track, that continues to be true today.
Amongst neighbors, the debate around the track often becomes a zero-sum game with any complaint or concern about PIR’s operations being seen as a pretext for simply wanting to close the facility down. As a result, discussions around the track often pit neighbors against each other as either for or against, perpetuating battle lines that sweep away any opportunity for common ground, collaboration and progress toward an overall better city park in PIR.
The Kenton Neighborhood Association (KNA) wishes to change the nature of these discussions to seek meaningful pathways and change toward PIR being a park for all neighbors through action in the following areas:
- Equity and Inclusion – PIR is a gated facility that often requires admission for entry, presenting both physical and financial barriers to entry. As well, being a racetrack, the facility is mostly associated with motorsports and racing clubs that cater to particular demographics. Hence, PIR presents unique challenges ensuring that it’s an equitable and inclusive park woven into the fabric of North Portland. We would like to see Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) strengthen outreach and public engagement to develop strategies to make equity and inclusivity at the forefront of PIR’s operations.
- Use of Leaded Fuel – While lead has been historically common in racing fuels, the science on it is clear: No amount of lead is safe, and it is particularly dangerous for children; yet PP&R continues to allow the use of leaded fuel at PIR. Regardless that many petroleum-based events at PIR don’t use leaded fuel, there shouldn’t be any concern that visiting a city park might expose someone to lead. Even the racing community has recognized the dangers of lead. The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) banned leaded fuel 11 years ago after concerns about drivers having elevated levels of lead in their blood. The city of Portland should follow suit and work with the local racing community to end the use of leaded fuels at PIR.
- Evolution of Operations – From investments in electric racing to expanding the diversity of uses and users, a rethinking and reimagining of PIR’s traditional operational model to better align with broader community interests and expectations seems critical to the longevity and sustainability of PIR in a world facing a climate crisis. Does running the track as an enterprise service continue to make the most sense? How much reliance on petroleum-based racing should the facility have? Living in a progressive city, we would like to see the same approach applied to our raceway.
- Noise pollution – Being a raceway, PIR generates considerable noise, which affects the general livability in Kenton and surrounding neighborhoods, and operates at a higher noise limit than many other raceways, including city-owned Laguna Seca. Under the status quo, noise control at the track has largely been handled by PP&R through an ineffective self-policing model with the noise meters at the track and within the residential area of Kenton under PP&R’s control. Given this flawed system, there historically has been continual disagreement between neighbors and PP&R about noise measurements and levels coming from PIR. With proper analysis from the noise meter data, which includes dBA readings and sound recordings, there shouldn’t need to be debate over this. Besides continuing the work of the Noise Review Board’s PIR Subcommittee, we would like to see the city of Portland empower and fund the Office of Community & Civic Life’s Noise Program to determine if PIR is operating under established noise limits and review the current code to evaluate if changes are needed.
We believe the time for change is now. Operations at PIR can and should evolve in a way that can preserve elements of existing operations while better serving all neighbors and bringing this city park into a new era.