Sherwood, Oregon

6 7 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 3, ISSUE 9 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 3, ISSUE 9 The addition of necessary infrastructure within the TEA site is ongoing, and will continue to attract new industry and employment opportunities. “We talked about some of the businesses coming in at the Silicon Forest, the demand is there. So, we’re really working hard to open up lands and opportunities for that next phase and working with the development community who clearly wants this,” says Campbell. Broadband is another priority in the city of Sherwood, a project he admits is “important to the future of the community and a real asset going forward.” Recognizing the importance of workforce development, Sherwood works with agencies like Worksystems, the regional workforce agency covering Washington County and Multnomah County. They also partner with WorkSource, through the Oregon Department of Employment, connecting job seekers with opportunities. Working closely with the Sherwood School District on their Career Technical Education Program (CTE), the city meets with local industries like Lam to attract graduates into the trades. Although a continued promotion of manufacturing as a career choice is important for the future, Coleman notes, “We already have a strong workforce in this region. Through our regional marketing entity, Greater Portland Inc, we can provide companies with the number of employees and the number of skills that exist in terms of the labor force in this region. We can do that within a click of a button, and we do that on a pretty regular basis. There’s around 2.5 million people in Greater Portland, so there’s a large workforce within 30 to 60 minutes.” An influx of new job opportunities to the city of Sherwood means housing is also top of mind. With more than 300 multi-family and single- family units being developed within the city boundaries, there are many housing options being introduced in neighboring communities as well. Coleman reports, “There are about Bruce Coleman, Economic Development Manager Keith Campbell, City Manager Keith Mays, Mayor SHERWOOD , OREGON offer an ideal space to help support the many events that take place in Old Town, including the annual Robin Hood festival. The expectation is that his new plaza will be built in time for the first event of 2023, the Sherwood Chamber of Commerce Cruisin Car Show. Sherwood endeavors to protect the city’s tree canopy when planning for new development, protecting their status as a Tree City USA community. Continuous maintenance and development of trails is part of a commitment to sustainability, while also protecting Sherwood’s beautiful natural areas. “This is a very outdoor oriented place. Even in the rain, I don’t see many umbrellas here.” Coleman describes. “People are used to hiking all times of the year. That’s part of the culture of this region, and Sherwood is very much a part of that.” A pedestrian bridge over a 7-lane state highway will add to the walkability of the city, and is something Mays believes is important to connect the community. He acknowledges, 17,000 housing units coming in just north of Sherwood within a three-mile range. That is going to be a great, to put it frankly, reverse commute opportunity. So, there’s certainly a lot of housing coming, and then there’s going to be a tremendous amount of housing in the immediately adjacent cities to the north.” Revitalizing a part of the community known as “Old Town”, the original location of the railroad town more than 130 years ago, has been an ongoing investment for the city of Sherwood. Mayor Mays recounts, “As a city we have invested a lot to strengthen Old Town to make it a destination center for families and businesses. We’re really excited about that. In addition to the library, and City Hall, we have the Sherwood Center for the Arts, Veterans Memorial Park, and Canary Square Waterpark in Old Town.” With a variety of restaurants and shops drawing people to this historic area, the city continues to add value, with an upcoming project called Robin Hood Plaza, which Mays maintains will