In the City of Roses, “Keep Portland Weird” bumperstickers abound -- and so do private sponsorships of parks. Recently, Columbia Sportswear agreed to spend $1 million to maintain and improve Sellwood Park over 10 years. An April 10 Oregonian article, “Parks Bureau takes path of sponsorships,” notes Nike has given $2.2 million to resurface every outdoor basketball court in the city (with recycled shoes, naturally). In return for their support, Columbia received three memorial plaques at Sellwood, and the Swoosh appears on court surfaces.

Other companies have joined the bandwagon. For $375,000 truck manufacturer Freightliner got its name into the park’s summer concert series title.

The article reports, less than half the parks system’s current budget comes from the general fund -- read taxpayers. That’s a good thing. That means more individuals, more organizations are voluntarily giving their money to make the world a better place. Expect the idea to bloom and spread: Portland Parks director Zari Santner notes, “We want and need to increase our sponsorship opportunities.”

In his 1980 seminal book, Cutting Back City Hall, the first ever on privatization, the Reason Foundation’s Robert W. Poole highlighted many other ways for parks and recreation services to be paid for privately and voluntarily. Copies are available at Amazon.com. Buy one, bookmark Chapter 8, “Leisure and Recreational Services,” and pass it (and this blog) along to the public servants in your local parks department. Amazing things grow when you plant seeds -- and ideas.