I unexpectedly went to a grand luncheon conference on Wednesday. I had actually expected it to be a small brownbag event like the many others that I had attended. It was when I saw that most people in the Planning Department (and these are busy people; not "tourists" like me!), were making their way to the venue that I started to realise this was something more than ordinary. And then it was revealed to me, as we broke into a sprint to catch the light-rail that seems to always pull in a minute too early, that this was going to be a talk by Congressman Earl Blumenauer. Congressman Blumenauer is the big fish; he was one of the early advocates who helped Portland become an active transportation hub in the way that it is today.
I was already getting excited when the next surprise jolted me. This was not one of those auditorium events at the Portland Building or PSU; this was a grand event at The Governor's Hotel. I was unsure as I stepped into the hotel and kept glancing at my colleagues to be sure we were in the right place. As we made our way to the Grand Ballroom, getting lost amidst flights of stairs, the excitement kept building. I walked into the ballroom only to realise this was a formal affair that I was not prepared for. Oh well, I decided to enjoy it anyway.
After lunch (that I did not expect and was therefore carrying a muffin because I didn't want to starve), began a series of talks. It was fascinating, the way the programme was structured. It began with the amazing Emcee skills of Rex Burkholder, followed by a great talk by Trimet, then by Metro (Regional Transport Operations), and then by businesses who were doing impressive work to increase commuting options for their employees (such as the CEO biking to work daily to set an example). A great short film about biking was also screened.
The icing on the cake was of course listening to Congressman Blumenauer talk about how Portland was doing so great and could do much more with this new federal bill that he is proposing.All in all, it was a wonderfully educating experience and it was great to be in a room full of such passionate people, working towards the cause of sustainable transportation options. The afternoon was concluded with wonderful views of the hotel and I had a great time.
I was already getting excited when the next surprise jolted me. This was not one of those auditorium events at the Portland Building or PSU; this was a grand event at The Governor's Hotel. I was unsure as I stepped into the hotel and kept glancing at my colleagues to be sure we were in the right place. As we made our way to the Grand Ballroom, getting lost amidst flights of stairs, the excitement kept building. I walked into the ballroom only to realise this was a formal affair that I was not prepared for. Oh well, I decided to enjoy it anyway.
After lunch (that I did not expect and was therefore carrying a muffin because I didn't want to starve), began a series of talks. It was fascinating, the way the programme was structured. It began with the amazing Emcee skills of Rex Burkholder, followed by a great talk by Trimet, then by Metro (Regional Transport Operations), and then by businesses who were doing impressive work to increase commuting options for their employees (such as the CEO biking to work daily to set an example). A great short film about biking was also screened.
The icing on the cake was of course listening to Congressman Blumenauer talk about how Portland was doing so great and could do much more with this new federal bill that he is proposing.All in all, it was a wonderfully educating experience and it was great to be in a room full of such passionate people, working towards the cause of sustainable transportation options. The afternoon was concluded with wonderful views of the hotel and I had a great time.
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