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Grant High School is the only 6A school in the state that doesn’t have an athletic field with lights. A hearing scheduled for Wednesday morning could change that, drawing to a close a yearslong saga to raise money for the lighting project and win approval for it.
That’s because a staff report by Portland Permitting & Development recommends that the land use hearings officer approve the installation of lights at Grant Bowl.
The lack of lights at the bowl has meant games must be played in daylight and Grant students have to commute long distances to practices during shorter winter months. For supporters of lights at Grant Bowl, the favorable staff recommendation ahead of the hearing brought widespread relief.
“[This] means students won’t have to choose between going to class and participating in the activities that keep them connected to school,” says Virginia La Forte, a co-founder of the Grant Bowl Community Coalition, which has been raising funds for the lights. (She’s also poised to secure a seat on the Portland Public Schools Board.)
The report, by city planner Andrew Gulizia, outlines some of the reservations of neighbors that have delayed the project’s progress. Neighbors have expressed concerns about increased traffic, noise, and safety hazards.
The report recommends approval of the project with conditions. These include limiting the use of loudspeakers after 7 pm and shutting off lights by 10 pm (9:30 pm for nonschool-related uses). Other conditions require janitorial staff to maintain the area’s cleanliness and ask Portland Public Schools to meet with the Grant Park Neighborhood Association “to discuss the safety of the transportation system in the area.”
“With the conditions of approval listed below, staff finds the proposed lights would support the intended use and character of [Grant Park] without imposing significant impacts on neighborhood livability,” the report reads. “The transportation system and other public services are found to be adequate to support the proposal.”
The report also recommends raising Grant Bowl’s light poles from a height of 50 feet to 80 feet, which city staff notes is not expected to have an impact on the aesthetics of the neighborhood.
La Forte is pleased. “Bringing permanent field lighting to the Grant Bowl has been a powerful way to build community,” she tells WW. “It’s not just about lights—it’s about giving students a place to thrive and creating opportunities for neighbors to connect in person.”