After a successful opening venture, improving playing fields at Ed Benedict Park in SE Portland, Operation Pitch Invasion tackled its second project last Saturday. OPI teamed up with AC Portland, Depave and the107 Independent Supporters Trust to begin removing a 4,000 sq ft blacktop surface at James John Elementary School in North Portland. The ultimate goal is to install a mini soccer pitch, among new greenspace that will include trees and a grass berm-amphitheater.

Photo by Shawn Levy

About 60 volunteers from 107ist made it to St Johns on a sunny morning to join the fun; and by fun I mean swinging picks and sledgehammers, using prybars, and hauling chunks of asphalt away. These chunks have the charming euphemism "brownie", but I don't recommend trying to eat one (nor do I recommend dropping one on your finger, as I did roughly five minutes after starting work, thereby relegating me to clipboard duty for the rest of the day. Ow. So it goes.).

Photo by Shawn Levy

OPI wants to extend a huge thanks to all the volunteers who helped out, and to encourage everyone to sign up for next weekend, when we'll finish the job at James John.

Photo courtesy of Depave