Columbia Children's Arboretum ADA Improvement Project

Parks

Completed

Portland Parks & Recreation has completed an improvement project at the Columbia Children's Arboretum. The Columbia Children's Arboretum Management Plan outlines a long-term vision for the park: to protect the site's natural resources while providing needed recreational opportunities.

Completed June 2023

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Project Updates

June 2023

Thank you to all who joined us Sunday, June 11 for the Re-Opening Celebration!

Thank you to Commissioner Dan Ryan, Director Adena Long and District 44 State Representative Travis Nelson for championing this wonderful project!

May 2023

The Arboretum has been fully open since February 3rd. A few weather dependent items remain to be completed due to the cool and wet spring weather we have been experiencing.

A community celebration is being planned for June once the weather warms up.

February 2023

The east side of the park up to the central bridge opened on Friday, December 16, and the community gained access to the new section of concrete path, picnic area, benches, nature nodes, as well as the eastern and southern portion of the park untouched by the pathway project.

Work continued through December and January on the 6^th Ave street frontage improvements to close out the street permit with both PBOT and BES. There were a number of weather dependent items that had to align, as well as City inspections and acceptance. Fences at the west entry came down Friday, Feb 3, making the remainder of the park open and available for the community’s use.

There will remain a short list of weather-dependent items that will need to occur a little later in the spring, which will be localized work and require only limited duration protection of the immediate vicinity.

January 2023

The east side of the park up to the central bridge opened on Friday, December 16, and the community has access to the new section of concrete path, picnic area, benches, nature nodes, as well as the eastern and southern portion of the park untouched by the pathway project.

Work is continuing on the 6^th Ave street frontage improvements to close out the street permit with both PBOT and BES. There are a number of weather dependent items that need to align, as well as City inspections and acceptance. Once all the west side work is completed, we will be able to open that end for the community’s use.

There will remain a short list of weather-dependent items that will need to occur a little later in the spring, which will be localized work and require only limited duration protection of the immediate vicinity.

December 2022

The weather change in November slowed the contractor’s progress a bit on some of the final items, but they’ve continued working on what they can. Parks staff did a Substantial Completion walk through of the east side the last week of November, noting for the contractor items remaining to be finalized.

Work is continuing in the 6^th Ave right-of-way to close out the permit with PBOT. Staff will walk the west side later in December, and then determine when the work is complete enough that it is safe to open the park for the community’s use. The park is anticipated to be able to open in late December or early January.

There will be a short list of weather-dependent items that will need to occur in the spring, such as various painting work, concrete joint sealant, asphalt repair, reseeding, and installing irrigation valve boxes that won’t arrive until March due to supply chain issues. That will be localized work only requiring protection of the immediate vicinity.

October 2022

The NE 6^th Drive street frontage work is beginning. The stormwater planter areas, street sidewalk, and curb will be installed.

The west side progress has included additional concrete pours, infill soil along the shoulder areas, and installation of irrigation, benches, bollards, and nature-themed engraved boulders and other landscape boulders. oil for planting areas will begin being prepared soon.

The east side pathway and picnic pad concrete has all been poured, benches are installed, nature-themed engraved boulders are being placed, and the shoulders are being infilled with soil.

September 2022

Image removed.

The majority of the west side concrete driveway, pathways and parking lot have been poured. Work is underway to fill in the shoulder areas where excavation to prepare the site for the concrete occurred. The west side temporary irrigation system is beginning to be installed, which will help the new native plantings get established.

The east side pathway concrete work is progressing. The dedication plaque boulder will be reinstalled soon.

The boulders with nature inspired graphics meant to inspire discovery are being engraved off-site, and will begin being installed at various points of interest throughout the project in a few weeks.

August 2022

PLEASE NOTE: Beginning the week of August 1^st, the east side of the park from NE Meadow Lane will be closed to begin construction there, while work also continues on the west side. At that point, the entire park will be closed to the public until the project is completed this fall.

July 2022

The Contractor has continued building up and stabilizing the gravel sub-base layers under the new path, moving from the bridge toward NE 6^th Dr. Concrete forming and reinforcing work is underway. This week, concrete pouring began, starting from the central bridge, and they will work their way toward the west out to the parking lot and NE 6^th Dr.

June 2022

Work overall progressed slightly behind schedule due to the heavy May to early June rainy period. The bulk of the storm connection work in NE 6^th Drive was done early to mid-June. Repaving over the utility work should occur in early Aug. On the park site, work from mid-May to June involved excavating for the new path and bus turn around. They encountered certain ‘soft spot’ areas of poor soil composition, requiring over-excavation and filling with 12 to 18 inches of 3 to 4” diameter rock to stabilize those areas. The excess soil resulting from the over-excavation was hauled to another PP&R project that needs the fill soil.

May 2022

Construction is beginning and fencing will be installed the week of May 9^th. We’re happy to share that construction fencing will be isolated to the west side of the park (west of the bridge in the middle of the park) and the parking area on NE 6^th Drive will be closed. This will allow for the east side of the park, accessed only from Meadow Lane and Lija Loop, to remain open to visitors until approximately July or August at which point the east side of the park will also become closed for construction.

Work occurring through the month of May will include contractor mobilization onto the site, utility locates, tree protection fencing, tree pruning, erosion control, surveying, clearing and grubbing, earthwork and storm sewer work in NE 6^th Drive. Please note there will be a one lane closure on NE 6^th Drive for several weeks to complete this work.

April 2022

After an extensive community engagement process and years of planning, Portland Parks & Recreation is excited to share that construction at the Columbia Children’s Arboretum is projected to begin in early May 2022 and will continue through Fall 2022.

For the public’s safety, this park will be fully closed through the duration of construction.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work to make the following improvements:

ADA-accessible path through the park
Bus drop-off and turnaround
ADA parking
Portable ADA restrooms in enclosures
Picnic areas
Nature exploration spots
Drinking fountain
Benches
Trash receptacles
Native plantings

Columbia Children's Arboretum Improvement Project

Portland Parks & Recreation is conducting an improvement project at the Columbia Children's Arboretum. The Columbia Children's Arboretum Management Plan outlines a long-term vision for the park: to protect the site's natural resources while providing needed recreational opportunities.

Columbia Children's Arboretum Management Plan 1.76 MB

This improvement project will address the following elements identified in the 2004 Management Plan:

Access and circulation improvements including an accessible main trail through the park, bus drop-off and turnaround, and ADA parking.
Park signage at park entry points, along with bicycle and vehicle parking.
Invasive plant removal and replanting.

The project is also planning to provide:

ADA porta potties in enclosures
Nature interaction area
Upgraded picnic area
Seating
Drinking fountain
Irrigation and plantings

During this improvement project, PP&R will work with the community and design consultants to:

Identify a detailed scope of project elements within the project budget
Develop a design that fits the landscape character of the Children’s Arboretum
Develop construction drawings and specifications
Take the project through Environmental Land Use Review and obtain Building Permits
Go through a bidding process to identify a construction contractor
Build the designed improvements

Project Schedule

Community outreach and input	Conducted throughout the entire project
Project start-up	Fall 2017
Site assessments	Winter 2018
Listening sessions	Spring 2018
Design alternatives	Summer 2018
Final concept design	Fall 2018
Construction documents and Land Use Review	Winter 2019 – Winter 2021
Permitting	Winter 2021 - Spring 2021
Bidding and Contracting	Summer 2021 - Winter 2022
Construction	May 2022 - Fall 2022
Anticipated Completion	Fall 2022

Community Engagement Process
Our community engagement process included a Public Advisory Committee offering guidance to the design team throughout the design process, stakeholder listening sessions, 2 community gatherings where we reviewed design alternatives and the final design.

Technical Advisory Committee (TAC)
A team of PP&R and City staff is working throughout the design process to identify needs and issues from an operations perspective.

Design Consultant
NNA Landscape Architects has worked on a number of Portland Parks & Recreation Projects including the Powell Butte Nature Center.