Project Overview
In 2018, retired former Parks Commissioner Amanda Fritz appointed a Community Advisory Committee to update the 2005 Master Plan and set community-supported priorities for the construction of park improvements and public engagement. Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) contracted with Mayer|Reed to develop the new park design and a proposal for park programming.
During the bidding process, the Wenaha Group joined as the Construction Management/Owner's Representative for construction. Through a low bidding process, Paul Brothers Inc., was awarded the construction contract for this project.
Crews began work on the park in April 2022 and substantially completed the park in December 2023 with minor construction through Winter 2023-24
PP&R is coordinating with neighborhood street and storm water improvement projects led by the Portland Bureau of Transportation and the Bureau of Environmental Services to reduce impacts to the neighborhood.
Park Opening and Closures
A grand opening event for Errol Heights Park will be held Spring 2024.
February 2024
The lower trail starting at SE 45th Ave to the second access point on SE 52nd Ave. (due West) and basketball court are now open.
The upper plateau playground tower is now open.
January 2024
Closure at the trailhead of SE 45th and Umatilla. PBOT is pouring sidewalk and installing crosswalk. Access will open again once the concrete cures.
The lower trail starting at the bottom of the elevated walkway near SE 45th Ave to the access points on SE 52nd Ave. (due West) remains closed due to weather delays and continued construction. The basketball court and upper plateau playground tower remain closed.
December 2023
A soft opening event was held Saturday, December 23, 2023 that welcomed the opening of the park to a substantial number of features.
A grand opening event for Errol Heights Park will be held Spring 2024.
Construction Updates
January 2024
Continued work in the natural areas, soft surface trails, and basketball court. The playground tower in the upper plateau remains closed due to supply delays.
December 2023
The upper section of the park is open December 2023. Note that the Portland Loo and splash pad are turned off over winter.
The lower section of the park and the basketball court remains closed for construction. Projected completion is set for January 2024.
November 2023
The playground and splash pad are nearing completion. Final touches are being added to the large slide and nature play areas. Picnic benches are in the installation phase. Lookout points are receiving finishing touches. The art installation is being prepared for placement.
All areas of Errol Heights Park, except for the community garden, remain closed to the public due to safety hazards. This is an active construction site.
October 2023
The construction of the elevated walkway is nearing completion. It weighs in at over 35.5 tons (71,000 pounds) and spans a remarkable 337 feet to connect the lower and upper sections of the park to increase accessibility for all park uses.
The interactive play installations are complete, and the playgrounds and splash pad are getting final touches.
The basketball court and natural area overlooks will be completed in the near future. The sculpture installation is being completed off site, and the artists are awaiting pieces from the foundry. We are excited to install this very soon.
All areas of Errol Heights Park, except for the community garden, remain closed to the public due to safety hazards. This is an active construction site.
May 2023
The recent warm weather means the start of construction on the Basketball Court. This work will consist of concrete curbs and walk, fencing, paving and striping, irrigation, and landscaping. This part of the project is planned to be completed in early summer.
Another element that will be installed this month is the restroom facility that consists of a Portland Loo. The freestanding restroom is durable and designed to meld into its surrounding environment. The oldest Portland Loo in Portland is 10 years old, is still in use, and looks new. The proven success of The Portland Loo has earned the city its first patent, so Portland also gets a percent of the profit each time one is sold to another city or organization.
Public Art Project Update
The artist team of Terresa White and Mike Suri was selected to create a sculptural artwork that celebrates the unique landscape and ecology of Errol Heights Park. The artwork will be located in the park’s upper plateau to allow for easy enjoyment by neighbors, gardeners, walkers, birders, skateboarders, and all other visitors. The sculpture will include tall, slender steel forms with cup-like organic shapes that echo the park's trees, collecting and draining rainwater. The bronze elements of the sculpture will include three human faces as well as some of the plants and animals found in the park. It is expected to be installed in the fall of 2023.
January 2023
While winter months can bring challenges, we are still scheduled to complete the project on time with an opening anticipated in Fall 2023 (subject to change).
The construction team will primarily continue development in the north end of the park on the upper elevations away from the water.
Specifically, this work involves construction of the playground, splash pad mechanical systems, picnic areas, and recreation equipment. We have already completed the retaining walls and footings in place for the elevated walkways and bridge structures. Additionally, irrigation and tree planting will also continue through this winter.
July 2022
Last month's Meet & Greet was a great success! Thanks to everyone who made it out and provided feedback. More than 130 community members ventured out in the pouring rain to ask questions, learn more about what to expect during construction, and other City projects in the area.
Missed the event? Questions can still be sent to Portland Parks and Recreation Community Engagement Coordinator, Odalis Perez-Crouse at odalis.crouse@portlandoregon.gov
At the park, construction continues! Our teams are currently working on slope - this is out of public view but important work, and removing illegally dumped garbage and landfill materials. Dust control measures are in place given the dry and hot spell this July.
June 2022
A location has been set for the Meet & Greet planned for this June 11! Details below.
Errol Heights Park Meet & Greet
Saturday, June 11 from 10 a.m.–noon
Location: Paved lot next to old Franz Bakery
8330 SE 45th Ave., Portland, OR
Street parking is available on SE 45th Avenue
We look forward to talking with neighbors and gardeners about the park design, what to expect during construction, other activities occurring in the park and access to the community garden. We’ll have coffee and snacks – all are welcome!
May 2022
The project team is planning a "Meet & Greet" at the park on Saturday, June 11, from 10:00am - 12:00pm. This event was originally scheduled for May 21 and has been rescheduled to this date and time. Community members can drop by anytime during this period to learn about the project and construction, ask questions, and have free snacks. This will be held in the park, with more details about location coming soon.
April 2022
Construction is underway at Errol Heights Park. Crews began adding protective fencing, tree pruning, and coordinating with utilities. Placement of informational and safety signage will continue through May 2022.
What You Can Expect During Construction
What You Can Expect During Construction
Limited access. The park will close to the public during construction, but the community garden will remain open.
Tree removal. Our arborists will assess every tree in the park, and some trees will be removed that are invasive or need to be removed to complete park renovations. All tree removal will be intentional, with the goal of avoiding the disruption of wildlife habitat as much as possible.
Noise. Some noise is expected. You may see and hear trucks bringing material in and out of the park and motorized equipment during construction.
Trash removal. From old tires to entire cars, who knows what we may find! Check back for updates on unusual or exciting discoveries.
Garden Access. The Community Garden will remain open during construction. For more information about the gardens, please contact our Community Gardens team at pkcomgard@portlandoregon.gov.
Project Schedule
- Land Use Permitting: Complete
- Construction Drawings complete: Complete
- Building Permits: June 2021 - October 2021
- Advertise and Award Construction Contract: October 2021 - January 2022
- Park Construction: April 2022 - Fall 2023
Project Updates
September 2021
After delays due to COVID-19 restrictions and permitting, Portland Parks & Recreation and the design team are getting ready for construction. The newly reimagined 16-acre park includes restored natural areas, wildlife viewing spots, better ADA access on trails, and new play and picnic areas. Construction will kick off in Spring 2022.
February 2021
The building permit process is expected to be complete in the next month. Project Manager George Lozovoy will be meeting with Errol Heights Community Gardeners before construction gets underway (meeting date TBA). The Errol Heights Community Garden will remain open and available to gardeners during construction.
May 2020
You can expect to see crews in the park using motorized equipment to cut and remove invasive plants and brush from May 4 - May 26, 2020. This and other site restoration work will result in temporary trail closures (signs will be in place when trails are closed). Please use caution throughout the park as crews will be moving between multiple work areas.
February 2020
The project team has submitted the required land use application for Errol Heights Park. Bureau of Developmental Services Land Use has sent a notice to neighborhood associations and residents within 100’ of the park property.
May 2019
Expect to see motorized geotechnical boring and excavation equipment in the park on May 14, 15, 21, and 22. This work will result in a temporary trail closures (signs will be in place when trails are closed) and temporary disturbance of the ground. Please use caution throughout the park as equipment will be moving between several different designated work areas.
January 2019
At an exciting second open house for Errol Heights Park, the public was invited to learn about the project and share their input on the proposed final park design. The event featured refreshments, children's activities, and opportunities to chat with PP&R and design team staff. Click here to read a summary of December 2018 Open House and Online Survey.
November 2018
At the last Community Advisory Group Meeting on October 10, 2018, members reviewed two schematic design options and provided input on which ideas worked best for desired programming and habitat considerations. Now, the design team is refining the design based on their feedback and plans to present a final recommended schematic design to the CAC on November 14. Outcomes of that meeting will be presented to the public at the upcoming open house on Saturday, December 1, 2018, 10:00am to 1:00pm at Lane Middle School.
October 2018
The first community open house was a great success! Thanks to everyone who made it out and weighed in. We had over one hundred people attend the in-person event on September 8, at Errol Heights Park and over 350 people complete the online survey that was available throughout the month of September. Community members and neighbors weighed in on how they currently use the park and what they hope to do there in the future. A full summary of that outreach is available here.
Park Location
Errol Heights Park is located at SE 52nd Avenue and Tenino Street in the Brentwood-Darlington neighborhood. The park borders the Woodstock neighborhood along its SE 45th Avenue edge, and Ardenwald Johnson Creek neighborhood to the south. There are 1,477 households within a half-mile walking distance of the park.
Funding Sources
The $12 million for the new park come from System Development Charges for Parks, Trails, and Natural Areas. In early August 2018, Commissioner Fritz announced additional funding for Errol Heights Park, from $5.3 million to $12 million, to allow a full build out for the updated Master Plan for the natural and developed areas of the park rather than a phased-approach. The additional funding will also allow Portland Parks & Recreation to design a more inclusive play area.
Community Engagement Summary
In spring 2018, retired former Parks Commissioner Amanda Fritz appointed 13 neighborhood advisors to help shape the future of this community park and to ensure that it serves people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds. Committee members included park neighbors, parents, gardeners, teachers, natural area explorers and representatives from the Brentwood Darlington Neighborhood Association, Woodstock neighborhood, Johnson Creek Watershed Council, Friends of Errol Heights, and the Errol Heights Community Garden.
The Community Advisory Committee (CAC) reviewed and incorporated community input from two open houses and finalized the committee’s recommended design concept for Errol Heights Park. Once the CAC refined the design concept and park programming, the CAC recommended proposal was given to the director of Portland Parks & Recreation for consideration.
Meeting Summaries and Supporting Documents
- 2005 Errol Heights Park Master Plan
- Errol Heights Park Core Values and Guiding Principles
- Meeting 1: May 23, 2018
- Meeting 2: June 26, 2018
- Meeting 3: July 18, 2018
- Meeting 4: August, 29, 2018
- September 2018 Open House and Online Survey Results
- Meeting 5: October 10, 2018
- Meeting 6: November 14, 2018
- December 2018 Open House and Online Survey Results
- Meeting 7: January 9, 2018
Errol Heights Park Community Advisory Committee (May 2018)
- Brett Bolstad
- Paul Ciri
- Caryn Corwin
- Joshua Freeman
- Anne Hett
- Pamela Hodge
- Karl Lee
- Adrienne Moat
- Gillian Murr
- Erich J Pacheco
- Michael Riley
- Jennon Rugg
- Fon Zhan
Sign up for project updates
Send an email to Anna Brown, Community Engagement Coordinator, at anna.brown@portlandoregon.gov to request to be added to the Errol Heights Park Project email list.