North Portland Parks Improvement Projects

Parks

In Planning

Commissioner Dan Ryan has directed Portland Parks & Recreation to make improvements to University Park, Columbia Park, and Columbia Park Annex. The improvements will cost $3.6 million, and will be paid for by system development charges.

Project completion is dependent upon the improvements selected

Project Overview

During his tenure as Park Commissioner under Portland's commission form of government, Councilor Dan Ryan directed Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) to make improvements to University Park, Columbia Park, and Columbia Park Annex. The improvements will cost $3.6 million, and will be paid for by Parks System Development Charges (SDCs).

Important Note: PP&R does not have funding to support every amenity option listed in the survey. Based on survey results, PP&R will prioritize community needs and balance new amenities with the available funding to best serve North Portlanders.

University Park

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University Park, which is just over 11 acres, is located on N. Alaska St and surrounds PP&R's Charles Jordan Community Center. The park's neighbors include Rosa Parks Elementary School and Regence Boys & Girls Club, which are both important partners serving the Portsmouth neighborhood. Serving as the primary field for the North Portland Little League Organization, University Park is home to PP&R's only baseball and softball field with lights (outside of the Delta Park Sports Complex). The park has mature trees, open lawn areas, a small playground, and a restroom building.

Columbia Park and Columbia Park Annex

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Columbia Park and Columbia Park Annex together cover more than 35 acres. Columbia Park has many mature trees, multiple sports fields, a playground, a splash pad, a nature patch, tennis courts, pickleball courts, group picnic areas, a handball court, lighted walking paths, drinking fountains, restrooms, and a historic cottage which serves as an important shared community space for North Portlanders. Columbia Park Annex is home to two popular ballfields, a soccer and football field, a restroom, a drinking fountain, horseshoe pits, and a playground. North Lombard Street separates Columbia Park and Columbia Park Annex.

Northgate Park Rugby Field Relocation

As PP&R prepares to build the North Portland Aquatic Center at Northgate Park (construction anticipated to begin in 2027), we will be relocating the Northgate Park Rugby Field, which is the only permanent rugby field in the PP&R system. PP&R staff looked at all possible North Portland locations for where to relocate the rugby field. After careful consideration, Columbia Park and Delta Park Field #9 were considered the two best options for relocation.

Community Engagement

Visual examples of several park improvements, including a new turf field, new playground amenities, skate dot, paved path, basketball court, and disc golf goals.

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In June and July 2024, PP&R conducted a digital survey to hear community priorities around the North Portland Parks Improvements and the Northgate Park Rugby Field relocation site. The following key themes, summary, and data are the results of that effort.

Our survey participants recognize there are many amenities that would help PP&R better serve North Portland communities. Based on significant community feedback from North Portlanders (from survey demographic information and survey collector link data), PP&R was urged to invest heavily in the diverse and densely populated University Park neighborhood. Amenities added at University Park would have a greater impact based on proximity to Rosa Parks (preschool to 5th grade) Elementary School, Rosemary Anderson High School, Regence Boys & Girls Club, and several hundred federally subsidized housing units within a half mile of University Park.

Artificial turf infield visuals courtesy of North Portland Little League's University Park Diamond Field Project

General Summary

Over 800 community members responded to our online survey. Respondents from both the University Park group and the Columbia Park and Columbia Park Annex group overwhelmingly chose the “Active Recreation” amenities category over “General Improvements” and “Passive Recreation.”

Rugby Field Relocation

Community members, as well as local Youth and Adult Rugby Leagues, convincingly selected Delta Park Field #9 as their preferred location for the rugby field relocation.

Survey Participation

Total participants: 845
- Unique Collector Link Totals:
  - North Portland Parks Stakeholders: 400 (primarily North Portlanders)
  - Social Media: 420 (primarily citywide)
  - In-person Engagement (at Cathedral Park Dock grand opening event on June 29, 2024): 25

Review the full summary and key themes.

Next Steps

The Community Engagement team will share this report and summary with the PP&R project manager, design team consultants, PP&R maintenance and facilities staff, PP&R director, and Vibrant Communities deputy city administrator.
Our design team consultants will draft a design scenario of the most popular new amenities at each site.