Pollinator Patch Project
Portland Parks and Recreation is performing a habitat restoration and enhancement project in the landscaping beds around the sports courts in collaboration with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School. Newly planted garden beds will increase biodiversity and attract beneficial pollinators like hummingbirds and butterflies!
Project Timeline
November 2025: Existing vegetation removal. The majority of plant installations will be removed to prepare the site for new, native, and pollinator-friendly shrubs, flowers, and other plants.
December 2025 - January 2026: Beds will rest throughout the winter months. Any needed soil amendments (improvements) will be added.
February 2026 - March 2026: Plant installation begins. This is weather-dependent, and the actual installation timeline may vary.
Do you have questions about this project? Email the East Developed Parks Coordinator, Kimberléa Ruffu (they/them), at kimberlea.ruffu@portlandoregon.gov.
Basketball Court Improvements
Portland Parks & Recreation, with support from Nike and the Portland Trail Blazers, has given the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. School Park basketball court a brand new look. This work was completed in July 2022. For complete details, visit our PP&R Basketball Court Revitalization Project page.
In 1968, Highland School’s name was changed to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. School, just weeks after Dr. King’s assassination. The effort was student-led and was formally recognized by a visit by Senator Edward Kennedy and dedication ceremony on May 9, 1968. When the adjacent park opened in 1979, it took on the name of King School Park. In 2022, the park name was formally corrected to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School Park to align the name of the park with the school and properly honor Dr. King by using his honorific.