Toddler Playground Repairs
The small toddler play structure will be replaced after being closed for use for several years due to safety concerns. The work will include installation of a new play structure, drainage repairs, installation of rubber tile safety surfacing, and ADA accessibility improvements. During construction, the entire play area in the southwest corner of the park will be closed. The larger play area in the east side will be open for play.
Work will start in November 2021 and be completed in winter 2021/22.
Skate Plaza Stats
18,000 sq ft of street skating with ledges, edges, stairs, rails, and banks. By using recycled and/or sustainable materials in its construction, and with its native landscaping and on-site stormwater treatment, this site is considered to be the first environmentally sensitive skate plaza ever constructed. Tread Lightly is a multifaceted art installation by Dan Garland, integrated into the skate plaza. It is meant to provoke thought regarding the intersection between natural and man-made environments, and points towards a search for balance and sustainability.
Accessibility Notes
Parking
- Street parking
- 2 designated parking spaces
- Paved pathway to play area
- 50 feet to play area
Play Area
- Engineered mulch surface
- Ramp into play area
Play Equipment
- Transfer station
- Sensory play elements
Other Amenities
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible picnic table
Size in acres
Year acquired
History
The park was named in commemoration of Ed Benedict, a statesman and community activist who was instrumental in getting the park built. In addition to his work as a nurseryman and landscape contractor, he served three terms in the Oregon Legislature, and was a member of many community organizations, including Urban League of Portland, NAACP, and the East County Coordinating Committee. When the proposed Mt. Hood freeway project fell through, Benedict worked hard to ensure that the land that had been purchased as an easement for the freeway be developed as a neighborhood park. In 1988 the parcel known as Mt Hood Park was deeded to the City of Portland for "eventual use as a recreational park." Benedict died that year and, in his will, left money to establish a trust fund to develop the park. Ed Benedict Community Park was officially named at a ceremony on July 29, 1991.
In 2009, the skate plaza was added to the park.
In 2018, Ed Benedict Park’s restrooms nearest the skate park were renovated with funding from the 2014 Parks Replacement Bond so that they can be open year-round. Improvements included new ADA-compliant pathways to the restrooms.