In this Park Facility
Matt Dishman Community Center is a regional, full-service community center that includes a fitness center and an indoor swimming pool. We offer a variety of activities for people of all ages. Please call our front desk at 503-823-3673 if you have any questions.
When there is extreme weather, we will post schedule changes here, and you can find more up-to-date Inclement Weather Information and Closures.
Access Discount
If the price of activities is too high, Portland residents can register for an Access Discount to get reduced pricing. No proof of income is required. Learn more about the Access Discount Program, which is made possible thanks to the 2020 Parks Local Option Levy.
Choose a discount of 25%, 50%, 75%, or 90%. Each member in your family should register for an Active Discount. After you have signed up for a discount, the price of admission and classes will be automatically reduced for 12 months.
Sign up for an Access Discount
Activities
Use the Recreation Activity Guide to view PP&R activities and find links to register online.
Drop-in Activities
We offer a variety of drop-in activities that you do not need to sign up for ahead of time. Access is included with the price of daily admission.
Click on the links to view drop-in schedules:
- Group Fitness Classes
- Indoor Park - for ages 5 and younger
- Sports – basketball, ping pong, and more
- Swimming
- TeenForce
Registered Classes
We offer a variety of registered classes for people of all ages. These activities usually occur over a five or 10-week session. You must sign up before participating. If you have an Access Discount, the price of activities will be reduced for you.
Recreation activities are inclusive and open to people of all abilities. If you are registered for an activity and have a disability, you can request support from Inclusion Services.
Fall activities are in session. Registration for classes beginning November 3, and winter break camps, is currently available.
Winter Registration: Activities take place from January 5 through March 29. Registration begins at 9:30am.
Thursday, December 11, register for activities that begin January 5.
Thursday, January 15, register for activities that begin February 9 and spring break camps.
Register online, over the phone through the Customer Service Center (503-823-2525), or by calling or visiting a recreation or arts center. If cost is a barrier to participating, consider signing up for an Access Discount.
Daily Admission
Join in drop-in activities during their scheduled times. Amenities include a fitness center, group fitness classes, water fitness, whirlpool spa, play swims, and open gym times. Daily admission is good for an entire day. If you have an Access Discount, your admission price is reduced.
- Teens (age 10-20) are encouraged to sign up for a TeenForce pass, which provides access to free TeenForce activities.
- Children aged 2 and younger are free
- Ask your insurance provider if they offer any of the following programs, which cover the cost of a pass: Silver & Fit, Active & Fit, Silver Sneakers, One Pass, or Renew Active.
Drop-in Admission
| Age | Price |
|---|---|
Youth (ages 3–12) | $4 |
Teen (ages 13–17) | $5 |
Adult (ages 18–59) | $6 |
Senior (ages 60 and older) | $5 |
Multiple Visit Passes
PP&R offers multiple visit passes for people who plan to visit regularly. 20-visit, monthly, and household passes are available. Multiple-visit passes can be used at Charles Jordan, East Portland, Matt Dishman, Mt. Scott, and Southwest Community Center. Click the link to view prices and to purchase a pass online.
North Portland Pass
North Portland residents are eligible for a free North Portland Pass at Matt Dishman Community Center. This pass allows free access to the center's fitness room and drop-in pool activities.
To get your free North Portland Pass:
- Call the Customer Service Center line at 503-823-2525
- Call Matt Dishman Community Center at 503-823-3673
- Visit with the front desk staff at Matt Dishman Community Center.
* The North Portland Pass is available only to North Portland residents. Passes must be renewed annually at no cost. The registration period does not end. Residents must have a photo taken on their first visit to create a membership card.
**Residents who register for a North Portland Pass can also receive a free Tri-Met bus pass for access to Matt Dishman Community Center. Tri-Met passes are mailed weekly only to those who indicate needing such during registration.
TeenForce
PP&R's TeenForce program strives to provide safe spaces for youth, ages 10-20, to engage in pro-social activities surrounded by caring adults. TeenForce offers drop-in space and activities Monday through Friday. A TeenForce pass is required to participate in TeenForce activities.
Fitness
Matt Dishman Community Center’s fitness program is for people aged 14 and older. We offer a wide range of amenities and classes for all levels. Locker rooms and individual changing rooms are available for day use only. You must bring your own lock.
Fitness Center
- Open for drop-in during regular business hours. Access is included with daily admission.
- Teens aged 14-17 must have a signed Fitness Center Agreement and Liability Release Form on file.
Amenities
- Selectorized Strength Equipment
- Treadmills
- Stationary Bikes
- Elliptical Cross Trainers
- Free weight and stretching area
Group Fitness Classes
Improve your strength, mobility, and community through a variety of offerings. Classes are available for people of all fitness levels. Styles include strength and cardio, mind/body, and dance fitness. Access is included with daily admission.
Portland Parks Preschool
PP&R provides a play-based, child-centered, and inclusive educational preschool program for children aged 3–5 years old. Play is an important avenue for learning. Our goal is to honor each child’s personal development. Learn more about Portland Parks Preschool, which is a Preschool for All Provider. Lottery enrollment takes place in April and is managed through Multnomah County.
Rentals and Use of Space
We invite the community to reserve space at the community center. Use includes rentals and partnerships. Contact us to learn more!
Employment
Portland Parks & Recreation is looking for team-oriented, enthusiastic, and qualified staff. Join our team and work with us!
The center is located on the site of the former Eliot Grade School. After the school was relocated, PP&R took it over in 1950 and remodeled the building, naming it the Knott Street Community Center. In the late 1960s, the local community lobbied to name the center after Matt Dishman, the first African-American Multnomah County sheriff and police officer in the city of Portland. The pool was added in 1992. In 2009, the fitness center was completely renovated.
In 2016, Matt Dishman’s pool and spa were fully renovated with funding from the 2014 Parks Replacement Bond. Improvements included resurfacing the pool shell to address hollow locations behind the plaster and cracks in the sub-surface of the pool floor, replacement of the spa with a larger capacity spa (expansion funded by System Development Charges) and new major mechanical systems, and the replacement of three fiberglass sand filters for the pool with one high-efficiency filter. In addition to the pool and spa, Matt Dishman Community Center received electrical system upgrades and a new roof in 2019-2020 thanks to the 2014 Parks Replacement Bond.
Installed on the lawn in front of the center is a pavilion sculpted by Jon Gierlich in 1996, aptly titled Angle of Repose. The artist combined traditional porch designs based on the historic Victorian architecture in the area with an urban plaza where people are encouraged to meet and interact.