POSTED JUNE 5, 2018 (UPDATED JUNE 15, 2018, WITH PROJECT FUNDING INFORMATION)
(Portland, OR) –
Grand opening celebration for Portland's newest park is free and open to all
Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) announces that work is nearing completion on the Rose City’s newest park, Spring Garden Park in southwest Portland.
All are welcome to join Portland Commissioner Amanda Fritz, Portland Parks & Recreation, and the Spring Garden Park community for the park’s grand opening celebration. The event is free and open to all, and includes food, games for all ages, face painting, and more.
WHAT: Spring Garden Park Grand Opening
WHEN: Saturday, June 16, 2018, from 11am-2pm
WHERE: Spring Garden Park, 3332 SW Spring Garden Street, Portland
“The work to create Spring Garden Park involved a lot of creative thinking and public input. The opening is exciting!” says Portland Commissioner Amanda Fritz. “Thanks to the dedicated neighbors, the park’s project advisory committee, and all PP&R staff and partners, an amazing gathering space for the community to connect with nature and others has been created. This park will surely be the site of many wonderful memories, for generations of Portlanders.”
Spring Garden Park was at first an undeveloped hillside covering 4.65 acres. But after extensive community input, planning, and work by PP&R staff and contractors, the park is now a gleaming, neighborhood destination which includes:
- A children’s playground with an interactive water feature, embankment slide, contemporary play structures, musical chimes, rock scramble, and tree logs and stumps for nature-based play. The playground meets all current ADA requirements
- The playground’s signature customized observation tower, with space to play and telescopes
- Accessible walking path connection between SW Dolph Court and Spring Garden Street
- Improved hillside storm drainage with native wildflowers and grasses.
- New sidewalks, street trees, storm water improvements and parallel parking along SW Dolph Court and Spring Garden Street
- A Portland Loo restroom facility along with bike racks, drinking fountain and trash receptacles
- Benches, a sitting area, picnic tables, and a picnic shelter
- Flower gardens
- A public art installation, “The Nest”, by Hannes Wingate
- A gathering area (suitable for events like Movies in the Park, part of Portland Parks & Recreation’s Summer Free For All), with a buffer zone between the park and adjacent neighbors
The Friends of Spring Garden Park had a key role in cultivating community support for the park, and enthusiastically engaged neighbors in the planning and design process.
“Portland Parks & Recreation planners worked hard to incorporate neighbors’ ideas to ensure that the new park is accessible and continues to support local activities, such as star-gazing on clear evenings, and sledding during snow,” says Lori Howell of Friends of Spring Garden Park. “We are thrilled for the grand opening to connect with neighbors and friends who have worked for years to make this day a reality.”
“The transformation of Spring Garden Park to a jewel of a neighborhood park from the empty hillside it was for so long is simply remarkable,” says Portland Parks & Recreation Interim Director Kia Selley. “The play area and other park features are so appealing and innovative. It is an impressive park, and the result of a true community effort in the site’s planning and design. We hope neighbors enjoy it immensely.”
The park will serve 1,359 nearby households. 128 of those households were not previously within half a mile of a park, which is Portland Parks & Recreation’s goal for service citywide. Spring Garden Park is located in a park-deficient area of southwest Portland. The Spring Garden Park project is funded by $3.85M of Parks System Development Charges (revenue from citywide construction development) which serve to increase needed infrastructure. SDCs are not General Fund tax dollars.
Portland Parks & Recreation would like to acknowledge the following important project partners and advocates:
- Friends of Spring Garden Park
- West Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District
- General Contractor: Paul Brothers Inc.
Design Team
- Travis Ruybal, RLA, Portland Parks & Recreation (Project Manager/Landscape Architect/Construction Manager)
- Civil and Structural Engineer – KPFF
- Planting Design – MZLA landscape architects.
Community Engagement Team
- Elizabeth Kennedy-Wong, Portland Parks & Recreation
- Hun Taing (now with Multnomah County)
- Stefanus Gunawan, City of Portland
Other Portland Parks & Recreation support staff
- Sara Mayhew-Jenkins
- Terri Davis
- Elise Scolnick