The currently developed 5-acre portion of Parklane Park includes an accessible play area, a basketball court, a Portland Loo, and a softball field.
Parklane Park Project
Thanks to funding from System Development Charges, Parklane Park will be expanded from 5 acres to 25 acres. The new funding will allow for ADA improvements to the entire park, plus park improvements for the site's undeveloped 20 acres on the northern side. Funding is sufficient for the completion of nearly all elements identified in the 2009 Master Plan (except for the aquatic center).
Parklane Park Loo Project
Thanks to funding from the Parks Replacement Bond and System Development Charges, a new Portland Loo was installed to replace the portable toilets in Parklane Park.
Project Timeline
- Fall 2015 - Winter 2015: Design, Public Involvement, and Permitting
- Spring 2016: Bidding
- October - December 2016: Construction
- Spring 2017: Loo open to the public
Accessibility Notes
Parking
- Street parking
- 1 designated parking space
- Paved pathway to play area
- 100 feet to play area
Play Area
- Engineered mulch surface
- Ramp into play area
Play Equipment
- Sensory play elements
- Ramp onto play structure
Other Amenities
- Accessible picnic table
- Accessible Portland Loo restroom
Size in acres
Year acquired
History
In 1873, Francis Elliott claimed 640 acres through the Donation Land Claim Act that included the land the park is built on. The area was comprised of small family farms and orchards. The park site itself was vacant pasture land with some Douglas fir stands. At that time the road to Sandy traversed the Elliott family's property. When they eventually platted their land, they were required to dedicate a right-of-way which passed through the site where the gravel path exists today.
In the 1940s, Henry Troh opened a small airport called Troh’s Skypark on the current-day park site. The airport closed in the 1950s and was replaced by a sand and gravel quarry owned by the Oregon Asphaltic Paving Company. Gravel from the site helped to build the surrounding neighborhood. By 1984 the excavation reached the water table, and groundwater filled the quarry. The quarry was filled in the 1990s, largely with material excavated in the surrounding neighborhoods.
When the surrounding subdivisions were built in the 1970s, the triangular parcel that is now Parklane Park, become a Multnomah County park. Local residents planted many of the trees, and installed red and white striped playground equipment, giving the park its nickname, Candy Cane Park. In 1993, the City of Portland acquired the park from Multnomah County. The 1996 Centennial Neighborhood Plan recommended acquisition of 20 acres to the north, the site of the former gravel quarry. In 2002, the City purchased the three additional parcels from the Oregon Asphaltic Paving Company.
In 2016, a Portland Loo was installed with funding from the 2014 Parks Replacement Bond.