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The Gov. Tom McCall Waterfront Park Bowl Project will launch a national design competition to create a vibrant, inclusive space for recreation, and culture along the Waterfront Park.
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Current Opportunities
None at this time.
Project Updates
January 2026
Project Advisory Committee Applications have closed. The project team will be reviewing applications and sharing updates within the coming weeks.
December 2025
The Project Advisory Committee Application open until January 26, 2026.
March 2025
The Metro Council awarded PP&R a $750,000 2040 Planning and Development Grant to support the Bowl Redevelopment Project at Gov. Tom McCall Waterfront Park and partnership development through an intergovernmental agreement (IGA).
Read the full press release here.
Community Engagement
Community input is central to shaping the future of the Waterfront Park Bowl. Engagement opportunities include advisory committees, public events, and recorded sessions available for ongoing review.
Project Advisory Committee
PP&R is seeking community members to support the Gov. Tom McCall Waterfront Park Bowl Project, which includes a national design competition, followed by design development for the Bowl area. PAC input is advisory and will help inform project decisions.
The Project Advisory Committee will receive project materials, reports, and progress updates and will provide perspectives and feedback to PP&R staff and the project team. Prior to the national design competition, the PAC will provide input on deliverables that inform the competition, including community priorities, design criteria, and the engagement approach. Following the design competition, the PAC will continue to work with PP&R staff and the selected finalist team to provide advisory input during design development for the Bowl area.
PAC members will:
- Elevate and confirm community priorities for the project site and designs
- Serve as a liaison between PP&R and broader Portland communities
- Provide input on the design competition process and community engagement approach
- Review and provide feedback on design criteria, site research, and programming
PAC members may bring a wide range of perspectives and experiences. This may include but is not limited to lived experience using the park and riverfront; connections to downtown Portland or cultural significance of waterways; cultural landscape practitioners, landscape architecture, parks and river recreation, urban design and planning, Traditional Ecological Knowledge, environmental or river ecology. construction, real estate development, arts and culture, or venue operations. Professional expertise is not required.
Applications due: 9:00am Monday, January 26, 2026
Community Listening Session- Recording and Materials
In October 2025, PP&R and BPS co-hosted a virtual community listening session. This session's goal was to share early Waterfront Park Bowl area project context and gather public input. Our partners at BPS presented information on the Central City Waterfront Urban Design Study.
Watch the session recording and read transcript here.
Past Engagement Activities
Virtual Community Listening Session | October 22, 2025
This session will feature two presentations: one on the Central City Waterfront Urban Design Study from BPS and one from the PP&R project team for the Tom McCall Waterfront Park Bowl Project. This session will include opportunities for Q&A with both teams This session will be recorded and posted online.
RSVP optional and encouraged for the Virtual session. It helps us prepare for the session, gives us a better sense of who plans to attend, and provides you an opportunity to share questions in advance for the project team to address.
In-Person Open House | October 14, 2025
JK Gill Building, 408 SW Fifth Ave.
Co-hosted with Bureau of Planning & Sustainability (BPS)
This in-person event will feature two sets of project boards: the Central City Waterfront Urban Design Study from BPS and Tom McCall Waterfront Park Bowl Project. This session will include opportunities for Q&A with both teams and time for community networking.
Sunday Parkways: Downtown Portland | September 14, 2025
Meet the project team and share your ideas for the Central City Waterfront! We’ll be joining our partners from the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability.
We will be at Booth #516 on the PSU Park Blocks by Smith Memorial Student Union (between SW Montgomery and SW Harrison Streets).
See the full route and learn more about Downtown Portland Sunday Parkways | Portland.gov
Project Overview
The Gov. Tom McCall Waterfront Park Bowl Project is a national design competition to reimagine the Bowl and create the foundation for future improvements to the entire park. This project, in combination with multi-bureau coordinated efforts, is one of the mayor's priorities for the Downtown Revitalization.
The process will invite national design teams to propose bold ideas that reflect Portland's values and priorities. Through community engagement, the project will identify a preferred design that leverages a high-visibility urban waterfront space; connects downtown Portland to the river; and supports community life, economic growth, housing, transportation, and tourism. The outcome of the project will be a vision for the Gov. Tom McCall Waterfront Park, and a more detailed development of the Bowl area including 30% design development, cost estimate, phasing and implementation strategies.
Key Features:
- Integration of nature and habitat: A restored river edge ecology: regraded banks, native riparian vegetation, shallow water zones for fish and wildlife, and improved upland zone biodiversity.
- Flexible, everyday Park use: A welcoming space that can function and flourish to meet the needs of residents, workers, and visitors, every day of the year.
- River access: Inclusive public space activities and programming for regional events, gatherings, recreation, and cultural arts.
- Willamette River Greenway Trail: An improved critical link along the Willamette River Greenway Trail, enhancing the experience for trail and park users.
- Defined outdoor performance areas and gathering spaces: A defined venue space that clarifies and supports design and infrastructure needs for a variety of performances, events, and activities.
When complete, the redeveloped Bowl will permanently enhance the Portland waterfront by strengthening connections between Downtown and the river, celebrating Indigenous and cultural heritage, and creating a unique Portland destination that supports community life, economic growth, housing, transportation, and tourism.
Project Schedule
The project will progress through several phases, with community engagement occurring throughout.
Summer 2025 Project Set-Up: Project team formation and early planning.
Fall 2025 to Spring 2027 Community Engagement: Ongoing opportunities for the public to provide feedback.
Winter 2025/26 Design Competition Manager contracted. Project Advisory Committee Recruitment.
Summer to Fall 2026 Design Competition Round 1: National design teams submit qualifications. Semi-finalists selected.
Winter 2026/27 to Spring 2027 Design Competition Round 2: Semifinalists refine design proposals for the Park. One finalist selected.
Spring 2027 to Winter 2027 Finalist contracted for Design Development focusing on the Bowl.
Winter 2027 Report to City Council
Project Background
Gov. Tom McCall Waterfront Park is one of Portland’s most iconic public spaces, stretching along the west bank of the Willamette River from the Steel Bridge to the Bowl. The Park is an essential public space and regional destination that draws locals and visitors to Downtown Portland; playing a key role in boosting the local economy and serving city and regional residents.
However, the park has not received significant investment in many years. Its amenities and infrastructure have deteriorated, limiting its appeal, accessibility, and ability to host the full range of activities Portlanders and regional residents expect. The Bowl area, located north of RiverPlace and the Marina and south of the Hawthorne Bridge, is especially underutilized.
In 2025, Portland Parks & Recreation received $750,000 from Metro’s 2040 Planning and Development Grant Program to address this need. This funding creates an opportunity to reimagine the future of the Bowl, and eventually the entire 30-acre Waterfront Park, through a national design competition that centers community values, cultural identity, and ecological sustainability.