Sub-Area: Central City/Northwest
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PARKS 2020 VISION ENTRAL CITY/NORTHWEST Distinctive Features I The Portland Tennis Center, with indoor and outdoor courts, is located in the Lloyd District. Description: The Central City/Northwest (CC/NW) I Pittock Mansion and Acres, which preserves a sub-area (see map at the end of this section) includes valuable piece of Portland’s past, is an important the downtown core and the Lloyd Center district, as tourist attraction in Portland. well as all of Northwest Portland. It is a diverse mix of I single-family residential areas, high-density residential The Children’s Museum recently relocated to zones, industrial districts, downtown commercial blocks, a larger facility in Washington Park near the and pockets of institutional uses, such as hospitals and Oregon Zoo. universities. Population - Current and Future: Central City/ Resources and Facilities: The CC/NW sub-area has the Northwest is the smallest of the six sub-areas in most park acreage (5,602 acres), ranking first in total population, with 47,900. It is predicted to grow to park acreage; however 90% of that acreage is in Forest 60,700 by 2020. This expected increase of 27% is Park. Without Forest Park, CC/NW would rank last with the largest percentage increase in the city. Northeast. This sub-area has the smallest amount of neighborhood and community park acreage, with just 47 acres to satisfy the active recreation needs of the entire sub-area. DISTRIBUTION OF SUBAREA ACRES BY PARK TYPE I CC/NW contains many of the city’s historic and popular public spaces, such as Pioneer Courthouse Square, the North and South Park Blocks, Pittock Mansion, Washington Park and Governor Tom McCall and South Waterfront Parks. I The 5,000-acre Forest Park is one of the best natural resource areas in the city, and the largest forested urban park in the country. It has 60 miles of trails including the Wildwood Trail. I There are two community garden sites with 64 plots. I The following botanical gardens, known locally and nationally, are located in CC/NW: • Hoyt Arboretum • The Japanese Garden • The International Rose Test Gardens • The Classical Chinese Garden 42 PORTLAND PARKS & RECREATION Central City/Northwest Issues and Needs About 75% of the Balch Creek watershed is in private ownership. PARK SHORTAGES I Many areas in Northwest are prone to landslides I The following sectors of the CC/NW sub-area are and loss of vegetation. park deficient – the River District, Forest Heights, Old Town/Chinatown, and the West End. In Forest RISKS TO URBAN FOREST Heights, a small amount of parkland adjacent to I the school has been acquired but more is needed. Canopy is lost when slides occur on unstable slopes. The Classical Chinese Garden, the only park located I Tree planting opportunities are scarce downtown in Old Town/Chinatown, is a wonderful asset but because of fully built properties and utility conflicts. one that charges admission. The development plan for the River District calls for new parks to be built FACILITY DEFICIENCIES with tax increment funding; Jamison Park is already under construction. Another urban square, I The only community center in the CC/NW area is a neighborhood park and a community park on the Hillside, a small center located in the Northwest river are planned as part of that development. hills. Center access and parking are difficult, I O’Bryant Square suffers from vandalism and dated and facilities are limited to a gym and a small design. The shelter/structure at Lovejoy Fountain classroom. Location and site conditions make needs to be renovated. Other CC/NW parks are expansion difficult. generally in good condition; most are fairly new I The 20’ x 60’ pool at the Metropolitan Learning or have been recently renovated. Center (MLC) is the only PP&R aquatics facility in I Work is underway to develop a master plan for the CC/NW sub-area. It is not ADA accessible and Waterfront Park to guide its use, maintenance, and does not meet current PP&R standards. development. Over the last decade, the number I The MLC offers limited recreational programs of festivals and events has grown, requests for non- through the Community School Program. park uses have increased, and park improvements Friendly House, a private non-profit, offers have been made incrementally. A unified plan is some recreational programming. needed. I There are fewer schools here and therefore fewer opportunities to use school grounds and facilities RISKS TO NATURAL RESOURCES to provide additional recreation and open space. I Impacts from fragmentation of habitat, urban PROBLEMS WITH ACCESS, TRAILS AND CONNECTIVITY stormwater, and invasive non-native plants are a problem in the NW Slope/ Forest Park area. Almost I Access to the Willamette River is difficult, despite no public acquisition has occurred and there is lim- its proximity to many residents. Highways and ited management of natural resources in this area. industrial areas separate neighborhoods from the I All of Forest Park’s numerous, small watersheds are river. With the exception of the downtown area, disconnected from the Willamette. Of these, the there is limited access to the river in the area Balch Creek watershed is the most significant. south of the Fremont Bridge. 43 PARKS 2020 VISION Central City/Northwest Recommendations I Redevelop riverbanks to improve habitat for salmonids and provide appropriate public access to the rivers. ACQUIRE LAND AND DEVELOP PARKS I Look for opportunities to acquire, develop and improve habitat as industrial sites change use, I Acquire land and develop new parks in park especially along the river. deficient areas, such as the River District, and the transitional industrial area near downtown. I Acquire a neighborhood park site in the Skyline PROTECT AND IMPROVE URBAN FOREST Boulevard Corridor to serve this rapidly growing I sector. Retain existing trees and vegetation on slide-prone slopes to help stabilize the slopes. I Consider park acquisition and development in I non-traditional areas such as marginal industrial Encourage tree plantings on private and public land, rooftops, land under freeways and as part properties, especially in the Central City. of the proposed I-5 Freeway capping project. I Develop pocket parks and urban plazas in new EXPAND AND DEVELOP RECREATION FACILITIES AND developments in Old Town/China Town, the PROGRAMS West End and the Lloyd District. Include park and I recreation facilities in areas of new development. Develop a full-service community center I with aquatic facilities to meet the needs of Renovate existing parks in the downtown area, an increasingly dense urban environment. particularly O’Bryant Square. Coordinate parks I planning projects with River Renaissance Enhance classroom and multi-purpose space planning efforts. at Hillside Community Center. I I Look at adjacent sub-areas to accommodate the Investigate the potential for partnerships with the demand for adequate sports fields since there are numerous institutions in the area (e.g., Portland few parcels of flat land in many parts of the sub-area. State University, Lincoln High School, Friendly I House and/or Good Samaritan Hospital) as a cost- Develop an imaginative vision and plan for effective way to take advantage of complementary Waterfront Park to preserve the value of one services and to expand recreation programs. of Portland’s most visible and important assets I and to create a vibrant urban waterfront park. Develop a ‘River Center’ near the Eastbank Esplanade for river recreation and education. I Develop new parks along the Willamette River that take advantage of that resource, especially in the area of the Waterfront Park in the River District, the Centennial Mill area and North Macadam. DEVELOP PARK ACCESS, TRAILS AND CONNECTIONS I Develop a master plan for Hoyt Arboretum that I Create a network of pedestrian corridors linking addresses management, capacity and facilities. Waterfront Park and the Park Blocks and other areas of the downtown core. PROTECT AND IMPROVE NATURAL RESOURCES I Enhance connections from the Eastbank Esplanade to the adjacent residential neighborhoods. I Continue to implement the recommendations of the I Expand recreation opportunities and connections Forest Park Natural Resource Management Plan. in the CC/NW area: I Develop additional access points into Forest Park to • Willamette River and adjacent neighborhoods – relieve pressure on existing entries located in resi- on both sides of the river dential areas. Develop a major entrance off of US 30. I • Forest Park and adjacent Northwest Slope Work with Metro to acquire additional resource neighborhoods lands in and around Forest Park to retain a strong, forested connection to rural forest lands. Protect • North Park Blocks and O’Bryant Square and restore natural areas on the Northwest Slope. • North Park Blocks to the River District Parks I Reestablish and strengthen the connections and the Waterfront. between Balch, Miller and other Forest Park creeks • Pacific Greenway and the Willamette River. Explore the feasibility of day-lighting the mouth of Balch Creek and discon- necting it from the sewer system. 44 PORTLAND PARKS & RECREATION 45 PARKS 2020 VISION CENTRAL CITY/NORTHWEST SUB-AREA – Park Sites to be Developed and Renovated Site Name Develop Redevelop Extensive Basic Repairs Notes New Park Exstg. Park Renovation Renovation Ankeny Plaza G Buckman Field G Chapman & Lownsdale Squares G Couch Park G Duniway Park G Forest Heights G Forest Park G a Gov. Tom McCall Waterfront Park G Hillside Park G Hoyt Arboretum G International Rose Test Garden G b Jamison Square G c Keller, Ira Fountain G Lair Hill Park G Lillis-Albina Park G Lovejoy Fountain Park G North Park Blocks G O'Bryant Square G Pittock Mansion and Acres G d South Park Blocks G Wallace Park G Washington Park G Develop New Park Unimproved sites to be developed as neighborhood, community or regional parks.