Portland Parks & Recreation News

[twofiftyfive]

^^^ Looks like a cricket oval.

--Signed: someone who has spent a lot of time looking at London on Google Earth.

[Derek]

A park is a park. It's a hell of a lot nicer than the North and South Park Blocks, and people use those pretty much year round. I don't think this will be a total failure.

[2oh1]

Originally Posted by Derek

A park is a park. It's a hell of a lot nicer than the North and South Park Blocks, and people use those pretty much year round. I don't think this will be a total failure.

Nicer than the tree lined South Park Blocks??!?!?!?!??
I think the South Park Blocks are a Portland treasure.

[Derek]

Yes, I walk through the park every single day. It could use some landscaping. The people that tend to hang out there don't help either. I would never let my child play in the playground that's there. I've seen needles, crack pipes, bloody rags, all kinds of nasty crap just laying around there. It sucks because I agree, it's an awesome area, it just needs a little something extra.


Edit: South Park Blocks, I was thinking of the North Park Blocks.




Yes. The South Park Blocks are nice.


I still think this park has a totally different use though. The South Park Blocks are a place to relax, catch some shade in the summer maybe, have farmer's markets. The Fields Park seems more like a park where you'd have more "active" activities. I don't know, Portland is a fairly "active" city in terms of physical activity. I guess time will tell how people will utilize this park.

[MarkDaMan]

^I'm pretty sure you have your North and South Park Blocks mixed up, or perhaps I'm reading the comment wrong. The South Park Blocks are located at PSU and down into the west end. The North Park Blocks are the sketchy (underutilized?) blocks between Old Town and the Pearl.

[Derek]

Originally Posted by MarkDaMan

^I'm pretty sure you have your north and south park blocks mixed up, or perhaps I'm reading the comments wrong. The south blocks are located at PSU and down into the west end. The north park blocks is the sketchy (underutilized?) area between Old Town and the Pearl.

Yes. This.


Thank you.



Fixed it!

[MarkDaMan]

^

I too think that this park will most likely be a hit. It's a place to toss a ball, layout on a blanket, perhaps even enjoy a summer concert series.

[pdxtraveler]

I also think more a hit than a miss. I love how they programed the three parks. Some were complaining that Tanner Springs was underutilized, but no, it is exactly what it is supposed to be, the relaxed calm park. I think this one will be very active, like Jamieson Square.

[tworivers]

I'm excited for this one. Within a few years I expect to see most of the blocks to the immediate west filled in, which is going to be amazing. I'm still hoping for something public-oriented to happen at the Mills, with a bridge over the tracks and Naito from the park. It should really be a dynamic area either way.

[philopdx]

Sorry in advance for the wide size, but the picture looked silly at 150 pixels tall.

[Derek]

Those ducks are trespassing.

[davehogan]

Originally Posted by Derek

Those ducks are trespassing.

They look like Canada Geese to me. Someone should call INS.

[philopdx]

Another one taken last week. They are continuing the boardwalk theme all the way through from Lovejoy.

[65MAX]

Yes, the Boardwalk is in the Pearl District plan. It connects Jamison Park to Tanner Springs to the Fields. It will also continue over Naito Parkway if they decide to build a bridge to the dormant Centennial Mills project.

And when the Post Office site is redeveloped, the North Park Blocks will continue to Lovejoy, and a similar connection will be made between the new Park Blocks and Jamison Park either via Johnson or Kearney.

[tworivers]

Got this from PP&R the other day:

Portland Parks & Recreation and the Portland Development Commission, along with our
valued community partners, invite you to join us on Friday, May 17, 2013 at 12pm for
the grand opening of The Fields Park.

The celebration will be highlighted by appearances by City and community leaders, a
musical performance and art exhibit by neighborhood schoolchildren, light
refreshments, and much more!

The Fields, the newest park in the Rose City, is scheduled to open to the public on
May 6.
It is located in northwest Portland on NW 10th Ave. and Overton.

[i2m]

I am glad the boardwalk lands in The Fields although it seems like a weak and token response. The boardwalk is a strong design feature in the North Pearl and was a centerpiece to Peter Walkers masterplan.

I wish the new park design actually embraced the boardwalk like Peter Walker's original plan did.

I don't think the boardwalk will ever go any farther north than it's currently does. IF there is ever a bridge over Naito, the Fields plan is for the path/bridge to follow the huge oval and spring over the railroad tracks at the northern end of the oval. I don't recall the Fields design bending and continuing the boardwalk around the oval path.

[65MAX]

No, the Boardwalk wouldn't follow the oval, it will run parallel to the curved facade of the Encore, and intersect the oval at a tangent where it comes closest to the Encore. And the plans I saw for Centennial Mills showed the Boardwalk continuing north over the tracks and Naito. Whether or not that bridge ever gets built is another story.

[pdxdave]

Really good turnout for the opening of the park today. I'll post more photos later.


IMG_8203 by laindiemusic, on Flickr

[pdxdave]

IMG_8239 by laindiemusic, on Flickr


IMG_8221 by laindiemusic, on Flickr


IMG_8190 by laindiemusic, on Flickr


IMG_8187 by laindiemusic, on Flickr


IMG_8162 by laindiemusic, on Flickr

[maccoinnich]

Went there to check it out after work yesterday. It was really busy: full of people playing frisbee and soccer, sunbathing, drinking beer, walking their dogs, playing with their kids, reading, and generally making the most of the great weather. I think it's going to be a really great asset for the Pearl.