PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) has designated $15 million to fully fund a long-anticipated new skatepark near the Old Town neighborhood.
The park will be located near the Steel Bridge on the west side of the Willamette River. It will cover approximately 30,000 square feet and could accommodate 200-500 users at once, according to the PP&R skatepark plan.
“When we have more places to play, there is a better quality of life for our city,” said Commissioner Dan Ryan. “Transforming part of Old Town into a citywide recreation destination will be a tremendous asset for our businesses, neighbors, and visitors from all over.”
Proponents for the Steel Bridge skatepark have been waiting a long time for it to be developed. Its location among the 19 skateparks proposed in the 2008 Portland Parks Plan would make it the premier Portland skatepark because of its size and central location near Old Town — easily accessible via public transportation.
“In the past few years, this proposed skatepark project has gained more and more traction as an appealing way to enliven and improve this area of downtown,” said PP&R Director Adena Long. “I am impressed by the enthusiastic community support and look forward to realizing another important recreational opportunity for Portlanders.”
Currently, the site for the skatepark is a vacant lot between Northwest First Avenue and Naito Parkway, co-owned by Portland Bureau of Transportation and Oregon Department of Transportation. A fire broke out last year under the onramp to the eastbound entrance of the Steel Bridge, from a concealed homeless camp. Portland Fire and Rescue found areas that were dug out to create living spaces.
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Ryan Hashagen, director of the Steel Bridge Skatepark Coalition, said that the skate park will breathe “life and energy” into Portland’s Old Town.
Advocates for the skatepark, along with Hashagen, began pouring concrete on the site in June last year to get city officials’ attention. Hashagen told the Portland Mercury, “We’re gonna keep pouring concrete, two feet by two feet, until it’s done or until the city does it.”
The final $15 million in funding for the Steel Bridge skatepark comes from System Development Charges (SDCs), which are a one-time fee assessed on new development to expand the capacity of the parks and recreation system. Prosper Portland is also providing $250,000 to get the project through the development process.
