PORTLAND, Ore. — A new place to swim and enjoy the Willamette River opens at Cathedral Park in Portland's St. Johns neighborhood.
The Human Access Project (HAP), a nonprofit dedicated restoring access to the Willamette River, spent around $900,000 to clean up the riverfront at Cathedral Park and install a new public swimming dock in hopes of turning the area into a "river recreation playground."
The work to restore Cathedral Park Beach started in 2021, and over the years, hundreds of HAP volunteers have removed more than 150 tons of concrete and rubble from the beach area. As a result, a new beach was created for people to hang out, walk their dogs and enjoy.
Still on the to-do list, HAP said, is to remove the derelict pilings from the beach, which they hope to do in late summer.
To celebrate, HAP is hosting a grand opening party on Saturday from 2-8 p.m. It's a free event that will include a free basic swim skills clinic for kids, free kayak rentals, a lifejacket giveaway and a swim performance by "mermaids" and a synchronized swim team. There will also be food from BBQ by JP.
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