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LEE PERLMAN
THE MID-COUNTY MEMO
Landscape architect Carol Mayer Reed of Mayer/Reed unveiled a new design for a new park in Gateway last month. The plan was presented to the Gateway Urban Renewal Program Advisory Committee and to the public at an open house the following night.
The three-acre park, on land acquired in the last year by the Portland Development Commission at Northeast 104th Avenue and Halsey Street, would be adjacent to a one-acre mixed residential-retail development. Last summer PDC and Portland Parks & Recreation planners developed three discussion “concepts” for the new uses. Reed's design is based on the reaction these concepts produced at a public open house and on-line survey.
Interestingly, the most popular of the plans, Concept C, devoted the most amount of frontage along Halsey to park space, the least to the development. Reed's proposal came closer to the proportions of Concept A, which reversed these proportions. Reed said that in the on-line survey, A had been “a close second,” and she felt free to “take the best of both.”
Reed proposed that a restaurant be placed at the east end of the development, and adjacent to this a public plaza as part of the park. The plaza should be “not so big that people get lost there when there isn't an event going on, but not so small that it seems like just an extension of the restaurant.” The plaza will have a water feature, and facilities for public events. Reed said she was inspired by Vancouver's Esther Short Park.
In the center will be “flexible” open space suitable for a variety of uses. On the west end will be a children's “adventure park” that will have play facilities in a natural setting. It will contain a small skateboard “dot” and “snake run” geared to younger children. (PAC members expressed some concern that the play area be visible enough that it does not create a habitat for adult predators.)
PAC member Fred Sanchez said he was concerned that the park will exacerbate an already severe parking shortage afflicting nearby merchants on Halsey. Reed replied, “We'd never be able to provide enough on-site parking for a really large event.” She did note that Northeast 106th Avenue adjacent to the park would have curb parking on both sides of the street.
The Open House drew about 30 people. PDC Project Manager Justin Douglas later told the Memo, “The response was generally positive. No one said, 'This really has to go.' ” People were enthusiastic about the adventure park and skate dot, although several reiterated the concern that the area must be visible. Douglas said that PDC and Parks will soon develop a cost estimate for the park, and it be forwarded, along with the concept to City Council for adoption, probably early next year.
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| Draft Design for Gateway Redevelopment and Neighborhood Park Project . COURTESY MAYER/REED |
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