Portland parks commission details annual capital improvement plan, lists funded projects

Alex (parks staff) told the Portland Parks Commission that the parks CIP process begins with an annual project request letter in May and that the commission and staff compile a rolling 10-year project list from friends groups, neighborhood organizations and internal inspections.

The memo Alex reviewed shows how staff score projects using criteria including legal obligation, park equity, ADA/compliance issues, public access impact and availability of matching funds. "This is the beginning. So this the parks commission is is where the the initial phase of that process begins," Alex said during the presentation.

Alex read a multi-year list of projects and dollar figures already submitted or approved. Examples cited from prior years and recent approvals included: Congress Square redesign (FY23) at $900,000; Dority Field expansion at $235,000; River-to-Trolley Park bicycle skills course and associated work (roughly $125,000 in LWCF funding plus additional phases); Longfellow Playground design at $50,000; Cobbs Trail reconstruction at $95,000; Preble Field fitness course at $30,000; a privately funded half-court at Great Diamond Island ($35,000 in private contributions); Clark/Tate playground replacement and Pregke design ($150,000); and Riverton tennis-to-pickleball conversion and paving work. Alex said the current-year CIP was recently approved and listed funded items for the parks department, including Doherty Field reconstruction (about $925,000), Deering Oaks improvements (about $1.64 million), Stroudwater Pedestrian Bridge design (about $160,000), Will's Playground design ($200,000) and Stone Street playground construction (about $450,000).

Staff emphasized that listed costs on the CIP are placeholders until a project is selected for implementation and a detailed cost estimate is completed. "Every number you see on here is really arbitrary," Alex said, explaining that detailed cost estimates and contingencies are developed later by project managers.

Alex and other staff outlined how projects can move up the priority list when matching funds, safety or equity issues, or federal/state grants become available. He said projects that come with private or grant matching funds are often moved forward to avoid losing external contributions: "Because we had that private funding, we typically move those projects up so that we don't lose that opportunity." The commission also discussed the role of the city manager and finance director in reviewing the parks department's CIP submissions and then forwarding requests to the finance committee and full council.

Portland Trails Executive Director John Cashmar addressed the commission about the Stroudwater Pedestrian Bridge as an example of leveraging partnerships to advance CIP projects. "We've really been able to leverage the bridge donation," John said, describing coordination among the city, developers, Portland Trails, private contributors and a land bank to move design and construction forward. John and Alex said additional grants (including a Recreate Trails program award and an outdoor-recreation design grant using EDA federal funds) and leveraged private contributions helped raise most of the funding needed to bring the project to bid.

Commissioners and staff urged friends groups and neighborhood organizations to submit project proposals through the annual form process (typically due in July) and to appear at the parks commission meetings in August to advocate for priorities. Alex said staff will resend the CIP memo to the commission and that the department will continue to refine project lists internally before forwarding recommended priorities to the city manager and finance director.

The presentation closed with staff asking commissioners to help publicize the May/June request-for-projects and the online CIP materials so community partners can contribute proposals and matching funds where appropriate.