By Brian Hoop
A long planned formal entrance to Forest Park is now under construction just south of Linnton off St. Helens Rd./Hwy 30 on the old NW St. Helens Rd. The current project, expected to be completed in Spring 2022, is limited to improvements to the trailhead access, a parking lot for 30 cars, a bus drop off, and creation of a small wetland.
The project initially envisioned a Nature Center to showcase the park’s special character. Those plans will be implemented in future phases. The full budget is estimated at approximately $18 million, of which $4.8 million is currently allocated to fund the current improvements.
The trailhead improvements will provide pedestrian and bicycle access to Firelane 1 which connects to popular NW Leif Erickson Dr. and the Wildwood Trail.
The project was not without controversy early on as some Forest Park neighbors expressed opposition to encouraging more off-road bicycle access to the park trail system. Linnton neighbors seemed more open minded to that possibility when brought up at neighborhood meetings.
A future Nature Center will include educational exhibits, community gathering and learning spaces, classrooms, public restrooms, and office functions. An additional future phase will include more gradual ADA accessible trails partway into the park.
Funding for the project came from City Systems Development Charges and the State of Oregon. The timeline for implementation of future phases is TBD.
For more info: https://www.portland.gov/parks/construction/forest-park-entrance-and-nature-center
