Pittman Addition HydroPark

You are invited to help build Overlook's newest neighborhood park! 

The Portland Water Bureau is currently working with community members in North Portland's Overlook neighborhood to transform a small vacant property near the Denver Tank into Pittman Addition HydroPark. The parks' design incorporates a lot of the community's creativity, and will feature locally made benches and tables, along with a community kiosk and archway. There are also long term plans to add rotating sculptures to the site, once the community has secured funding and developed a jury process.

Neighbors have been very engaged in the planning process since last October, and have recently volunteered at a clean-up and native planting events. There will also be a tree pruning and bench installation work parties coming up soon:

Sheet Mulching Work Party and Community Potluck

Friday, May 29^th

3 p.m. work begins 6 p.m. potluck begins

Join friends and neighbors of Pittman Addition HydroPark to help make it herbicide spray free!  We’ll use the simple and effective method of sheet mulching to tamp down weeds and show off the beautiful new native plants. This should be more fun than work; families are welcome to share some food when the work is done. Bring a dish and your work gloves, we’ll take care of the rest.

Tree Pruning Workshop at Pittman Addition HydroPark

Monday, June 8^th

7 to 8:30 pm

Meet your neighbors, have fun, learn tree pruning, and help prune the trees at Pittman Addition HydroPark at 4634 N Concord. Parks & Recreation and the Portland Water Bureau will offer a hands-on pruning workshop to prune young trees at this new HydroPark.

Community Bench Building

Saturday, June 13^th

9 am to mid-afternoon

Join community artist and fabricator, Matt Cartwright, in a bench-building workshop at Pittman Addition HydroPark. Matt has several installations around Portland, and will be showing Overlook neighbors how to install a “spool” bench.  Participate for all or part of the workshop. The bench building is somewhat weather dependant, so check the web site if it’s pouring.

Mark your calendar for calendar for the Opening Celebration on Saturday, September 26th from 5-7 p.m.  Contact Darcy if you’d like to help plan the event!

Background Information

Located just north of the sound wall along Going Street and east of pedestrian overpass, between Concord and Colonial on Going Court, lies a little known area of public property.  The site is known as "Pittman Addition" to nearby neighbors who have "adopted" the site, and have been working to create a community space.  Your neighbors already have outdoor sculptures donated, and dreams of reclaiming this site as an urban oasis.

You may be wondering, how does a site like this become a "HydroPark"?  Unknown to most neighbors, this site includes a large underground water vault that services Swan Island and the nearby Denver Tank.  With Commissioner Leonard's leadership, the Portland Water Bureau has taken on the exciting challenge of turning water infrastructure sites into public open spaces.  Since 2006, six new neighborhood parks have been opened around Portland. The Pittman Addition site will be the first HydroPark in North Portland.

For more information, contact Darcy Cronin at the Portland Water Bureau, 503 823-3520.