HAP – New Columbia – Parks and Greenspaces

Parks and Greenspaces at New Columbia

The spiral walkway at the
3.8-acre McCoy Park

The open space system and pathway networks under construction at New Columbia will blend with the existing public park system to make this neighborhood a more livable, beautiful and community-oriented place for its residents. These spaces were designed to be safe and secure parks that maximize visual supervision from homes and the community while providing appropriate separation and privacy between homes and the more active parks. The existing trees which have been an important part of the neighborhood for years were considered to be one of the most important factors in the open space plan and the parks were planned around them whenever possible.

One of the key elements that creates the 'heart' of New Columbia is the 3.8-acre McCoy Park. All east-west roads and pedestrian ways lead to the park to provide easy access for all residents. This park will be a place where residents from New Columbia and the surrounding communities can gather and participate in a variety of celebrations as well as other community events. McCoy Park will include a children's play area, basketball court, an event area and plaza, a community garden, open lawn areas and public art.

Design Features for Parks and Greenspaces
In order to create a more urban scale and encourage residents to enjoy the park, the units that front the park have higher density than the ones in the surrounding neighborhood. Adjacent homes have alley-loaded parking in order to minimize the disruptive influence of driveways and maintain a streetscape that creates a stronger edge around the park.

In addition to McCoy Park, four pocket parks are located in New Columbia ranging in size from .33 to .5 of an acre. They are evenly distributed throughout the community and provide areas where smaller children can play close to their homes. Homes front these parks for safety and are easily accessible to pedestrians. These parks will provide children's play areas and seating.

Common greens are also an important component of the open space network at New Columbia and are spread throughout the site. These spaces provide a green area where neighbors can gather together as well as a place for children to run, throw a ball and play in close proximity to their homes while parents keep a watchful eye. These areas will have homes fronting the greens and will provide access to porches and front doors.

How did McCoy Park get its name?
The name for New Columbia's 3.8-acre central park is a two-fer accolade to the late Sen. Bill McCoy and the late Multnomah County Commissioner Gladys McCoy. The McCoys lived in Columbia Villa in the 1950s, taking advantage of the subsidized housing while attending school and raising children. The family moved on from the Villa but always remembered its importance to them and the city. Later, as county commissioner, Gladys McCoy worked with Mayor Bud Clark to help the Villa triumph over the social problems and violence that marred its vibrancy in the 1980s.

"From today on, this park will be called McCoy Park," Zari Santer, Director, Portland Parks and Recreation, announced – to a burst of applause – at the May 18, 2004 wall raising ceremony at New Columbia. "I'm taking full advantage of the opportunity to honor these two individuals." Santer chose the name after weighing community input and reviewing the city's guidelines for naming parks, which provide for individuals who have significantly contributed to Portland. The other proposed names for the central park were Esperanza, Hope, Sycamore and Woolsey.

The 3.8 acre McCoy Park is Portland's 100th neighborhood park, says Mary Rose Navarro of the parks bureau.

Learn More
See drawings of McCoy Park and read more about its planning and construction at the Portland Parks and Recreation website: http://www.portlandparks.org/Planning/newcolumbia.asp

Just like art helps make a house feel like home, the public art slated for McCoy Park will make the park feel like home to the array of peoples in New Columbia. To learn more about the public art to be located at McCoy Park, click here.

Children stand in front of a poster depicting one of New Columbia's "pocket parks" at the wall raising ceremony held on May 18, 2004.

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