Park History Bridge Street Forest Subdivision In late 1995, Winkler Development Corporation created the ten-acre, nine-lot Bridge Street Forest Subdivision. Over eight acres of the property including wetlands and mature stands of western red cedar and douglas fir were set aside as open space. Shortly after recording the Bridge Street Forest Subdivision, Winkler Development Corporation conveyed Lots 8 and 9, which now make up the entirety of the park, to the Housing Authority of Portland as a charitable gift.1 The gift was conditioned upon the land being used only as a public park, nature area, or a similar public use.
Housing Authority of Portland & Park Improvements Shortly after the Housing Authority of Portland acquired the property, it gave the three-acre Lot 8 to the City of Fairview.2 City records are incomplete regarding the City’s acquisition and plans for the property. It is known that then Reynolds High School students Joseph Chung and Jon Fritz volunteered for a summer building trails, boardwalks, a bird watching shelter, and interpretative markers. This work was done through the cooperation and collaboration of the Housing Authority of Portland, Reynolds School District, AmeriCorps, the U.S. Forest Service, and the City of Fairview. Based on accounts of park neighbors, the improvements were well done and the park was considered a “gem” for the neighborhood. After some time, the park improvements suffered from vandalism and disuse. Eventually, many of the trail markers were destroyed and the boardwalk and bird blind fell into disrepair and were not repaired or replaced. Undated parks records, believed to be from the late 1990s
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indentified problems with vandalism, illegal dumping, and invasive plants.
Housing Authority Donates Lot 9 In June 2008, the Housing Authority of Portland donated the five-acre, Bridge Street Forest Subdivision, lot 9 to the City of Fairview.3 With this donation, all lands within the park came into city ownership. Prior to accepting the property, a phase 1 environmental site assessment was conducted to identify possible environmental risks from prior occupation of the site. No hazards were identified.4 The park donation was accepted by the Fairview City Council in May 2008.5 The deed to the City includes the original condition that the property only be used as a public park or natural area.
Fairview Parks & Recreation: Open Space Master Plan, 2001 Prior parks plans contain little information about Fairview Woods Park. The 2001 Parks Master Plan identifies Fairview Woods Park as an “open space” park, with a citywide service area. According to the 2001 plan, the main purpose of an open space park is to provide habitat protection with minimal public access. The plan also identifies recreation opportunities in the park including nature viewing, open lawn, trails and playground. The 2001 Parks Master Plan identified citywide strategies to address crime, vandalism, natural resource protection, and park development. Records indicate that few, if any, formal actions were taken for preservation and improvement of Fairview Woods Park in the years following its initial improvement. Additionally, the 2001 plan did not allocate capital funds for future park improvements.
Multnomah County Deed 95-157239 With the condition that it could only be used for a public park or nature area. Multnomah County Deed 95-15830. City records regarding acceptance of the property have not been found. Lot 9, Bridge Street Forest Subdivision. Multnomah County Deed 2008-101155. See Phase I Environmental Site Assessment dated May 16, 2008, by GeoDesign, Inc. See Fairview City Council Resolution 13-2008.
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