Reedville Creek Park

Reedville Creek Park is a municipal park in the Reedville neighborhood of Hillsboro, Oregon, United States. Opened in 2003, the 9.6-acre (39,000 m2) park is along Cornelius Pass Road at Francis Street in the southeast area of the city. The park includes basketball courts, children’s play equipment, a picnic shelter, tennis courts, and sports fields among other amenities. Reedville Creek was the first and is the only park in Hillsboro with a skatepark.

Reedville Creek Park
Plaza area of the park with playground equipment and picnic shelter
TypePublic, city
LocationHillsboro, Oregon
United States
Coordinates45°30′31″N 122°54′14″W[1]
Area9.6 acres (39,000 m2)
Created2003
Operated byHillsboro Parks & Recreation Department
Statusopen
Parking40 spaces
WebsiteReedville Creek Park

History

In 1999, Hillsboro bought a 9.6-acre (39,000 m2) parcel for park to be built at Cornelius Pass Road and Francis Street.[2] The land, which abuts Reedville Creek, was a filbert orchard when the city made the purchase.[3] That same year the city announced plans to build a city owned skatepark at a then undetermined location.[2] In 2001, the parks department finalized plans for the park, which included parking, basketball courts, sports fields, tennis courts, play equipment, and the skatepark.[3]

In March of the following year the city solicited input from residents on the design of what was then planned to be a 15,000-square-foot (1,400 m2) skatepark.[4] At that time the name of Reedville Creek Park had been adopted. Prior to committing to a skateboard facility, the city waited to build one to ensure skateboarding and inline skating were not merely fads.[5] Early plans estimated the cost of the structure to total approximately $100,000 for the outdoor skatepark that was to be designed to accommodate beginner and intermediate levels of ability.[5]

During the skatepark design process, the city received over 100 suggestions from residents, primarily from teenagers.[6] The process resulted in plans for a skatepark that featured primarily street elements such as steps and rails that skateboarders would normally find in urban settings.[6] Mike McIntyre and his SITE Design Group were hired by the city to design the skatepark, which had then grown to a 18,000-square-foot (1,700 m2) plan and a cost of $200,000 to $300,000.[6] The city put the construction out for bid on the entire park in May 2002, with estimates for the total cost of the park reaching as high as $1.5 million.[6][7]

Skatepark at the park

The city hired Corp Inc. for $1.54 million to build Reedville Creek Park in June 2002, with construction beginning that month.[7] Hillsboro estimated the park would be completed by the end of the year.[7] By mid-November the concrete ramps at the park had been installed.[8] In February 2003, the park and skatepark opened.[9] Funds to pay for the park were collected from the city’s development charges.[6]

The opening of the park attracted skateboarders from around the Portland metropolitan area.[10] The skatepark was the first one in a Hillsboro park.[6] That summer the city built a fence between the basketball courts and the skatepark.[10] Since opening the park has hosted events such as a safety fair in 2004,[11] annual skateboarding camps,[12][13] a tennis camp held by the National Junior Tennis League in 2007,[14] and a park clean-up event organized by SOLV that included removal of non-native species from Reedville Creek held in May 2008.[15]

When the skatepark at Reedville Creek opened, only skateboarders were allowed to use the skatepark.[16] In June 2010, the city started a 90-day trial period where people riding bicycles and scooters would be allowed to use the skatepark as well.[16] Hillsboro made the change permanent in October of that year.[17]

Amenities
Athletic fields and landscaping

Reedville Creek Park features areas for a variety of sports related activities as well as traditional park amenities. The park has two basketball courts, two tennis courts, a softball field, and a soccer field.[18] There is also a 19,000-square-foot (1,800 m2) skatepark along the eastern edge of the park built of concrete which is also lighted.[6][19] Other facilities include a picnic shelter, children’s playground equipment, paths, and public restrooms.[18] The park has a parking lot that can hold up to 40 cars.[7] There is also a memorial at the park to Paul Grillo who was killed by his brother while the two were in college at the University of Oregon.[20]

References
  1. "Reedville Creek Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. 2004-05-26. Retrieved 2010-03-22.
  2. Anderson, David R. “Hillsboro plans facilities to fill newly acquired park acreages”, The Oregonian, February 1, 2001, West Zoner, p. 13.
  3. “Community Snapshot: Hillsboro News”, The Oregonian, October 11, 2001, p. B2.
  4. “Community Snapshot: Hillsboro News”, The Oregonian, March 20, 2002, p. C2.
  5. Anderson, David R. “Sizing up skate park’s potential”, The Oregonian, March 21, 2002, p. B2.
  6. Anderson, David R. “Kids help design place to grind”, The Oregonian, May 9, 2002, West Zoner, p. 1.
  7. “Community Snapshot: Hillsboro News”, The Oregonian, June 6, 2002, p. C2.
  8. Olsen, Dana E. “Readying the ramps”, The Oregonian, November 14, 2002, p. B2.
  9. Olsen, Dana E. “Up, down, around”, The Oregonian, February 17, 2003, p. E2.
  10. Anderson, David R. “Entire skateboard park will be built in summer”, The Oregonian, June 12, 2003, West Zoner, p. 1.
  11. “Hillsboro skate park event will feature safety tips, music”, The Oregonian, August 24, 2004, B2.
  12. Edwards, Lisa. “Neighborhood Roundup: Grab your skateboard for skate park camps”, The Oregonian, July 3, 2008, p. R16.
  13. Edwards, Lisa. “Neighborhood Roundup: Reedville Creek Park center for skateboards”, The Oregonian, July 6, 2006, Metro West Neighbors, p. 9.
  14. Edwards, Lisa. Neighbor Roundup - Metro West Hillsboro: Off to camp for tennis, survival and pirate fun”, The Oregonian, August 9, 2007, Metro West Neighbors, p. 10.
  15. Edwards, Lisa. “Neighborhood Roundup – Metro West Hillsboro: Down by the Riverside at Reedville Creek Park”, The Oregonian, May 8, 2008, Metro West Neighbors, p. 16.
  16. Parks, Casey (June 26, 2010). "Hillsboro warily watches truce between skaters and BMXers at Reedville Creek Park". The Oregonian. Retrieved 27 June 2010.
  17. Parks, Casey (October 20, 2010). "BMX riders can continue riding in Hillsboro's Reedville Creek skateboard park, city says". The Oregonian. Retrieved 23 October 2010.
  18. Hillsboro Parks & Recreation: Reedville Creek Park. Archived 2008-10-19 at the Wayback Machine City of Hillsboro. Retrieved on February 19, 2009.
  19. Reedville Creek Skatepark. SITE Design Group. Retrieved on February 19, 2009.
  20. Davis, Trevor. “Former U. Oregon student Grillo gets 5 years probation for killing brother”, Oregon Daily Emerald, May 21, 2007.
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