In 2004, the City of Portland purchased 4.7 acres of property on the site of the Washington Monroe High School for the future development of a community center in response to the public's need for additional recreational facilities in the area.

In the next month, Portland Parks & Recreation will begin to assemble an advisory committee to oversee the design of this facility. Their job will be to answer key questions such as, “What are the community’s needs?”, “Who will be using the facility?”, “What are the activities and programs it needs to provide?”

If you are interested in participating on the advisory committee, please go to our website www.portlandparks.org and download an interest form. Deadline for submission is February 16th. If you do not have access to a computer, please contact Elizabeth Kennedy-Wong at 503 823-5113.

Milestones:
In 1991, the Buckman Neighborhood Plan identified the need for additional recreational facilities, including a full-service community center.

In 2001 the Parks 2020 Vision recommended the “development of a full-service community center with aquatic facilities to meet the needs of an increasingly dense urban environment.”

In 2004, the Buckman community demonstrated overwhelming public support and encouraged the City of Portland to purchase 4.7 acres of property on the site of the Washington Monroe High School for the future development of that community center.

In 2009, Portland Parks & Recreation has secured the initial funding to begin to develop the design that will become that community center.

It has been a long, slow process, but after tenacious work on the part of the community and the City of Portland, funding and opportunity are coming together.

While there currently isn’t funding to build the facility, PP&R anticipates the final price tag for this project to be tens of millions of dollars, they want to be ready.