A long-awaited Steel Bridge skatepark in Old Town is finally moving forward. Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) announced Wednesday that $15 million in system development charges, called SDCs, will be directed toward construction costs on the new park. Portland’s new skatepark will be near the Steel Bridge on the west side of the Willamette River. It was designed nearly two decades ago, and incorporated into the city’s Skatepark System Plan in 2008..
In honor of this year's international Go Skateboarding Day, some of Portland's most dedicated skating advocates took a message to City Council: It's time to build the Steel Bridge Skatepark. "Skateboarding is about taking risks and embracing the dance between pleasure and pain. And more than that, it's about community," Portland skate enthusiast Katherine Rose told Portland city commissioners on June 21. "[But] not every skatepark is inclusive or safe for everyone, and we want.
Staff photographer Jason E. Kaplan shares his favorite images from 2022 Before I start hitting the road to photograph Oregon in 2023, I wanted to take.
Home to the nationally-acclaimed Burnside Skatepark and pandemic-success Secret Roller Disco, Portland’s skateboarding and roller skating scene is vibrant and burgeoning—and local skaters have a plan they believe will make it even better. “As awesome as our skate scene is here in Portland, I think we’re missing out on something that could be a huge asset to the community as a whole: The Steel Bridge Skatepark,” said Janae Hagel, an organizer with skate group Community.