Photo: Portland Parks & Recreation

Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) has launched the design competition for the future of Governor Tom McCall Waterfront Park, marking the next step in a community-driven effort to reimagine one of Portland's most recognizable public spaces.

For more than 50 years, Waterfront Park has served as Portland's front yard, hosting festivals, celebrations, protests, walks along the river, and everyday moments. The design competition invites multidisciplinary teams from around the world to develop ideas for how the park can better serve Portland for the next 50 years.

The competition builds on more than a year of community engagement, including surveys, stakeholder meetings, advisory committee discussions, and a public workshop held on June 30. Community members have shared ideas about improving access to the Willamette River, creating spaces that invite people to spend more time in the park, strengthening connections to downtown, supporting major events, and making the park more welcoming and accessible for everyone.

"Governor Tom McCall Waterfront Park has helped define Portland for more than 50 years," said Mayor Keith Wilson. "This competition asks what Portland's waterfront should look like for the next 50 years. Portlanders have shared their hopes for a waterfront that draws people to the river, strengthens Downtown, and serves the city every day. We are inviting design teams from around the world to build on those ideas and bring their own perspective to this challenge."

Community input helped shape the Search Statement that competing design teams will receive as part of the selection process. PP&R is continuing to collect feedback as the project moves forward.

Please take the survey. Available in English at surveymonkey.com/r/DGH5Q6M and in Spanish at surveymonkey.com/r/DPVDRC7 .

"The Portland Waterfront Park Design Competition will set the vision for this cherished park that releases its potential in a way that expresses Portland’s identity and gives Portlanders a reason to spend time there,” said Interim Director Art Pearce. “Renewing the Park is central to revitalizing Downtown as a neighborhood. We’re thrilled to issue this call to action to ambitious and talented teams to enact our City’s next great chapter.”

Design teams will submit qualifications through July 30. Three finalist teams will then develop design concepts for the park. Those concepts will be shared publicly in early 2027, giving Portlanders another opportunity to review the proposals and provide feedback before a winning team is selected.

More information about the project, previous community engagement, and opportunities to stay involved is available at portland.gov/parks/waterfront.

Full competition details, including the Search Statement and Request for Qualifications, are available at

competitions.malcolmreading.com/portlandwaterfront.

Full details of the competition jury – composed of subject matter experts and community and client representatives who will interview the teams and select a winner – will be announced early in Fall.

The competition’s second stage is anticipated to start in mid-September; the winner announcement is expected in spring of 2027.

Source: Portland Parks & Recreation

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