The Finish Line: Help Us Build Three New Playgrounds!

In 2023, Portland Parks Foundation (PPF), The Rose City Park Playground Project, Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R), and community champions like you built an incredible new playground in Rose City Park. What was once a space with broken, outdated, and inaccessible equipment, has been transformed into a safe, welcoming space where more than 2,000 neighborhood children now have a fantastic place to learn, stay healthy, and connect.

Building on that momentum, PPF, in partnership with PP&R, launched the Everybody Plays Playground Campaign in 2024. Our goal is ambitious but vital: raise $660,000 to replace three failing and inaccessible playgrounds. These new, modern, and inclusive structures will be located in George Park (North Portland), Raymond Park (East Portland), and Portland’s Heights Park (Strohecker’s) in SW Portland.

Thanks to the incredible generosity of many donors, we've already raised over $400,000, hitting 61% of our target! We're so close to bringing safe, accessible play spaces to over 4,500 households across our city.

Like Rose City, this project is a collaborative community effort. We are pleased to share that Portland Parks & Recreation will match our campaign contributions 1:1 up to $600,000, amplifying the impact of your support.

Now, we need your help to cross the finish line. Every contribution gets us closer to giving thousands more kids the chance to play, grow, and thrive.

Will you help us complete this campaign and make these three new playgrounds a reality?

Everybody Plays Project Updates

Raymond Park - East Portland

Current Stage: Design complete! Construction starting Fall 2025
Ready to play: Fall 2025
Design firm: David Evans and Associates

Raymond Park, a 6.11-acre green space in East Portland's Powellhurst-Gilbert neighborhood, is set to receive a significant upgrade. Its existing playground, serving over 1,600 local households, is being replaced with a modern, inclusive, and accessible structure designed for children aged 2 to 12. This new play area will feature smooth rubber surfacing for enhanced accessibility, along with diverse elements like sensory stations, group rockers, and a communication board, all informed by extensive community feedback. While the park already boasts updated basketball courts and an accessible restroom, the new playground, with construction starting after August 26, 2025, and an anticipated opening in Fall 2025, promises to transform it into an even more vibrant and welcoming space for the community.

Learn more here.

George Park - North Portland

Current Stage: Community engagement/design development
Ready to play: Winter 2027
Design firm: Knot Studio

George Park, located at N. Burr Avenue and Fessenden Street in North Portland's St. Johns neighborhood is on the cusp of a significant transformation. For years, this 2-acre park has been described as "forgotten" by many in the community, with a playground in need of urgent replacement and overall infrastructure lacking. In addition to PPF’s commitment to raise private funds to replace the playground at George Park, a local advocacy group, The Kidz Outside, also secured additional City and State funding for a full park redesign. Community input is central to the redesign, which also aims to improve lighting, pathways, and overall accessibility, potentially adding features like a loop pathway and a basketball court. George Park is set to become a vibrant, welcoming, and inclusive hub for the nearly 3,000 households it serves, particularly the students from the four surrounding public schools.

Learn more here.

Portland Heights Park - Southwest Portland

Current Stage: Community Engagement complete, final design pending
Ready to play: Summer 2026
Design Firm: GreenWorks

Portland Heights Park, affectionately known to many as "Strohecker's" due to its proximity to the former market, is a significant part of the Southwest Hills neighborhood. Located at SW Patton Road and Old Orchard Road, this 2.87-acre park is a cherished community space, offering multiple ball fields and an accessible restroom. However, its current playground, serving over 500 households, has aged beyond its functional lifespan and lacks modern accessibility and inclusivity features. Through this campaign, Portland Heights Park is poised to receive a completely new, safer, and more engaging play area with rubber safety tiles and equipment designed for a wide range of users. Community input has been a vital part of the design process, with a Play Day event and online survey recently held to gather preferences. Construction for this eagerly awaited upgrade is slated for Summer 2026, promising a revitalized and truly inclusive space for children and families in Southwest Portland.

Learn more here.

Everyone deserves the opportunity to experience the power of play.

We are determined to ensure that these playgrounds are at the core of where community, health and outdoors meet: 

• supporting mental & physical health

• encouraging outdoor play & nature learning

• expanding creativity

• enhancing gross motor skills

• helping to develop social skills

• teaching kids about community / strengthen community 

• supplying endless joy and laughter

For questions contact Jessica Green, Executive Director of Portland Parks Foundation, at jgreen@portlandpf.org or 503.445.0994.