Luuwit View Park
In a neighborhood of longstanding residences and new incoming ethnic groups, this 16-acre park opens onto gently sloping open fields. The program includes an interactive spray park, community amphitheater, picnic shelter and restroom, off-leash dog area, large community playground, and interactive water feature.
Portland’s parks, public spaces, and natural areas offer recreation and connect us to our city and ourselves. This is a fantastic article to read.
Park Design
Skylab Architecture and the landscape architects of 2.ink Studio worked closely with Portland Parks & Recreation to design this 16-acre hourglass-shaped park in northeast Portland. The new Luuwit View Park, named for the Native Cowlitz word for Mt. St. Helens, offers commanding views and a range of activities for an area that was historically deficient in recreational open space.
The heart of the park is a multipurpose structure constructed from a series of interconnected equilateral triangles fabricated and galvanized from perforated steel plates. The folded angular form takes inspiration from the triangulated peaks of the surrounding mountains, Native American plank houses, and river fishing platforms.
Located adjacent to Shaver Elementary School in the Argay neighborhood, the park features a community amphitheater, picnic shelter and restroom, a youth sports field, full-size basketball court, off leash dog area, parking, and walking paths with expansive views of Mt. St. Helens.
Sculpture
The sculpture by Mauricio Robalino was dedicated at Luuwit View Park, now open in the Argay Terrace neighborhood. The work is an abstract of the bird and reflects the local area’s birding heritage.
Portland Parks & Recreation Commissioner Amanda Fritz joined with the Argay Terrace Neighborhood Association and neighborhood volunteers to ensure that this 16-acre site —formerly known as Beech Park —was developed in a timely manner. The park includes soccer and basketball fields, community gardens, two shelters, a children’s play area with water features, a teen area, off-leash dog areas, and walking trails.
The hourglass-shaped park is a welcome addition to the neighborhood, which serves residents of both longtime and new families and cultures. The final design of the park differs little from the original plan that was developed through public meetings and a neighborhood advisory committee process. This unique place is a must-see!
Activity Areas
Despite the gloomy weather, the kids were having fun at this park. It was the opening day of Portland Parks and Recreation’s summer free-for-all program where children could get music lesson stations, activities, games, sports, free lunches, and other fun activities.
The park’s sprawling 16 acres, formerly known as Beech Park, includes passive native meadow areas that require little maintenance as well as active spaces for community gatherings and recreational programs. 2.ink Studio worked with Skylab Architecture to create the neighborhood park in Argay, a northeast Portland neighborhood with a mix of long-term residents and a new wave of young families.
Located next to Shaver Elementary School in the Argay neighborhood, Luuwit View Park features soccer fields and basketball courts, a community amphitheater, an off-leash dog area, a large community playground, an interactive water feature, picnic areas, and parking areas.
Parking
In northeast Portland’s Argay neighborhood, the mix of post-war ranch housing and newer apartment buildings and single-family homes provides an interesting backdrop for Luuwit View Park. The 16-acre hourglass-shaped park features accessible playgrounds, community gardens, walking trails, and a fenced off-leash dog area.
The park’s expansive views include a majestic vista of Luuwit, the Native (Upper Cowlitz) word for Mt. St. Helens, and are a nod to the history of the land. The park also includes a youth soccer field and basketball court, group seating, and parking.
Commissioner Fritz and PP&R Director Abbate thanked long lists of volunteers who served on the park naming committees, as well as the Argay Terrace Neighborhood Association, for their involvement in the design and development process. Hazardous waste removal contractor PMG spent two days in the park walking all areas to safely remove visible debris. The park is now reopening.
Accessibility
Located in the Argay Terrace neighborhood, this 16-acre park is the newest generation of Portland’s community parks. It sits in an area of NE Portland that has been historically underserved with recreation open space. The park’s design is inspired by mountain views and the site’s agricultural past.
With smart, synthetic surfacing and smooth paved paths throughout the playground, accessible merry-go-round and adaptive swings, sensory skill-building components, and ramp-accessible slides, this neighborhood park is the place to play for all ages and abilities.
PP&R solicited park names through public meetings, the PP&R website, and email outreach to neighbors. The winning name honors the mountain views and Native American culture that inspires this park’s design, namely Luuwit (the native Cowlitz word for Mt. St. Helens). Continue reading about Pier Park.
Driving directions from Allure Window Coverings to Luuwit View Park
Driving directions from Luuwit View Park to Pier Park
