Milwaukie Bay Park Project

PROJECT UPDATE: The North Clackamas Parks and Recreation District (NCPRD) is putting the design and engineering phase of the Milwaukie Bay Park Project on hold for 90 days to provide time to further evaluate the best possible project options based on available funds.

Thank you to over 1,300 community members who have participated in the engagement process as we updated the plans for final improvements to Milwaukie Bay Park. We heard feedback on key elements, including a children’s play area, water feature, art and social gathering areas. Your preferences and feedback informed the creation of three alternative park designs — and then the final schematic design.

After more than two years of building support with partners, NCPRD and City of Milwaukie have further refined the schematic design. The “Design Development” set is now complete, and construction documents are 50% complete.  NCPRD is working closely with City of Milwaukie and other local, regional and state partners to fully fund and successfully complete this long-envisioned district-wide park.

See the updated Milwaukie Bay Park design.

See the landscape architect’s renderings (scroll through).

 

PROJECT STATUS

 

  • The Milwaukie Bay Park Project has been awarded two grants: $750,000 from the Local Government Grant Program through the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) and $1,046,935 from the Land and Water Conservation Fund through the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) and National Parks Service. The awarded funds will go toward supporting a nature play area, interactive water feature, extensive pathways, seating, entry plaza, picnic terrace, restrooms, amphitheater with stage, redwood tree preservation, landscaping, water supply, storm sewer, electrical, and lighting.
  • As of September 5, 2022, the project’s construction documents are 50% complete and a cost estimate for this design is being prepared. At this level the documents have even greater detail, whether it pertains to planting plans, lighting plans, finishes, engineering, or other details.
  • In June 2022, the “Design Development” set was complete with a finer level of detail. The updated cost estimate indicated that the project costs were getting close to the total funding plan target. This gave the team a guide for additional changes to bring the costs in line with the funding.
  • In March and April 2022, the “Design Development” set was 50% complete. The earlier schematic design was the launching point to develop a more detailed design, addressing feedback from earlier phases and working through complexities such as grading, stormwater management, best choices for materials & furnishings, more exact path alignments and much more. Project staff discussed the project with community members at a large workshop and at several smaller group meetings, both in English and Spanish (see engagement summary).
  • Staff presented the latest design, answered questions and heard feedback that could further shape design details.
  • In January 2022, NCPRD led the launch of the design, engineering and preconstruction phase in partnership with the City of Milwaukie, building on the schematic design from 2019 and much feedback gathered since. The landscape architect-led design team and a contractor team joined with NCPRD and the City to ensure that the project could incorporate contractor input early in the design and engineering process to best right-size the project with the planned funding.

 


ABOUT THE PROJECT

Milwaukie Bay Park is a scenic park property near downtown Milwaukie along the Willamette River. It is located just off McLoughlin Boulevard between Kellogg Creek to the south and Johnson Creek to the north. In addition to the river, the creeks, and a burgeoning downtown, there are several local parks and natural areas nearby and significant local and regional transportation connections such as the Trolley Trail, bike and pedestrian routes, MAX light rail, TriMet bus transit, and Oregon 99E.

Developing the design for the park site is a joint effort between the City of Milwaukie and the North Clackamas Parks and Recreation District. The final planned improvements, which will create new amenities and recreational opportunities, were revised and updated following a robust public engagement process — with anticipated construction in 2023.

While the full park property is over seven acres, the Milwaukie Bay Park design process focused specifically on the approximately 3.6-acre grassy area between McLoughlin/OR99E and the riverside path in the park. Planned park improvements include a children’s play area, gathering/event area, interactive water feature, new pathways and Trolley Trail connection, restrooms, views, public art and interpretive elements, redwood tree preservation and geese mitigation.


BUILDING ON PAST WORK AND ENHANCEMENTS

A plan for the park was adopted in 2010 by the City of Milwaukie, serving as the foundation for many agencies, community partners, and local citizens to participate in shaping improvements over the years. Many elements of that plan were completed by the City over the past decade, including the Klein Point Overlook, new boat launch and landing, auto and boat trailer parking, restroom facilities, temporary Trolley Trail connection, a riverside path, river bank stabilization and plantings, plantings, an improved access bridge over Kellogg Creek, and a river bank repair project with new pedestrian access.

Now in the final phase, this design effort revisited the plan adopted in 2010 to update elements that were not completed in previous phases, integrating these in a final design that meets today’s needs for the City, the District and the people they serve. Considerations included preserving the redwood tree, having the planned water feature be interactive, integrating nature play into the play area, and mitigating geese impacts — to name a few


SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS & RESOURCES


CONTACT INFORMATION

If you have questions or comments, please contact:

Heather Koch
NCPRD Planning and Development Manager
(971) 337-6867
hkoch@ncprd.com