Cathedral Park
The captured official page publishes visiting hours. Check the source for current closures. Public-entry status is separate from wheelchair accessibility.
Classification and evidence
Official page label: Park; Atlas classification rules. Classification: inferred.
Source captured: 2026-06-02. Human verification: Pending.
Check current official informationConfirm the inferred property type with PP&R.
Published activities: let my dog run, use a restroom, and be in a natural area.
Photo from the City's park pagePark history
The site which now bears the name Cathedral Park is steeped in history. It is believed to be one of the 14 Lewis and Clark landing sites in the Vancouver-Portland area: William Clark and eight men camped there on April 2, 1806. This spot had been a fishing and camping site for many area Indian tribes. In 1847, the founder of St Johns, James John, settled on the site and operated a ferry to Linnton across the Willamette River. In 1931, the St Johns Bridge was built on the site with 400-ft towers and a main span of 1,207 feet. It is the only steel suspension bridge in Portland.
In the early 1970s, Howard Galbraith, the "honorary mayor" of unincorporated St Johns, got tired of the junkyard state of the area under the eastern end of the bridge. He organized a drive that eventually raised $7.5 million to build a park. After eight years of community fundraising, combined with state, county and city funding, the park was dedicated at a community celebration on May 3, 1980. It got its name from a photo of the St Johns Bridge by Al Monner that appeared on the front page of the Oregon Journal in 1968. Reference was made to its beautiful cathedral-like arches and the park found its name.
In June of 1980, the Cathedral Park Committee sealed a time capsule (complete with ash from Mt St Helens) into the Wall of History in the Memorial Garden in the park. The time capsule will be opened in 2030. Measurements for how to find the capsule (which is covered with a stone that matches the rest of the wall) have been left with the Oregon History Center. Committee chairperson Sharon Roso said, "We want to make sure that in 2030 people will remember there's a celebration due in St Johns."
In 2008, a sculpture by Donald Fels was installed beneath the St Johns Bridge. Drawing on the River reflects back on a century of industry in St Johns and is an homage to both the mills and the workers who ran them. The piece also invokes the river itself, which powered the mills and is the reason the workers settled here.
From the City's page for this park.
Visitor amenities
Published amenities are checked separately from entry conditions. Each links to other documented locations; confirm current hours before visiting.
- use a restroomRestroom
- use an accessible restroomAccessible restroom
- sit down to eatPicnic table
- watch a showStage or amphitheater
- meet in a public squarePlaza or terrace
- play in natureNature play area
- be in a parkAny park
- walk or roll on pavementPaved path
- be in a natural areaNatural area
- launch a boatBoat dock or ramp
- look out over waterRiver or vista views
- let my dog runDog off-leash area
Potential additions to investigate
Passing the initial size-and-type screen is not a feasibility finding. Usable space, existing uses, habitat, public access, utilities, permission, construction costs, and ongoing maintenance funding require site-specific review. Missing acreage or uncertain classification remains unassessed.
- Evening use — Programming after dusk — leagues, classes, walks.
- Gatherings & events — Concerts, movies, cultural events.
- Nature education — Environmental programs and guided walks.
- Markets & festivals — Vendor events and neighborhood festivals.
- League play — needs any sport field or any sport court
- Summer water play — needs splash pad or wading pool or all swimming pools or interactive fountain
- Youth drop-in — needs playground
- All-weather indoor — needs indoor space or community center or arts or cultural center or gymnasium
Inventory-based screening only. Recorded assets do not establish opening hours, program staffing, permission, or operating funding. Potential additions require review of usable space, habitat, utilities, access, and ongoing maintenance. Unverified properties remain unassessed.
Something specific to this park — the thing you'd use it for if it were here.
Send an idea for this park →School grounds nearby
Public school grounds within a half mile, by straight line. What is listed is what OpenStreetMap mappers have recorded, not an inventory. The district sets public access.
- James John Elementary · Portland Public Schools · 3.3 acres0.5 mi
On record: 4 four square pitchs, 4 pitchs, 3 basketball pitchs, 2 playgrounds, 2 kickball pitchs, 2 tetherball pitchs, 2 tracks, 1 soccer pitch, 1 garden, 1 funnel ball pitch, 1 futsal pitch. Not recorded in this property’s inventory: basketball court, soccer or futsal field, playground, running track.
Beyond parks explains what opening a school ground would take.
School grounds: Metro RLIS. Features inside them: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Through the year
Seasonal facilities and listings captured by the Atlas. These records do not measure attendance, utilization or all activity at the site.
Counts describe captured listings, not attendance or all activity. No listings captured does not mean the site is unused.
Dark by 5 and wet most days: cover, lighting, indoor rooms, and paths that drain.
- use a restroom
- walk or roll on pavement
- use an accessible restroom
- sit down to eat
- watch a show
- meet in a public square
+6 more
- be in a park
- play in nature
- be in a natural area
- launch a boat
- look out over water
- let my dog run
Fields and gardens open; showers between sun. Leagues, planting, first picnics.
- use a restroom
- use an accessible restroom
- sit down to eat
- watch a show
- meet in a public square
- be in a park
+6 more
- play in nature
- walk or roll on pavement
- be in a natural area
- launch a boat
- look out over water
- let my dog run
Water, shade, long evenings — the season the system is built around.
- sit down to eat
- watch a show
- use a restroom
- use an accessible restroom
- meet in a public square
- be in a park
+6 more
- play in nature
- walk or roll on pavement
- be in a natural area
- launch a boat
- look out over water
- let my dog run
Light shortens and leagues wind down; shelters and lighting carry the season.
- use a restroom
- be in a natural area
- use an accessible restroom
- sit down to eat
- watch a show
- meet in a public square
+6 more
- be in a park
- play in nature
- walk or roll on pavement
- launch a boat
- look out over water
- let my dog run
| Season | Programs | Recurring events | One-time |
|---|---|---|---|
Winter Dec–Feb Not yet published | — | — | — |
Spring Mar–May Recorded from 2026-06-11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Summer Jun–Aug Recorded from 2026-06-11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Fall Sep–Nov Recorded through 2026-10; 1 month still to come | 0 | 0 | 0 |
What's on
No current listings were captured and matched to this property. This does not establish that no activity takes place. See the citywide calendar and programs.
Partners & friends
The whole ecosystemNo known partner is currently linked to Cathedral Park in the Partnership Atlas. This is an opportunity signal, not an official priority.
See opportunity signalsSupport this park
Real ways to help Cathedral Park and parks like it. This site does not process donations; every link below goes to an official giving or volunteering channel.
How it's holding up
The City's own inventory of what is here and the condition it last recorded for each item. Dates are the source's; old dates mean no newer public assessment, not that nothing has happened since. Historical project estimates appear below; they are separate from these condition records.
Historical cost profile · 2023 reporting
Cathedral Park
$24.2M
13 distinct source rows. Proposed repair and improvement costs, not a current funding gap.
All-in annual service cost: Not established
Current remaining repair cost: Not verified
What the estimates cover
Categories are Atlas labels based on project titles. Expansion and new provision are included where proposed; a project can include several kinds of work.
The work, cost & reason (13 source rows)
Cathedral Park Master Plan$10,413,957
Asset as named in source: Not specified
Cathedral Park MP Improvements
KGW table row 94. Source field: “Escalated Estimate.” Estimate date, inflation basis, funded amount and completion status are not supplied.
Original source table ↗Renovate parking lot_Parking Area A and B$3,269,099
Asset as named in source: Parking Area A and B
Repair parking lot that was rated 5 in condition assessment. Repair include surface, drainage and curb. approx area= 111428 sq.ft
KGW table row 87. Source field: “Escalated Estimate.” Estimate date, inflation basis, funded amount and completion status are not supplied.
Original source table ↗Improve Waterfront$2,909,990
Asset as named in source: Cathedral Park
Improvements to waterfront area of park including utilities, retaining walls, paving, landscaping and habitat features and site furninshings. Dock = separate project.
KGW table row 89. Source field: “Escalated Estimate.” Estimate date, inflation basis, funded amount and completion status are not supplied.
Original source table ↗Improve Upper Park$2,643,848
Asset as named in source: Cathedral Park
Improvements to upper area of park (eastern portion) including retaining walls, paving and stairs, landscaping and site furnishings.
KGW table row 90. Source field: “Escalated Estimate.” Estimate date, inflation basis, funded amount and completion status are not supplied.
Original source table ↗Improve Middle Park$1,897,322
Asset as named in source: Cathedral Park
Improvements to middle area of park under the bridge including structures, paving, landscaping and site furnishings.
KGW table row 95. Source field: “Escalated Estimate.” Estimate date, inflation basis, funded amount and completion status are not supplied.
Original source table ↗Improve Lower Park$940,393
Asset as named in source: Cathedral Park
Improvements to lower area of park (largest portion) including utilities, retaining walls, paving, landscaping and site furnishings.
KGW table row 83. Source field: “Escalated Estimate.” Estimate date, inflation basis, funded amount and completion status are not supplied.
Original source table ↗Crawford Street Access$687,288
Asset as named in source: Cathedral Park
Improvements to access through park on Crawford Street, including utilities, paving and landscaping.
KGW table row 84. Source field: “Escalated Estimate.” Estimate date, inflation basis, funded amount and completion status are not supplied.
Original source table ↗Dock & Log Boom Replacement$588,024
Asset as named in source: Cathedral Park
- Replace 6 failed dock sections and 2 log booms. At ramp and fishing dock. - The boom logs between the northern most pillars have come disconnected there by allowing logs to push up against the dock again.
KGW table row 85. Source field: “Escalated Estimate.” Estimate date, inflation basis, funded amount and completion status are not supplied.
Original source table ↗Improve Upland Habitat$348,803
Asset as named in source: Cathedral Park
Improvements to upland habitat on North side of bridge adjacent to developed area.
KGW table row 86. Source field: “Escalated Estimate.” Estimate date, inflation basis, funded amount and completion status are not supplied.
Original source table ↗Pathway Renovation$294,012
Asset as named in source: Cathedral Park
Replace the damaged pathway, trails and sidewalks that have been rated as 4 and 5 in Pathway assessment
KGW table row 88. Source field: “Escalated Estimate.” Estimate date, inflation basis, funded amount and completion status are not supplied.
Original source table ↗Renovate parking lot_Parking Area C$176,448
Asset as named in source: Parking Area C
Repair parking lot that was rated 4 in condition assessment. Repair include surface, drainage and curb. approx area= 10792 sq.ft
KGW table row 92. Source field: “Escalated Estimate.” Estimate date, inflation basis, funded amount and completion status are not supplied.
Original source table ↗Replace Backflow preventer device$18,000
Asset as named in source: Irrigation and Potable water
- Replace out of compliance backflow preventers - Assembly: Double Check Valve Assembly (DCVA) - Move to property line, if needed - Hazard: well Site - See components for detail
KGW table row 91. Source field: “Escalated Estimate.” Estimate date, inflation basis, funded amount and completion status are not supplied.
Original source table ↗Hauling dock sections from shoreline$17,357
Asset as named in source: Boat Ramp
Remove dock sections from shoreline sometime in mid-April. Contractor will lift dock sections to shore/upland for dismantling and haul-off.
KGW table row 93. Source field: “Escalated Estimate.” Estimate date, inflation basis, funded amount and completion status are not supplied.
Original source table ↗25 of 138 assessed built records are rated poor or very bad in the separate condition dataset. Condition ratings do not determine these dollar estimates.
Source: KGW’s November 2023 table. Current status, remaining scope and funding are unverified. Exact duplicate rows count once; other scope overlaps remain unresolved.
Compare repair estimates across parks →Annual service · FY 2026–27 adopted
A complete annual cost is not yet available.
This property has no named account linked in the public budget extract. Shared crews and citywide programs may still fund its care.
Later budget supplements and unallocated shared services are not included.
Annual breakdown & district context →District picture · District 2
This park in the district picture
The same public records, read the same way for every property, so this park can be set next to its district. Each figure keeps its own source and date. “Not available” means the source has no record for this property. It is not a zero.
People nearby
- Residents within a half mile
- 4,894
- Households within a half mile
- 2,641
2020 Census blocks whose centre point lies within a half mile of the park boundary, measured in a straight line. Residents, not visitors. Blocks outside the city limits count.
Recorded backlog
- Open backlog IDs
- 14
- Closed backlog IDs
- 15
Records in the PP&R backlog map workbook that name this property. The workbook publishes no cost field, so these are counts of records, not dollars.
Active capital projects
- Active geocoded projects
- 0
Geocoded PP&R capital projects at this property, a subset of the full capital program. The cost is the published estimated total project cost, not spending to date.
Registered programs
- Program sections
- 1
- Registrations
- 10
- On a waitlist
- 12
- Venue
- Cathedral Park is in North Portland. Meet in the grass near the parking lot, close to the entrance to the parking lot off N Bradford. https://maps.app.goo.gl/nchJfCcZgTf8A7rYA
ActiveNet snapshot taken September 15, 2026. Sections are scheduled classes or sessions; registrations are enrolments on that date, not attendance.
Who is on record
Agreement on record
A lease, license, permit or similar agreement names this property. It may be a utility easement rather than park work.
- Oregon State Treasury · License, Jul 1, 2021 to Sep 3, 2028DSL 54476-LI fishing/boat ramp at Cathedral Park
- The Human Access Project · MOU, May 1, 2023 to Aug 31, 2027MOU for swim ladder replacements
From the department-provided partnership directory. It records what is on paper, not who does each task. Each agreement links to its entry on PP&R's agreements with partners, with the public text where it's posted, how to request it where it isn't, and the rules that govern partnerships.
Condition across all assets
Citywide condition atlasAcross 138 assessed assets at this park, 18% are in poor or very-bad condition (rated 4–5). Pooled from the City's public assessment layers — buildings, bridges, playgrounds, courts, fields, fences, paths and amenities.
This count comes from the City's rated asset layers; the “Public assets” list below is a separate furnishings inventory, so its items and scores are counted separately and the two totals need not match.
Condition is rated 1 (good) to 5 (very bad); no score means not yet assessed and is excluded. Park trees are inventoried separately and not counted here. These assessment records do not contain repair costs. Historical project estimates are shown separately.
Repair ledger
Each row is one record from PP&R's public asset layer. No itemized repair cost is published for these records, so none is shown. Dates are the source's last published assessment; treat older ones as unverified.
| Asset | Condition | Status | Replacement | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Picnic Table Condition rated poor (code 4). Priority high. Record 1614 | Poor condition code 4 | Active | no | 2007-07-23 |
Picnic Table Condition rated poor (code 4). Priority high. Record 1778 | Poor condition code 4 | Active | no | 2007-07-23 |
Picnic Table Condition rated poor (code 4). Priority high. Record 2629 | Poor condition code 4 | Active | no | 2007-07-23 |
Drinking Fountain Condition rated poor (code 4). Priority high. Record 0097-DF-1 | Poor condition code 4 | Active | no | 2007-07-23 |
Picnic Table Condition rated poor (code 4). Priority high. Public note: graffiti Record 8916 | Poor condition code 4 | Active | no | 2007-07-23 |
Seen something here that's broken, fixed, or missing from this list? Records are updated periodically; tell us what you see.
Send a condition note →Public assets
All 79Furnishings the City inventories here, with each item's condition score — 1 is good, 5 is very bad. Asset photos aren't public yet.
From the City's park page
Cathedral Park on Portland.gov
Visit our Parking Guide for Parks for more information.
Boater Parking Permit Available - February through MaySeasonal parking permits are available for boaters who use Willamette Park to launch. These permits are only valid for vehicles with trailers, in marked "Trailers Only" spaces. Permits are valid February through May and are available on a first-come, first-served basis ($75).
Purchase digital PP&R parking permits
Park hours: 5am to midnightTake a virtual tour of the trees at Cathedral Park
This page, on a sign
The QR label for this park points here. Print labels →
https://parks.portlandciviclab.org/parks/cathedral-park-97?utm_source=park_qr&utm_medium=sign&utm_campaign=park_97
Where this comes from
Facilities from the City's amenity pages and asset layers; hours, photo, and history from the City's park page; programs and events from its catalogs; condition from PortlandMaps public records. Where the City publishes nothing, this page says so instead of guessing.