Portland Parks FoundationFunds this parkConfirmed
Portland Parks Foundation
Intermediary for the Dawson Park water feature gift (with Legacy Emanuel).
Portland.gov — Dawson ParkEliot · District 2 · Mid-size park · 2.0 acres
Dawson Park
Developed parkPublic entry documented
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 kids play, run through water, and gather out of the rain.
Hours
5am to midnight
Getting there
N Stanton Street and Williams Avenue Portland, OR 97227
Dogs
Dogs on leash
Access
Accessible restroom
Photo from the City's park pagePark history
Dawson Park was acquired by the City of Portland in 1921; it is named in honor of an Episcopal minister, the Rev. John Dawson, who was an advocate of child welfare and civic improvement in the 1920s. This space was once a cow pasture and then a ballfield used by the Immaculate Heart Church and School. It was also a frequent stopping place for small circuses and medicine shows. By the late 1940s, it functioned as an unofficial town square for the surrounding African American community. The park was the epicenter of many political and social movements during the next 30 years. Robert F. Kennedy spoke here. Civil rights marches began here.
The gazebo in the park was built in 1978 to showcase the 120 year-old cupola salvaged from the Hill Block Building, once a cornerstone of the Albina commercial district and an informal gathering place for the Black community. The onion-like dome was landmark architecture on the Hill Block Building located on the northwest corner of the intersection of N. Russell Street and Williams Avenue. The building and many other businesses and homes were torn down in the early 1970s to make room for a proposed expansion of the Emanuel Hospital campus, displacing many Black residents. However, the expansion did not take place due to a cut in federal funds, and many lots are still vacant today.
By 2007, the park had fallen into some disrepair, and a Dawson Master Plan, developed with the community, envisioned restoring it as a key community gathering space. The plan prioritized a list of desired improvements, including the restoration of the Dawson Park Gazebo. In 2008, Urban Renewal funds were used to restore the 120-year-old cupola salvaged from the Hill Block Building.
When additional funding was secured in 2011, park neighbors and users, community organizations, and local churches provided input to Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) and Portland Development Commission (formerly PDC, now known as Prosper Portland) on how park improvements could promote better use, create a more inviting feel for families, and highlight the park’s deep cultural and historical roots. The final park design by Portland landscape architects 2.ink Studio reflected all of these elements. The improvements included a new playground, benches, picnic tables, a drinking fountain, pathways, lighting, lawn, plantings, and a splash pad with 12 historic interpretive boulders.
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.
…stay a while
- use a restroomRestroom
- use an accessible restroomAccessible restroom
- sit down to eatPicnic table
- gather out of the rainPicnic shelter
…gather
- watch a showStage or amphitheater
…play
- let my kids playPlayground
- let every kid playAccessible play area
…cool off
- run through waterSplash pad
…compete
- play on a courtAny sport court
- shoot hoopsBasketball court
…get here and move
- be in a parkAny park
- walk or roll on pavementPaved path
…remember and belong
- see public artPublic art
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.
Enabling assets recorded
- Evening use — Programming after dusk — leagues, classes, walks.
- Gatherings & events — Concerts, movies, cultural events.
- League play — Organized sport seasons.
- Summer water play — Cooling and swim programs.
- Youth drop-in — Free unstructured play with somewhere for adults to sit.
- Nature education — Environmental programs and guided walks.
- Markets & festivals — Vendor events and neighborhood festivals.
One addition to investigate
No single-addition candidate passes this preliminary screen.
Outside the size-and-type screen for this 2.0-acre park property: be inside when it rains (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.
What else should this park let you do?
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.
- Community Transition Program on MLK · Portland Public Schools · 0.1 acres0.3 mi
Nothing recorded inside the grounds yet.
- Boise-Eliot/Humboldt Elementary · Portland Public Schools · 4 acres0.3 mi
Nothing recorded inside the grounds yet.
- Harriet Tubman Middle · Portland Public Schools · 3.1 acres0.4 mi
Nothing recorded inside the grounds yet.
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.
Winter
Dec–Feb
Dark by 5 and wet most days: cover, lighting, indoor rooms, and paths that drain.
- use a restroom
- gather out of the rain
- walk or roll on pavement
- use an accessible restroom
- sit down to eat
- watch a show
+6 more
- be in a park
- let my kids play
- let every kid play
- play on a court
- shoot hoops
- see public art
0 programs · 0 events starts captured
Fewest modeled facilities
Spring
Mar–May
Fields and gardens open; showers between sun. Leagues, planting, first picnics.
- let my kids play
- use a restroom
- use an accessible restroom
- sit down to eat
- gather out of the rain
- watch a show
+6 more
- be in a park
- let every kid play
- play on a court
- shoot hoops
- walk or roll on pavement
- see public art
0 programs · 0 events starts captured
Summer
Jun–Aug
Water, shade, long evenings — the season the system is built around.
- sit down to eat
- watch a show
- run through water
- use a restroom
- use an accessible restroom
- gather out of the rain
+7 more
- be in a park
- let my kids play
- let every kid play
- play on a court
- shoot hoops
- walk or roll on pavement
- see public art
0 programs · 0 events starts captured
Fall
Sep–Nov
Light shortens and leagues wind down; shelters and lighting carry the season.
- use a restroom
- gather out of the rain
- use an accessible restroom
- sit down to eat
- watch a show
- be in a park
+6 more
- let my kids play
- let every kid play
- play on a court
- shoot hoops
- walk or roll on pavement
- see public art
0 programs · 0 events starts captured
What the record holds here, by season
| 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 |
Our reading of the calendar
Which facilities count as in season is our model of Portland's year (splash pads and wading pools in summer; fields, gardens and interactive fountains spring through fall; everything else year-round) — not the City's schedule. Check posted hours for pools, splash pads, and restrooms. From 16 weekly catalog snapshots (2026-06-11 to 2026-10-12). "Programs" are distinct titles; "sections" are the catalog's individual records — a swim level at one time slot for one week is one section. Complete through 2026-10; later months fill in as registration opens. Winter counts fill in when winter registration opens.
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.
Reserve at Dawson Park
This park has facilities you can reserve. Booking happens on the city's official systems — every link below goes straight there.
Picnic sites
Reserve a site| Site | Tables | Fee | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Shelter | $113.75 | ShelteredBBQ PowerADAKey |
- · No vehicle access allowed.
- · ADA accessible.
Fees and inventory from PP&R's 2026 picnic brochure. A $27.50 application fee applies. Reserve online or call 503-823-2525.
Partners & friends
The whole ecosystemCommunity organizations that steward, fund, operate, or run programs at Dawson Park. Labels show what is confirmed and what is still being filled in.
Legacy Emanuel Medical CenterFunds this parkConfirmed
Corporate capital donors
Portland.gov — Dawson ParkSupport this park
Real ways to help Dawson Park and parks like it. This site does not process donations; every link below goes to an official giving or volunteering channel.
Donate via Portland Parks FoundationThe independent nonprofit philanthropic partner for Portland's parks. Gifts support parks and programs citywide.Volunteer with Portland Parks & RecreationJoin official PP&R volunteer and stewardship programs, from work parties to ongoing roles.Find park partners and friends groupsDozens of community organizations steward specific Portland parks. See who works where.
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
Dawson Park
$746.6K
5 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
Play & gathering$688K
Paths & access$46.8K
Energy & building systems$11.8K
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 (5 source rows)
Renovate the Roof of Shelter - Restroom - Storage building$471,980
Asset as named in source: Restroom A
Fix or replace the Roof that is rated 4 through buildings' assessment
KGW table row 188. Source field: “Escalated Estimate.” Estimate date, inflation basis, funded amount and completion status are not supplied.
Original source table ↗Playground renovation$206,028
Asset as named in source: Play Area A
Renovation or repair playground that was rated as 4 during playground assessment in 2020
KGW table row 190. Source field: “Escalated Estimate.” Estimate date, inflation basis, funded amount and completion status are not supplied.
Original source table ↗Pathway Renovation$46,807
Asset as named in source: Internal Pathway/ Sidewalk
Replace the damaged pathway, trails and sidewalks that have been rated as 4 and 5 in Pathway assessment
KGW table row 189. Source field: “Escalated Estimate.” Estimate date, inflation basis, funded amount and completion status are not supplied.
Original source table ↗ESPC-III_Buildings Lighting to LEDs$11,760
Asset as named in source: Shelter - Restroom - Storage
LED conversion for Exterior and Interior Lights
KGW table row 191. Source field: “Escalated Estimate.” Estimate date, inflation basis, funded amount and completion status are not supplied.
Original source table ↗Repair Playground area$10,000
Asset as named in source: Playground
Issues: WO329097: There are two deep cavities under the SMARTE surface on the north and south side of the swing set. It appears that the rubber mulch pillows have collapsed in a couple spots. The one on the north side of the swing set is about 1.5 feet x 6 inches deep and the one on the south side of the swing set is about 1 foot x 4 inches deep - both are significant trip hazards. Temporary ground markings and signage should be placed in the meantime until repairs are made: Playground Mechanic repair See attached picture: underground cavities are approximately where the pick stick and bucket is placed. WO354634: Failed Inspection Point from WO 354384. POINT: A. Playground Surface Area ACTION: Fake grass around tree in playground is coming loose on se corner. It needs to be reattached.
KGW table row 192. Source field: “Escalated Estimate.” Estimate date, inflation basis, funded amount and completion status are not supplied.
Original source table ↗1 of 110 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
- 7,744
- Households within a half mile
- 4,204
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
- 5
- Closed backlog IDs
- 2
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
- 1
- Estimated cost, as published
- Not available
- Projects with no published cost
- 1
- Funding source codes, as published
- GF
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.
Who is on record
No partner agreement on record
The department-provided directory names no agreement here. Friends groups without a formal agreement are not captured.
From the department-provided partnership directory. It records what is on paper, not who does each task.
Condition across all assets
Citywide condition atlasAcross 110 assessed assets at this park, 1% 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.
Good · 67Above fair · 32Fair · 10Poor · 1Very bad · 0
Assessed asset families here
Amenities & furnishings2007 (2007–2026)Buildings2018Fences2022Pathways & trailsPlayground equipment2020Sport courts
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
Public data does not currently flag repair candidates for this park. Additional PP&R maintenance exports can be added without changing the page structure.
Know this park?
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 64Furnishings the City inventories here, with each item's condition score — 1 is good, 5 is very bad. Asset photos aren't public yet.
Bench×18
1×18
Art Work×13
1×13
Picnic Table×8
11111111
Permanent Trash Can×7
1111111
Permanent Bollard×6
111111
Bike Rack×5
11111
Barbeque×2
11
Drinking Fountain×2
21
Memorial×2
11
Flag Pole×1
1
Related capital projects
Enhance Dawson Park Historical Elements
No public description.
ActivePhase pendingCost pending PP&R verification
Official Portland.gov profile
From the City's park page
Dawson Park on Portland.gov
This page contains information about Dawson Park in Portland, Oregon.
Dawson Park is a small, vibrant neighborhood park in North Portland. For more than 100 years, it has been a place where neighbors gather, kids play, and community thrives. The park is especially important to Portland’s Black community, and provided a key meeting space during the civil rights movement. Today, it continues to honor that legacy while offering a welcoming space for everyone.
At the center of the park is a large open lawn, perfect for picnics, playing, or relaxing under the shade of tall trees. A gazebo with an onion-shaped dome — salvaged from the historic Hill Block Building — stands as a powerful symbol of the neighborhood’s past.
Kids love the updated playground, which includes sensory play features and adaptive swings. The interactive splash pad is a favorite on hot summer days and includes 12 seed-shaped boulders that share the park’s deep history through stories and images. The basketball court — newly renovated in 2023 thanks to a partnership between PP&R, Nike, and the Portland Trailblazers — is accessible and well-used.
City label
Park
Year acquired
1921
Official acres
2.049
City section
NE
Neighborhood
Eliot
Hours
5am to midnight
Amenities and activities
Accessible play areaAccessible restroomPicnic shelterPicnic tablePlaygroundStatue or public artStage (outdoor)Paths (paved)Splash padBasketball court
All dogs must be leashed in this park.
This page, on a sign
The QR label for this park points here. Print labels →
https://parks.portlandciviclab.org/parks/dawson-park-33?utm_source=park_qr&utm_medium=sign&utm_campaign=park_33
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.