Steve Street
At my monthly Fireside Chats, I am frequently asked about the development of the Steve Street property. Community members want to know: When will it be developed? What will be included? How can I share my opinion?
I have answers to each question, but first, I want to share a little background. The Steve Street property, a 1.4-acre neighborhood park connecting Steve Street and Southwest 84th Avenue (north of Highway 99 and east of Hall Boulevard), was purchased in 2013 with proceeds from the Park Bond.
The Steve Street Property Plan was created in 2015 in partnership with the community. The plan included future site amenities like an accessible loop trail, a rough lawn area, a small community garden, a picnic and play area, and two areas for nature play.
Next, we focused on securing funding to turn the plan into reality. These efforts took a major step forward when funding became available through the 2019 Metro Parks and Open Space Bond.
The importance of developing the Steve Street property cannot be overstated. This area is currently an underserved part of the city. Developing the property will fill a gap and advance our goal of “providing high-quality parks and recreation services within a 10-minute walk of everyone in Tigard.”
We are committed to developing the Steve Street property into a park that reflects the interests and history of the surrounding area. To do that, we are gathering input through in-person events and an online survey (www.tigard-or.gov/SteveStreet). I invite you to spend a few minutes sharing your ideas about key aspects of the park, including:
- Interpretative signage
- The nature play area
- Playground equipment
- Types of accent and shade trees
We have heard from some neighbors of Steve Street Park that they would like to rename the site. We have included a question on the survey so that you can share your suggestions for a new park name.
We will gather your input and use it to refine the vision for the park over the next month. Our hope is to open the park in 2024.
My next Fireside Chat is on Thursday, Nov. 3, at 6:30 pm in the Tigard Library, and it is an opportunity to continue the discussion about the Steve Street property or any other city issue. As always, I welcome your thoughts and can be reached at jason@tigard-or.gov or 503-810-0269.
