Husen Park gets new facilities, and Jordan Park trail planning is progressing
by Virginia Bruce

Husen Park site plan click to enlarge

The Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District’s long-awaited improvements to Jackie Husen Park will get underway this month. The small neighborhood park, located on Reeves Street just east of 113th, will include a large, open, grassy area, a picnic shelter, and a playground.

2ink Studio helped refine THPRD’s master plan for the park, and Northwest Earthmovers Inc. was awarded the contract for construction in May. This is the same company that is the lead contractor on the nearby Saltzman Road Project. THPRD Director of Communications Bob Wayt says, “The district is looking forward to working with NEI in producing an exceptional neighborhood park in the Cedar Mill area.”

Construction preparatory work is scheduled to begin June 9 with the erection of fencing for erosion control and tree protection. The park will be closed from June 14 until this fall (approximately 14 weeks, depending on weather) when the work will be completed, around the end of September. The county has required that a half-street improvement, with on-street parking, be included in the project. An additional 18 parking spaces will be part of the park development.

Cedar Mill Creek in Jordan Park

The park totals 4.88 acres, with less than half included in the current development. The remaining land slopes down to Cedar Mill Creek and has a dense forest canopy. A portion of the forested area will be enhanced and restored by the removal of invasive species and replanting with native shrubs and trees. The forested area is an ongoing enhancement and restoration project of the district’s Natural Resources Department.

The approved master plan for Jackie Husen Park included an open grassy field that would be graded fairly level to provide for a variety of field games and other open space activities. With the purchase of the one-acre property to the east of the existing park, a larger open area was possible, and due to the high demand in the northeast quadrant of the district for soccer fields, THPRD determined this would be appropriate for a practice soccer field. A fully-developed field for practices and games would not fit into this low-traffic, quiet neighborhood, nor would the required grading for such a field be acceptable for this site. The field area will be scheduled for practices only with the local Milltowner Soccer Club during their regular seasons.

A number of mature trees will be retained, and benches and picnic tables will encourage social gatherings throughout the park. A modern play area will be provided that will include ample seating for easy viewing of the children playing.

Adjacent to the play area will be a 20’ x 28’ picnic shelter that will hold six picnic tables. It will offer a shade in summer and rain cover during wetter times of the year, which will make the park perfect for families and groups who want to reserve an outdoor space with THPRD for gatherings in our unpredictable weather. A water fountain, barbecue and electrical outlet will be located within the picnic shelter area.

Jackie Husen Park is a Metro Local Share Project that stems from the passage of the 2006 Natural Areas Bond Measure 26-80. The project budget is $339,000. Rene Brucker is the THPRD Project Manager. You can reach her with questions at 503-629-6305 or by emailing the Planning Department office at cellis@thprd.org.

Jordan/Husen Trail in final planning stage

A community trail through our beautiful Jordan Park was first approved by the THPRD Board of Directors in January, 2003 (one of the first stories in the brand new Cedar Mill News). Funding and design difficulties stalled the project for several years, but the first phase is now fully funded, and on track for a construction start date projected for Spring 2011.

Jordan Park Trail Plan click to enlarge

THPRD gave an overview of the project, presented the preferred design, answered questions and listened to community feedback during a neighborhood meeting on May 26. Walker Macy is the design firm that has produced the concept plans, working closely with THPRD Park Planner David Lewis.

The original Master Plan, approved in late 2003, called for an eight-foot-wide ADA-compliant trail throughout the park. The revised plan calls for a portion of the trail to be ADA accessible, but will save more of the park’s natural areas.

The original plan was to connect the northern end of the trail into the Forest Heights neighborhood. After reviewing the site constraints and budget, THPRD has decided to do a phased construction approach for the linear trail project. Steep topography, soil concerns, the project budget and difficulties with a necessary land acquisition will push that connection to the future.

The trail will begin at the Jackie-Husen Park portion of the site and continue to the first overlook, as outlined in the map. THPRD will also reconstruct the Lost Park neighborhood access in the northern area of the park. New stairs, a soft surface trail and a pedestrian bridge/boardwalk will be the focus of that updated access point.

The approved (2003) master plan, along with the updated trail alignment and material examples of bridges, boardwalks, stairs, walls and benches are on the THPRD website, and can be viewed in the “Document Center” on the right side of that page.

When it’s completed the trail will be a critical link in the Cedar Mill Trail. Combined with sidewalk connections, the completed trail will provide several miles of safe and enjoyable walking, stretching from Barnes Road through the Timberland development and then up into Jordan/Husen parks.

THPRD’s successful November 2008 bond measure will fund the first phase of construction. The total budget for the project is $1,600,000. Construction is slated to begin in Spring 2011 with Phase 1 completion projected for Spring 2012. Questions can be directed to Nicole Paulsen, THPRD Planning Department Office Tech at 503-629-6305, npaulsen@thprd.org.

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