The public riverwalk construction update: new route proposed for first phase

The last year brought some promising milestones that bring us closer than ever to experiencing Willamette Falls. Now it’s 2020—time to take stock of our accomplishments and look ahead at what’s to come.

When the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde purchased the former Blue Heron mill located adjacent to Willamette Falls last August, it brought renewed energy to the larger vision at Willamette Falls, beyond the public riverwalk. The Tribe has since applied for $975,000 in grants to assist with site assessments and clean up, and they are working with local architecture and landscape design firms to create a future vision for their property. Their land purchase and the results of Willamette Falls Legacy Project’s detailed cost estimating also sparked new thinking around what could be accomplished during the Phase One portion of the project. Read Willamette Falls Legacy Project's latest update here.

After purchasing the property, Grand Ronde proposed an alternative approach to Phase One. If feasible, it would include a riverside path to a scenic overlook of the Falls, which differs from the previous plan to route people through the former mill. A focus of the proposal is to increase public safety during any construction happening on Grand Ronde’s property. It would also provide more opportunities to view the river along the way to the Falls overlook. Phase One of the public riverwalk still aims to restore habitat along the riverbank and prepare the site for future phases of construction.

The groundbreaking schedule, initially planned for 2020, has shifted to accommodate looking into this opportunity. Project partners—Oregon City, Clackamas County, Metro and State of Oregon—will consider the proposal after the Grand Ronde team completes the design and construction cost estimate.

We continue to receive unprecedented community and financial support. While additional funds will be needed to get us to the finish line on this visionary project, we’re grateful for the continued donations and volunteer hours given, including more than $7 million from donors within and outside our community, as well as $20 million from the passage of Metro’s parks and nature bond measure in November.

Thanks to community support, and a strong collaboration across public, private and non-profit sectors, we move into 2020 with a renewed vision and strong commitment to bring Willamette Falls to people across the region, the state and beyond.   

Andrew Mason
Executive Director, Willamette Falls Trust

Make sure you’re among the first to know when construction begins. Get news updates from Willamette Falls Trust.

Willamette Falls area with former Blue Heron Paper Mill site outlined in orange, and a green marker at the overlook location. For reference only.