Cathedral Park, Urban park in North Portland, United States.
Cathedral Park is a large green area along the Willamette River in North Portland that spreads beneath the distinctive Gothic arches of St Johns Bridge. The grounds include paved walking paths, picnic areas, a boat dock, and an outdoor stage for events.
The land was part of the city of St. Johns when the St. Johns Bridge opened in 1931; no park existed then. In 1968 the city acquired the land under the bridge, which had become a dumping ground. Residents raised $7.5 million in the 1970s, and the park opened on May 3, 1980.
The park takes its name from the nearby St Johns Bridge, whose Gothic arches form a cathedral-like shape over the river. Today it serves as a gathering place where neighbors and visitors spend time outdoors and enjoy the waterfront together.
The grounds are open year-round and feature wide paths suitable for wheelchairs and bicycles, plus various seating areas for different activities. The best time to visit is during warmer months when events happen and the waterside setting is most inviting.
The park's floating dock was added after volunteers cleared about 25 tons of concrete from the shoreline in 2021, followed by another 125 tons in 2023. A Riverfest on June 29, 2024 marked the new swimming and fishing dock, funded partly by a $300,000 grant through the American Rescue Plan Act.
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