Last updated: May 27, 2026
Article
ORLP Case Study: Cully Park in Portland, Oregon
How does a former landfill become a vibrant community park? To create Portland, Oregon’s Cully Park, Portland Parks and Recreation and their partners used an Outdoor Recreation Legacy Project (ORLP) grant to bring their comprehensive, collaborative plans to life.
For decades, Cully Park was a landfill in an industrial neighborhood that lacked access to outdoor recreation spaces. Portland Parks and Recreation partnered with the Let Us Build Cully Park! Coalition to establish a park on this site. The Coalition maximized public involvement throughout the planning process to create a unique, community-centered park.
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Shared decision making guided the creation of Cully Park every step of the way. Highlights from this community-led park development model included:
A bilingual survey that yielded 230 responses. It provided valuable insights on the neighborhood’s priorities for their park.
Park planners involved even the youngest neighborhood residents. Members of the Let Us Build Cully Park! Coalition helped students in after school programs develop playground designs. These students later presented their designs at a community design charette.
Neighborhood residents became citizen scientists during Cully Park’s development. Many served on a committee that performed a state-mandated human health risk assessment. This group met monthly to share the community's concerns. They also advised agency staff and took soil samples. They were a crucial vehicle for addressing concerns about rehabilitating the former landfill. Their work amounted to an in-kind contribution valued at $135,000.
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