Center of Attention: Southwest Community Center Portland Parks and Recreation Portland, Oregon - design, construction and aquatic programmes of community centre

Portland's new Southwest Community Center provides an aquatics center complemented by a mix of other recreational facilities and programs. The center appeals to a wide range of age groups. An interactive public process was critical to the building's siting, programming and design. The design team focused on the notion that community must be central to the new facility. The building's architecture, landscape and artwork create links to the existing neighborhood and its natural environment.

On any given day, there are several hundred people of all ages inside Portland's new Southwest Community Center--and that number increases dramatically during the summer, after school is out. Children splash in the leisure pool and shoot down the water slide next to parents and grandparents exercising in the adjacent lap pool. Athletes of all ages and both genders work out in the nearby fitness room. The mirrored exercise studio hosts classes ranging from the Silver Streaks for seniors to Mind Body Movement for children, Girlfriends for teens, and Aerokibo for adults. In the gym, basketball enthusiasts shoot hoops at goals that are adjustable to accommodate all ages and heights.

All this in a building that some people felt might never be built given its controversial siting process, and others predicted would never become a true center for its community.

Because it was one of the first building projects undertaken by Portland Parks and Recreation Department in the last 40 years, the goals for the new Southwest Community Center were high. Funding for design and construction of the 49,000-square-foot facility was part of the $58.8 million parks bond passed in 1994, the first such citywide funding measure since 1938. In addition to serving the recreational needs of the Southwest neighborhood community, the new building was to set a standard for design excellence and reinforce voter approval of future bond levies.

A Community Center, or a Community Divided?

"You can't change without making somebody angry." Charlie Hales, City of Portland Parks Commissioner

Disagreements over land use are not uncommon, especially when siting a new building in an established suburban neighborhood. The siting process for the Southwest Community Center was particularly controversial. The entire four year process of site selection, design and construction was open to the public with participation solicited and encouraged in a variety of ways.

An appointed Citizen's Task Force was the primary vehicle for public participation. The 14-member task force included people who represented diverse backgrounds, ages and perspectives from all areas within the southwest neighborhood. They were charged with the task of recommending a site for the new community center, as well as providing recommendations on facility programs and design.

To determine the potential sites, Portland Parks and Recreation used a formula based on input from the Citizens Task Force, design team, the public, public agencies and various city bureaus, and data related to traffic, parking, and other criteria. After exploring 28 possible locations, the debate was narrowed down to three finalists, and finally a recommendation was made to site the new center in Gabriel Park, an existing 90-acre park that is the crown jewel of Portland Park and Recreation's Southwest parks system.

While some neighbors supported what they considered to be a more central location, others opposed the Gabriel Park site because they did not want the ambiance of the cherished park changed or to lose any green spaces. Portland Parks and Recreation pointed out that, since the Gabriel Park site was already owned by Parks, all of the bond money could be put into developing the facility itself, rather than into purchasing other land. In addition, the Gabriel Park location was already perceived within the community as a recreation destination. Design and programmatic connections could be made between the new building and the park's existing amenities--a children's playground, ball fields, trails, and Fanno Creek which meanders through the park.

Integration Into the Neighborhood

To respond to continued concerns about the potential impact to Gabriel Park, the architect and landscape architect worked in collaboration to integrate design of the building and its parking with the surrounding neighborhood and the existing site. While in original discussions the new development was projected to require five acres of land, by keeping the building footprint and parking lot as compact as possible, the project used less than three acres at the corner of the 90-acre park.

Involving the public in the design process was critical to the project's success. Portland Parks and Recreation and the design team held a series of public forums, conducted public opinion polls, and provided regular updates to media and citizens throughout the siting, programming and design process. At one public meeting, six booths were set up to represent different facets of the project's design and development, from architecture and landscape to transportation issues and integration of art. Each booth had representatives to answer questions and gain input from the public. Over 300 people turned out for this successful and interactive event.