Walnut Street Park

Walnut Street Park is a small municipal park in Hillsboro in the U.S. state of Oregon. Opened in 1998, the park covers 2.5 acres (10,000 m2) along southeast Walnut Street several blocks east of Tenth Avenue in a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood.

Walnut Street Park
TypePublic, city
LocationHillsboro, Oregon
United States
Coordinates45°31′32″N 122°59′14″W
Area2.5 acres (10,000 m2)
Created1998
Operated byHillsboro Parks & Recreation Department
Statusopen
ParkingOn-street parking

History

The park was built around 1998 in the mainly Hispanic neighborhood southeast of Downtown Hillsboro.[1] During a gang fight in 2001 at the park, one person was hospitalized with a stab wound,[2] and around 2005 a picnic table was stolen from the park.[1] The park was added by the Hillsboro School District to the list of parks used for the district's free summer lunch program in 2006.[3]

Walnut Street Park was the scene of a shooting in March 2008,[4] and an arrest for a stabbing in July 2011.[5] The shooting was considered gang related,[4] while the stabbing was a domestic disturbance at a nearby home after which the suspect hid in the park.[5] Sexual Minorities of Washington County adopted the park in 2009 as part of the city's Adopt a Park program.[6]

In 2012, a federal grant paid for improvements at the park, including a splash pad.[7] Other improvements paid for by the $175,000 grants included new park benches and grass.[7] The park received new sod in October 2012 as part of the same renovations.[8] The used sod came from a former softball field at the Gordon Faber Recreation Complex that was removed to make way for the new Hillsboro baseball stadium.[8] A man was arrested in March 2014 for firing gunshots in the park.[9][10]

Amenities

The 2.5-acre (1.0 ha) park is in a residential neighborhood, surrounded by housing, and does not have any natural areas.[1] Walnut Street Park does have many older deciduous trees throughout, along with grassy areas.[1] Other features of the park include sidewalks, picnic tables, a children's playground, picnic shelter, soccer field, and a basketball court.[11] The park only has on-street parking along Walnut Street.[1]

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References
  1. Stevens, Michael O. (March 29, 2010). "Hillsboro Park of the Week: Walnut Street". OregonLive.com.
  2. "Community Snapshot: Public Safety". The Oregonian. May 8, 2001. p. West Zoner D2.
  3. Demlow, Kay (July 6, 2006). "Neighborhood Roundup: In parks, there is such a thing as a free lunch". The Oregonian. p. Metro West Neighbors 9.
  4. Wingo, Melanie (March 8, 2008). "Gunshots fired in Hillsboro park strike teen". KATU.
  5. "Hillsboro police investigating". FOX 12. July 22, 2011.
  6. "Hillsboro park adoptions bring multiple benefits". The Hillsboro Argus. August 21, 2009.
  7. Fuller, Kathy (September 27, 2012). "Hillsboro's Walnut Street Park debuts new splash pad Friday for water play". The Hillsboro Argus.
  8. Redden, Jim (October 4, 2012). "Stadium work includes recycling material". Hillsboro Tribune.
  9. Bailey Jr., Everton (March 25, 2014). "Man who claimed he was going to 'take over Oregon' arrested in Hillsboro park shooting". The Oregonian. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  10. Woolington, Rebecca (March 19, 2014). "Hillsboro police look for possible gang member who showed girls gun, fired shots in park". The Oregonian. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  11. "Walnut Street Park". Hillsboro Parks & Trails. City of Hillsboro. Retrieved October 26, 2012.
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