LEARN WHAT YOU CAN DO!
After years of maintenance neglect, Pier Pool’s 84-year-old pipes have sprung a leak. Pier Pool opened on June 20, 2024 and closed by the first heatwave of summer.
You may or may not be aware that the Pier Pool’s water pump is from a World War II Victory Ship. Several years ago when this pump was reconditioned, Portland Parks maintenance staff told Friends of Pier Park that they were refurbishing — and not replacing — the Victory Ship pump because, “The pipes are so old that a new pump will blow them out.” The realities are that pipes rust, and neglect of basic maintenance is endemic within Portland Parks.
What you can do
Pier Park Pool Party
Join us for a Pier Park Pool Party on Tuesday, August 13th at 6:30 pm, Picnic Area H, conveniently located across from the entrance to Pier Pool. Friends of Pier Park is inviting each of the City Council candidates for District 2 (our district) as well as friends and neighbors.
Email the Mayor and City Administrator
You can also join us in emailing Mayor Ted Wheeler at mayorwheeler@portlandoregon.gov and City Administrator Michael Jordan at michael.jordan@portlandoregon.gov.
Below is a sample email. Feel free to copy and paste this email, edit it as you see fit, or write your own. Thank you for helping us motivate the City of Portland to get Pier Pool back up and running. Every voice counts.
Sample email
Pier Pool has served generations of North Portland residents. Dedicated in 1940, it is a summer gathering place for our community, a place where families go to play and safely enjoy the water, and a place to cool off in the summer heat. It is also where thousands of our children have learned to swim over the years. In this section of the City, on the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers, learning to swim is a critical skill. It is a skill that can save lives.
This is also a section of the City with a diverse and low income population. On free swim days the line to get into Pier Pool extends around the block.
This year Pier Pool opened on June 20th and was closed before our first heatwave. Due to neglect and a tragic lack of maintenance, Pier Pool joins other Portland Pools in standing closed during the most important season. We are requesting that the City of Portland redouble efforts to fix and reopen Pier Pool ASAP. After the closure of Columbia Pool several years ago, this is the only public pool in our section of the City, the only pool available to so many children.
Sincerely,
(Your Name)