Skip to main contentOaks Amusement Park has proposed a 147-foot “drop tower” ride on its midway, part of a massive renovation project slated to begin this year, according to the Southeast Portland park.
Documents that Oaks Park CEO Brandon Roben filed with the city last month show the park is asking for the city to make two zoning changes: increase the maximum structure height from 30 feet to 147 feet to accommodate the ride, and allow new exterior lighting nearby.
Emily MacKay, Oaks Park Association’s spokeswoman, says the thrill ride will hoist riders up 120 feet before dropping them suddenly, then gently slowing to a stop using a magnetic braking system. The drop tower is not a replacement for AtmosFEAR, MacKay says. AtmosFEAR is the pendulum ride that left riders stranded upside down for about 30 minutes last June, spurring an emergency evacuation of the ride and park, international media coverage, and lawsuits from riders.
“We’ve been working for several years on a large-scale, multiyear refurbishment and rejuvenation project focusing on preserving our historic structures, bringing exciting new attractions to our visitors, improving accessibility for the community, and completing significant bank restoration and invasive species mitigation while enhancing landscaping and green spaces,” MacKay says.
The proposal has drawn the ire of environmentalists and some neighbors, who are banding together to oppose the new ride. Mike Houck, director of Urban Green Spaces Institute, says a structure that tall and bright poses a threat to birds and other wildlife.
“We have a huge concern about bright lights in the city, which affect birds particularly during migration,” Houck says. “If I lived on the bluff on Sellwood Boulevard, looking out over a 160-acre wildlife refuge, I would be pretty concerned about the impact on the neighborhood as well.”
Oaks Park sits on the banks of the Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge. At 160 acres, it’s the largest urban wildlife refuge in Portland and over 100 species of birds have been spotted there over the years, Houck says.
The nonprofit organization Friends of Oaks Bottom wrote a statement calling the proposed new ride “an eyesore for most of the Sellwood neighborhood” and an “assault on the beloved scenic area,” from birds to beavers.
MacKay says the drop tower ride and the new lights will be centrally located within the 44-acre property, placing them over 250 feet from the Willamette River and over 500 feet from the Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge. Also, the decorative lights from the tower ride will be on only during the day and the park’s limited operating hours, “the vast majority of which take place during daylight hours,” she says.
Oaks Park opened in 1905 and is one of the oldest continually operating amusement parks in the U.S. The nonprofit Oaks Park Association has owned and operated it since 1985. The property contains a historic carousel and dance pavilion, the Oaks Park train, miniature golf, thrill rides, midway games and the oldest roller rink in the country.
In addition to lights on the tower, the park is hoping to install six replicas of Oaks Park’s historical light fixtures, which look like early 1900s-style fountains, with incandescent bulbs.
The public has until January 16 to submit comments to the city about the project. Portland Permitting & Development will then make a decision on the proposal within 120 days.