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Washington Park’s got a brand-new reflecting pool at last. The Washington Park Reservoir reopened Aug. 14 after 10 years of restoration and a yearlong delay. The reservoir project provides a seismically resilient water supply for 360,000 westsiders, plus a brand-new reflecting pool (not connected to the buried reservoir) and plaza.
The original 1894 open-air reservoirs were replaced with a 12.4-million gallon underground reservoir built to withstand an earthquake, according to the Portland Water Bureau. The new reservoir has been serving the westside since 2021, including all downtown businesses and residents, 20 schools, five hospital complexes, and 60 parks.
“The reservoir is a prime example of thoughtful planning, deliberate placemaking, and critical investments in the future of Portland,” said Priya Dhanapal, deputy city administrator for public works, in a statement.
The project was supposed to open in June 2025. Shortly before the community celebration, the Water Bureau decided the construction wasn’t complete due to safety concerns and incomplete construction and held off the public debut until now. (“After running the reflecting pool for a few months, we noticed that the water wasn’t flowing as intended,” the city explained. “Crews conducted a series of flow tests in the new reflecting pool system. The tests showed water between the liners of the reflecting pool.” Sounds familiar!)
The upper reflecting pool is now open to the public, but the lower area—which will include another reflecting pool and a lowland habitat—is still closed, according to the bureau. The reasoning is a little vague: “Crews are working to develop signage, install fencing, and address other safety issues.”
The city has put together a self-guided walking tour to the Washington Park Reservoir for visitors, including stops at the grand staircase, the cascading water feature and the historic timeline wall.
And, though it may be tempting on a hot summer’s day, there is no swimming, boating or wading in the Washington Park Reservoir reflecting pools. They’re also off-limits to pets.
