Belonging Beyond the Classroom
A new neighborhood park is taking shape just five blocks from Bridges Middle School, and we’re excited to help make it a welcoming space for everyone.
The City of Portland’s Slabtown Park Project will transform a vacant one-acre lot at NW 20th Avenue and Pettygrove Street into a public green space designed for recreation, relaxation, and community connection.
As part of the project’s early planning, Portland Parks & Recreation selected 20 community members for a focus group to help shape the park’s design. Among those selected was our Executive Director, Beven Byrnes, who joined the group on October 12 to advocate for a park that considers the needs of neurodivergent children and families.
Creating Spaces Where Everyone Belongs
At Bridges, we understand that thoughtfully designed environments can meaningfully shape how children and teens experience the world around them. That same philosophy applies to public spaces.
During the focus group, Beven encouraged the design team to consider features that would make the new park more accessible, sensory-sensitive, and welcoming for children with a wide range of needs and abilities.
Her recommendations included:
- Sensory-sensitive design that considers how kids experience sound, movement, and other environmental stimuli.
- Inclusive play opportunities that accommodate children with dyspraxia and other motor coordination differences.
- Quiet retreat spaces with shade and calming greenery where visitors can take a break from activity.
- Predictable walking paths and accessible seating that support comfortable navigation and opportunities to rest.
- Welcoming gathering spaces where autistic kids, children with ADHD, and their families can feel comfortable and included.
These considerations reflect a broader belief at Bridges: inclusion works best when we build it into an environment from the start, rather than adding it as an afterthought.
With the park just a short walk from our school, we’re especially excited to help shape a neighborhood resource that can benefit our students, families, and the broader community for years to come.
Your Voice Can Help Shape the Park
The Slabtown Park Project is still in its early design phase, and Portland Parks & Recreation is inviting community members to share their ideas and priorities.
Feedback gathered this fall will help inform initial design concepts, which are expected to be shared for additional community input in early 2027. Construction is currently scheduled for 2028–2029.
Community members can also connect directly with the project team during an upcoming drop-in event at the new Northwest Library, located at 2030 NW Pettygrove Street, on Saturday, October 17, from 1 pm to 3 pm. This is another opportunity to learn more about the project, ask questions, and share ideas for the park’s design.
We encourage Bridges families, staff, and neighbors to take the online survey and share what would make this new park welcoming and inclusive for everyone.
The survey is open now through Thursday, October 22, 2026.
Learn more about the Slabtown Park Project and complete the community survey here.
Together, we can help create a neighborhood space where all children and families feel a sense of belonging.