Construction starts on Downtown Riverfront Park

After many years of visioning and planning, construction on the developed portion of Downtown Riverfront Park is underway. Construction on this legacy park project is scheduled to take place over the next year and is on track to be completed in the late spring of 2021.

The 3-acre park will be urban in character balanced by riverbank and habitat enhancements. The work completed over the next year will include creating spaces for broad river views, new bicycle and pedestrian paths, seating and overlooks. The park’s design, which included input from thousands of community members, includes integrated art pieces that tell the stories of the ecology, industry and community, past and present, creating a park experience that’s truly all about Eugene.

“This project will be a public outdoor space like no other in Eugene,” says Emily Proudfoot, project manager. “The ability to come down to the park and look out over this beautiful river that’s shaped our community will create a destination and connection to our past and future for community members and visitors alike.”

Site preparation began last year with the demolition of buildings, mass grading, removal of soil to make the riverbank less steep, and re-vegetation of the rocky bank with more than 24,000 plants.

The adjacent 1-acre park plaza, to the west of the riverfront park, is scheduled for additional design work and construction to be completed after the opening of the park and in conjunction with building development in the new neighborhood.

Eugene-based Brown Contracting is the general contractor for the project. A regionally-recognized firm, Brown has been working in Eugene building parks, public infrastructure, and private projects for more than 23 years and has a record of high-quality construction throughout our community. Brown Contracting has implemented a strong set of COVID-related safety protocols for its employees, including designating an assigned distancing chief for each of their regional projects.

Funding for the Downtown Riverfront Park development comes from the 2018 Parks and Recreation Bond and Levy, Urban Renewal Agency funds and capital funds.