GOOD THINGS ARE HAP-PENNING!

On a recent beautiful fall morning on the Willamette River, a group of folks gathered to attack a problem that has plagued the banks of the river for decades. While geese, ducks, and eagles interspersed with a light fog rising from the water, these intrepid souls made their way down a steep path to Cottonwood Bay Park.

Situated along the Willamette Greenway on the southwest side of the city, across from Ross Island, Cottonwood Bay has a long history of industrial use dating back to the 1920s, leaving a legacy of rebar, concrete, asphalt, and other debris from long-gone structures. The park, less than an acre in size, boasts one of the oldest remaining stands of cottonwood trees on the west side and forms a protective cove for people using the greenway to recreate.

The workers were part of the Voz Workforce Development Center and were helping us remove tons of concrete that rendered most of the bay unusable and dangerous due to sharp piles of broken-up building materials. For two days straight, we worked to clear the beach of obstacles and create a place where people could safely walk their dogs, access the river, discover nature, and relax. A group of local schoolchildren even appeared out of the trees and were curious about what we were doing.

In the end, our efforts cleared up over 100 tons of debris and turned big rocks into little ones small enough to load onto a barge to be hauled away for disposal. Honestly, eight hours a day of breaking up and disposing of heavy rocks in the cool fall mornings and hot afternoon sun left me sore but satisfied. I realized yet again the enormous impact HAP has on transforming our iconic river into something desirable, safe, meaningful, and fun!

Go check out Cottonwood Bay sometime if you are riding, running, or walking by, and feel the progress we are making in providing safe and clean access for all to enjoy.

Special thanks to Prosper Portland for their partnership in making this project possible!

A CITY IN LOVE WITH ITS RIVER

People protect what they love. We are on a mission to transform Portland’s relationship with the Willamette River, from a neglected water body to a beloved public space and natural treasure.

Human Access Project (HAP) is reconnecting Portlanders with their river, expanding public access to the Willamette, advocating for improved water quality, and facilitating positive experiences at the river’s edge.

GET INVOLVED NOW!

Down By The River Fundraiser

Saturday happened, and it was everything we hoped it would be. Skylab filled up with the people who make this work possible, three bands played until the night wore thin, and the silent auction raised real money for real river access work.

Photos from the night are up now. Scroll through and relive it, find yourself in the crowd, see the sauna crew and the winery bidders and everyone in between.

None of this happens without you. The people who bought tickets, who bid on Remy Wines dinners and Jupiter Hotel stays, who showed up and brought a friend. This event exists because Portland keeps showing up for its river, and Saturday proved that again.

We're already thinking about next year. The success of this first fundraiser tells us everything we need to know, we're doing this again, and you're going to want to be there from the start.

View the photos

HAP’s work is cultural change

Since 2010, we have:

Brought more than 50,000 people to the river through creative events like The Big Float and Tuesday Splashdowns at Audrey McCall Beach.
Helped establish Portland’s first and second public beaches in a century — Poet’s and Audrey McCall Beach.
Partnered with Portland Parks & Recreation to designate six safer swimming areas along the Willamette.
Removed hundreds of tons of concrete, riprap, and derelict pilings, creating new beaches such as Cathedral Park and Duckworth Beach.
Converted the Kevin Duckworth Dock from motorized to non-motorized use, transforming it into a safer space for swimmers and anglers.
Improved swimming access and safety by adding ladders, stairways, and seasonal lifeguards at key river sites.
Spearheaded a science-based solution to the Harmful Algae Bloom (HAB) crisis at Ross Island.