Ongoing Work
Audrey McCall Beach
Located off the Eastbank Esplanade near the Hawthorne Bridge, Audrey McCall Beach was once a neglected stretch of riverfront littered with concrete, trash, and riprap. Over the years, HAP and our volunteer Beach Brigade transformed it into a true city beach—removing more than 50 yards of debris, adding a swim ladder to the dock, and introducing a trail and stairways to the river. In summer 2025, our Tuesday Splashdown events brought nearly 200 people to the beach each week, celebrating a new era of river access in Portland's Central Eastside neighborhood.
Cathedral Park
The transformation of St Johns' Cathedral Park into a utilized and loved riverside destination has been one of HAP's greatest achievements. Since 2021, we have mobilized hundreds of volunteers to remove over 200 tons of concrete and rubble, creating the park’s north and south beaches. HAP also played an instrumental role in replacing the Cathedral Park Dock—securing a $300,000 ARPA grant and partnering with Portland Parks & Recreation on the $900,000 project, which features swim ladders and floating pontoons to improve water circulation. HAP continues to steward the site, removing derelict pilings and further enhancing St Johns' first and only river access point.
Duckworth Beach
Since May of 2025, the HAP Beach Brigade has brought close to 100 volunteers down to the riverside area beside Duckworth Dock to clear concrete, rip rap and trash. Slowly but surely, these efforts have worked to uncover Duckworth Beach: Portland's newest river access point, and NE Portland's very first. Our goal is to create a towel-and-toe-friendly beach by summer of 2026. People will be able to swim between the dock and the shore, enjoying the river from a more secluded and shaded area.
Tom McCall Bowl Redevelopment
Since 2012, HAP has “UnRocked the Bowl,” removing over 50 tons of riprap from the river’s edge to create a beach at Tom McCall Waterfront Park. Next up: transforming this space into a world-class, toes-in-the-river waterfront park designed for vibrant public use and year-round connection to the Willamette. Learn more here.
Ross Island Harmful algae bloom
In 2017, HAP partnered with Oregon State University and several community partners to tackle the human-caused algae bloom that forms each summer at Ross Island. To date, our coalition has raised nearly $1 million to develop a science-based solution to this pressing issue. We are deeply grateful to everyone working alongside us to restore the river’s natural ecology and ensure Portlanders' rights to a clean and healthy Willamette. Click here to learn more about the history of the Ross Island algae bloom, why it matters, and how you can help.
HELP MOTHER NATURE AND THE WILLAMETTE RIVER NEED YOUR HELP
Last week, the algae bloom that returned to the Ross Island Lagoon spread all the way to Kelley Point Park (that’s approximately 8 river miles traveling North from the Lagoon), and we made the call to cancel Audrey McCall Beach Friday Splashdown. We waited until the last possible minute, hoping the water would turn a corner. We couldn't in good conscience host a party in a river we weren't personally going to get into.
Splashdown at Audrey McCall Beach and Lloyd Live! At Duckworth Dock bring people, and dollars, to the businesses around the area every week. When the river closes, so does that foot traffic. This bloom doesn't just cost us a party; it costs this stretch of the Willamette real economic activity. What’s more, it makes our river look like crap!
It's getting worse. Four of the last five summers have brought a serious bloom to this part of the river, and this year's is the worst we've documented in a decade.
We know the fix. OSU scientists have designed a flushing channel that would restore natural flow through the lagoon and clear the conditions that let this bloom form in the first place. It's tested and it’s ready. What's missing is a state agency willing to lead it.
We are grateful that the weather is cooling and rain is incoming, which will help flush the algae. But we can’t delay this any longer. This is where you come in. Many are asking, ‘What can I do?’ Write your Portland City Council members and legislators. Legislative days are next week, so please don’t put it off. Tell them Portlanders want the Willamette fixed. We have the power to do this!
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District 1
Councilor Candace Avalos - Councilor.Avalos@portlandoregon.gov Lauren Jin, Communications Manager: Lauren.Jin@portlandoregon.gov
Councilor Jamie Dunphy - Councilor.Dunphy@portlandoregon.gov Madeline West, Chief of Staff: Madeline.West@portlandoregon.gov
Councilor Loretta Smith - Councilor.Smith@portlandoregon.gov Elijah Crawford, Chief of Staff: Elijah.Crawford@portlandoregon.gov
District 2
Councilor Elana Pirtle-Guiney - Councilor.Pirtle-Guiney@portlandoregon.gov Devin Mullins, Acting Chief of Staff: Devin.Mullins@portlandoregon.gov
Councilor Sameer Kanal - Councilor.Kanal@portlandoregon.gov Shaniqua Henry-Davis, Senior Communications & Policy Advisor: Shaniqua.Henry-Davis@portlandoregon.gov
Councilor Dan Ryan - Councilor.Ryan@portlandoregon.gov Kezia Wanner, Chief of Staff: Kezia.V.Wanner@portlandoregon.gov
District 3
Councilor Tiffany Koyama Lane - Councilor.Koyamalane@portlandoregon.gov Mary Li, Head of Staff: Mary.Li@portlandoregon.gov
Councilor Angelita Morillo - Councilor.Morillo@portlandoregon.gov Meredith Wadlington, Community Liaison: Meredith.Wadlington@portlandoregon.gov
Councilor Steve Novick - Councilor.Novick@portlandoregon.gov Spencer Knowles, Chief of Staff: Spencer.knowles@portlandoregon.gov
District 4
Councilor Olivia Clark - Councilor.Clark@portlandoregon.gov Jimmy Radosta, Communications and Engagement Director: Jimmy.E.Radosta@portlandoregon.gov
Councilor Mitch Green - Councilor.Green@portlandoregon.gov Maria Sipin, Chief of Staff: Maria.Sipin2@portlandoregon.gov
Councilor Eric Zimmerman - Councilor.Zimmerman@portlandoregon.gov Christopher Van Velden, Communications Director: Christopher.VanVelden@portlandoregon.gov
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