Tigard Park System Master Plan - City of Tigard

TIGARD PARK SYSTEM MASTER PLAN UPDATELINEAR PARKSLinear parks offer opportunities for trail-oriented outdoor recreationalong built or natural corridors, connect residences to major communitydestinations and provide some active and passive recreation facilities tomeet neighborhood needs. This is especially important in areas notadequately served by traditional neighborhood parks. Linear Parks arebecoming increasingly important for pedestrians, non-motorized traveland exercise.Tigard has three linear parks. The sizes of linear parks are adequate toprotect natural resources and accommodate intended uses. For nearbyresidents of all ages, linear parks encourage an active healthy lifestyle byproviding trail-oriented activities and opportunities.The existing linear parks are:Commercial Park – This linear park is primarily used as apedestrian route between Commercial Street and Center Street.Englewood Park – This 15-acre park contains a little over one mileof paved pathways. In addition to the trail, there are threeplaygrounds and a basketball hoop.Fanno Creek – With 31 acres of open space and a paved, multi-usetrail, Fanno Creek is the largest linear park. Fanno Creek Park isthe centerpiece of the proposed downtown redevelopment andrevitalization. Future Fanno Creek Park planning includes acommunity meeting place (the Fanno Creek House) and acommunity gathering place (the Plaza).OPEN SPACEOpen spaces are publicly or privately-owned areas, undeveloped orminimally developed, and are intended for either active or passiveoutdoor recreation. Open spaces may include developed facilities thatsupport outdoor recreation and trail-oriented recreation, or areas solelyset aside for nature-oriented recreation and the protection of naturalresources, such as fish and wildlife habitat. This type of land oftenincludes wetlands, steep hillsides or other similar spaces as well as landintentionally left undeveloped to protect surrounding land uses or tomanage stormwater.These properties have also been referred to as greenspaces or greenwayareas and are intended to contain a natural quality that protects valuablenatural resources and provides wildlife habitat and opportunities forCHAPTER 2 PARK SYSTEM TODAY 13