Willamette Week covers advocates' Columbia Pool efforts
Dec. 8, 2021

 Willamette Week's Sophie Peel covered the neighborhood's ongoing efforts to save Columbia Pool in an article entitled "North Portlanders Eye Surplus Dollars to Get a Beloved Pool Back," published 12/8/21. The article discusses the pool closure and expresses the neighbor's desire to maintain the existing pool rather than replace it.
Speaking about the City's budget $1.3M surplus, Friends of Columbia Park's president Rachel Burdon was featured in the article.
"Rachel Burdon, president of Friends of Columbia Park, says the parks bureau or Rubio could use $400,000 of the $1.5 million to do a full inspection of the old pool. “Any decision maker can decide to reallocate funds how they need to,” Burdon says. North Portland is more diverse, she adds, and therefore “deserves a little more attention than another part of town.”
Friends of Columbia Park releases the Community Task Force (CTF) Facilities Assessment Report (CTR) , a 2-year effort to bring additional information to the community, the City, and Parks about the condition of Columbia Pool.  Read the entire report here, and issuance letter here.

Columbia Pool is closed indefinitely

Parks received a new report from their contracted engineering firm and decided to close the pool for safety reasons.  Friends of Columbia Park, along with other North Portland advocates met virtually at newly-elected Commissioner Rubio’s office to learn more.  In April 2021, Commissioner Rubio earmarked $11.7 million for a new aquatic center for North Portland.  Unfortunately, it will take 5-7 years to complete.

We learned that the future of Columbia Pool has not yet been decided. Please remind City Council once more about the importance of Columbia Pool.  Your voice at this time really matters! 
Click the link below. Your email will open, addressed to council members.  Add your own words! 

Email City Hall, Now!

What’s new in Parks' latest engineering report?  We knew that the pool’s roof needs repair; that a substantial investment will be needed in future years to keep the pool open.  Parks and City Council needs to allocate funding, fix the roof, and re-open Columbia Pool.  North Portlanders do not want year-round swimming to cease for 5-7 years.   

How it all began in 2019 . . .

Save Columbia Pool Coalition

The City of Portland passed the 2019-2020 budget which includes drastic cuts to the Parks and Recreation Budget.  These budget cuts will lead to the closure of Columbia Pool in July of 2020 unless citizen action and partnership with the City or Portland can change the course.  FOCP is part of an emerging coalition of concerned neighbors and groups working to assure uninterrupted aquatics access for the community and maintain Columbia Park as the “Jewel of the North.”    Watch our facebook page and stay tuned for more information and needed actions of the coming months.
(You don't have to be a facebook member to view our page)
KGW Local News Article 
Saturday, September 28, 2019
PORTLAND, Ore. — North Portland’s Columbia Pool is scheduled to close next summer due to a major budget gap in the Bureau of Parks and Recreation, but neighbors are not ready to give up on their beloved facility yet. From seniors, to parents, and even their kids; people in North Portland are fighting to keep the pool open....

​Excerpt from article written by reporter Brittany Falkers 
Read the full article
Park & Poolooza Event at Columbia Park
Saturday, September 28, 2019
We invite you, your family and friends to come out on September 28th to celebrate our park and pool.  There is a great line-up of music plus we will showcase some of our sponsors and wonderful community organizations. We will have activities, games, food for sale, and above all, time to mix-n-mingle with your fellow park and pool supporters. We have a lot in store for the day, so check out the program.

We would like to express much appreciation to our SPONSORS for support of Friends of Park & Poolooza! and Friends of Columbia Park.

We need your help to make this event a roaring success!  Join our great group of Park and Pool supporters. Sign up to volunteer or send an email to Mary Englund.


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Save Columbia Pool Meeting at Columbia Cottage
Saturday, July 27, 2019
About 100 neighbors gathered for a "Save Columbia Pool" community meeting hosted by FOCP at the Cottage.

​With leadership from the Portsmouth Neighborhood Association Chair, Mary-Margaret Wheeler-Weber, and our own president, Rachel Burdon, the group discussed what we know about the current situation and began planning for what's next. 
This event and the Save Columbia Pool effort was covered by KOIN 6 News.