Jamison Square is a city park in Portland, Oregon 's Pearl District . It was the first park added to the neighborhood.
31-399: At a cost of $ 3.6 million, the park was designed and built during the 12-year tenure of Mayor Vera Katz . The park was designed by PWP Landscape Architecture. The park was initially designed as an outdoor art gallery, with square rocks and steps at the center, but no water. Water, running at random times over the rock, was added to keep skateboarding teenagers from using them. The water on
62-449: A city commission government , the only major city to do so. The mayor and commissioners are responsible for legislative policy and oversee the various bureaus that oversee the day-to-day operation of the city. The mayor serves as chairman of the council, and is responsible for allocating department assignments to his fellow commissioners. His post is largely honorific; most powers exercised by mayors in cities of Portland's size are vested in
93-562: A "water park for kids" that is "nestled among the Pearl's poshest pads and toniest boutiques". The park has also been criticized for being a "missed opportunity to produce something visionary". Joe Fitzgibbon of The Oregonian calls Jamison Square "just another symbol of the Pearl District's transformation from industrial neighborhood to sleek, 21st-century community." The popularity of the park with children led to requests and plans for
124-452: A cancer survivors' memorial from being placed in the park. The park also features an orange steel sculpture called Contact II by Alexander Liberman . The park, considered a pocket park , opened in May 2002, based on a 1999–2000 master plan for parks in the Pearl District, all connected by a water theme. It was named for William Jamison (1945–1995), an art gallery owner who was a proponent of
155-467: A court at the park. The park has also been home to portions of Portland Institute for Contemporary Art 's Time-Based Art Festival , beginning in 2003 with a performance by Eiko & Koma , and Anna Halprin 's "Blank Placard Happening" in 2008. Fenouil, a well-regarded local French brasserie , had a special "picnic in the park" menu and delivered lunch to the park until it closed in 2011. The park has been very popular with locals, and has been considered
186-470: A fountain, a boardwalk, and an outdoor gallery. The stone fountain metaphorically expresses the idea of an "aquifer," as water pours out of the stone steps, filling up the gently sloping ground until the water is about 12 inches deep, at which point the water drains back out and the ground is dry. The square includes four 30-foot modern totem poles , created by Kenny Scharf and Paige Powell in 2001, named Tikitotmoniki Totems . The Oregonian lampooned
217-418: A hose for cleaning. One of the prefabricated loos can be installed in as little as two hours if a concrete pad on which to place the loo has been prepared in advance, complete with the utility connections. Some installations have been fitted with a sharps disposal option for needles, primarily in the area with high transient activity due to the increased drug activity by homeless people. The sharps disposal
248-1134: A majority the top two candidates advance to a runoff election, called the general election . The most recent election was in 2020 , when incumbent Ted Wheeler was reelected in the November runoff. (Birth–Death) (1813–1883) (1801–1875) (c. 1810–1868) (1806–1877) (1826–1893) (1809–1877) (1824–1901) (1826–1893) (c. 1820–1891) (1828–1891) (1823–19??) (1828–1900) (1826–1873) (1824–1874) (1834–1898) (1819–1867) (1821–1885) (1832–1901) (1828–1895) (1834–1898) (1821–1885) (1834–1915) (1834–1901) (1821–1885) (1827–1888) (died in office) (1842–1921) (1832–1899) (1852–1896) (1831–1902) (1832–1899) (died in office) (1854–1917) (1851–1914) (1823–1910) (1855–1917) (1851–1935) (1874–1930) (1867–1950) (1868–1941) (1891–1956) (1890–1965) (1901–1981) (1896–1985) Portland Loo The Portland Loo
279-464: A memo from city Chief Operating Officer Scott Chadwick, police were called to the restroom at 14th and L streets 25 times between April and June, compared to 11 times in the same period last year — before the facility was installed. Calls at the other one climbed from 32 to 58. In 2016, some stakeholders in Seattle's U-District expressed concerns about increase in transient people and drug activity with
310-433: A modern success in the vein of Pioneer Courthouse Square . The Oregonian called it "Portland's biggest kid magnet". Architect Laurie Olin remarked "I was astonished over the social conflicts there. They seem savage and uncivil, the poor behavior between the two groups: parents with kids and people with dogs. It seems like a health hazard. I find it puzzling in its sociology, not in its design." It's been observed that it's
341-507: A public restroom as early as spring 2009, but the idea encountered resistance from residents concerned about the noise and crime it might bring, due to its being planned to be open 24 hours a day. A 24-hour public restroom called Portland Loo opened at the park in December 2010. List of mayors of Portland, Oregon The mayor of Portland, Oregon is the official head of the city of Portland, Oregon , United States . The officeholder
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#1732791205367372-491: A similar product for infringement. A settlement was reached to end the infringement lawsuit. The terms allow Romtec to continue to make and sell their Sidewalk Restroom for 25 years, but subject to a royalty payment at the rate of 8% of selling price payable to the city of Portland. In 2014, a citizen group sued the city, asserting the city had spent over $ 600,000 to promote the loos, without proper authorization. The city of Portland had exited its role in sales and marketing of
403-537: Is a hole above the handrail marked with the biohazard symbol and lettering "Sharps Disposal". In Portland, some units are fitted with sharps disposal receptacle, such as the one at Colonel Summers Park that was placed into service in September 2017 in the Buckman neighborhood and South Park Blocks. In 2011, police officer (and future police union president) Daryl Turner characterized the existing Portland Loo in
434-654: Is a type of single-occupancy public toilet designed by the city of Portland, Oregon . It is manufactured, sold, and marketed by the Portland-based manufacturer Madden Fabrication under license from the city, for $ 96,000 each. The first unit was installed in the Old Town Chinatown neighborhood in Portland in 2008. Since the first unit was installed, additional 54 units have been purchased by February 2018, mostly by 20 other cities and 15 of them within
465-433: Is elected for a four-year term and has no term limits. By law, all elections in Portland are nonpartisan. The current mayor is Ted Wheeler , who has served since 2017, and was first elected in the 2016 election . The current term for mayor of Portland is four years, having been increased from two years in 1913. Mayoral elections were previously held in May of US presidential election years (years divisible by four), during
496-494: Is officially nonpartisan by state law, although most mayoral candidates identify a party preference. Mayoral elections happen in conjunction with the United States presidential election . Elections followed a two-round system prior to 2024 where the first round of the elections was a primary election. If a candidate received a majority of the vote in the primary they were elected outright, however, If no candidate received
527-477: The Old Town Chinatown neighborhood in Portland described as "Randy Leonard's crack house right there" and "a favorite nighttime destination for drug dealers and prostitutes , who conduct their business behind its closed door." In 2014, National Geographic 's documentary Drugs, Inc. Dope-landia featured two female transients occupying the Portland Loo at the same time and smoking methamphetamine at
558-536: The Oregon primary election , with a runoff between the top two vote-getters held in November of the same year should no candidate garner a majority vote in the May election, however a new system taking effect in 2024 holds a single general election in November of Presidential election years using the Instant Runoff ranked choice voting method. The mayor-elect takes office the following January. Portland uses
589-688: The Pearl District and died of AIDS-related illness. Many events are held at the park, including the Kids Marching Band, Kids in the Pearl Block Party, Movies in the Pearl, weekly Splashdance "movement-based storytelling" by BodyVox , Pedalpalooza, and Portland Bastille Day festival, complete with the French-inspired Portland Waiters Race. The Portland Bastille Day festival attracted 5,500 visitors in 2007. A form of boules , Pétanque , plays in
620-484: The Portland Loo, it has yet to be installed. City Councilor Benton's office did not respond to KRQE's request for explanation. The loo has been praised by a homelessness advocacy group in Washington, D.C. and a columnist for Toronto Star . The Portland Loo is reportedly the "brainchild" of a former Portland commissioner Randy Leonard , who obtained a design patent on the stainless steel design in 2008. When
651-572: The Portland Loo. It has leased the rights to use and market the design to Madden for 25 years in exchange for 8% royalty payment to the city. In November 2019, KATU News reports Madden's 8% Portland Loo royalty payment since 2014 to the City of Portland totaled $ 363,323. The loos have been featured in the television show Portlandia , and fans seek them out, for photo-ops, when they visit Portland. In 2018 Vernon, British Columbia planned to purchase Portland loos, but withdrew after being placed on
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#1732791205367682-830: The Southwest Naito Parkway and Southwest Taylor Street location in downtown Portland by the Tom McCall Waterfront Park . In mid-2016, residents near the San Diego toilet called it "a magnet for crime and homelessness ". An editorial intern for the special interest magazine Yes! Magazine called criticism of the Portland Loo a focus point for "systematic denial of humanity to homeless people". San Diego officials documented an increase in police calls after Portland Loo units were installed. The calls are mostly disturbance of peace -type relating to transient people. In July 2015: According to
713-551: The art in late 2002, saying "the Pearl Arts Foundation commissioned '80s art star Kenny Scharf to put up goofy Tiki Totems" in the park. However, the totem poles are also functional, as they hide steel support poles for the overhead trolley wires that supply power to the Portland Streetcar , which began operation in 2001. The Portland Streetcar passes on two sides of the park. The Pearl District kept
744-406: The city of Portland commissioned the design of the toilet, it retained the intellectual property rights to the design, and would receive a royalty from the manufacturer, for each unit it sold. Press reports described this arrangement as a source of funds, for the city. In August 2013, the municipal corporation city of Portland sued a Roseburg, Oregon manufacturer Romtec that has been manufacturing
775-580: The city of Portland. In 2014, marketing for the restroom was transferred from the city of Portland to Madden Fabrication. The Portland Loo has features such as blue lighting said to make it difficult for intravenous drug users to find a vein for injection . After Portland Loos were installed in Chico, California, the Chico Enterprise-Record editorial board summarized what has worked and what didn't: they credited human attendants as
806-425: The city’s budget to council for review and approval, may introduce measures before the council, and breaks tie votes in the council. The mayor is elected in citywide election. Elections utilize the instant runoff ranked choice voting method, beginning with the 2024 general election. The city charter also allows for write-in candidates . The mayor is elected to a four-year term with no term limits. The office of mayor
837-468: The council as a whole. However, the mayor does have some powers, such as declaring an emergency and acting as police commissioner . Although, beginning with the 2025 mayoral term, Portland will switch to a Council-Mayor form of government. The executive mayor will work with a professional city administrator to implement the laws enacted by council and administer the city’s bureaus, employees, facilities, and resources. The executive mayor develops and proposes
868-539: The discussion to long range planning commission. Some business owners in San Diego expressed concerns about increase in drug and transient activity in general. The city of San Diego decommissioned one of the two Portland Loos installed due to transient activity and crime and put the removed loo up for auction on GovDeals. The city of Albuquerque purchased it for $ 20,000 in the summer of 2017. KRQE reported in October 2018 that despite having purchased and taken delivery of
899-465: The key to successful locations such as the attended locations in Los Angeles and San Francisco. The toilets can be solar powered. The interior dimensions are 6 feet (1.8 m) x 10.5 feet (3.2 m), so a user can wheel in a bicycle or baby-stroller to protect them from theft. Water consumption is 1.28 US gallons (4.8 L) per flush There is a maintenance closet in the rear that includes
930-432: The proposed installation of a Portland Loo in their neighborhood. In October 2017, Caddo Parish, Louisiana commission discussed on the proposal for installing a Portland Loo on the courthouse grounds. During the commission discussion, commissioners commented "We don't need to be doing anything to attract people to the courthouse" and "transient people are going to be on the courthouse grounds". The commission voted to move
961-510: The rocks ended up turning the park into an urban beach , attracting children and families who use it as a wading pool , with the intermittent nature making it a "manmade tidal pool", also called "the community pond" by locals. A wooden boardwalk , made of ipê , connects Jamison Park to Tanner Springs Park , two blocks away, and is intended to eventually connect to the Willamette River . The park design includes three main elements: