Touch Grass: Kenilworth Park

Perfect for literary-minded Reedies, the Kenilworth park and the neighborhood were laid out in 1889 and are named after Sir Walter Scott's 1821 novel Kenilworth, “a romantic novel set in Elizabethan England. Many of the streets in the neighborhood took their names from this novel and other novels by Scott,” per the Portland.gov website. The website goes on to state that the original design for the park is still very present today, including a comfort station pavilion added in 1912, which was designed by “Ellis Lawrence in the 20th Century Classic style…significant for its cubist form and decorative brickwork arches. Originally the arches were open and provided unobstructed views of the city; in 1983, to curb vandalism, metal doors were added to close off the pavilion when not in use.” These elements highlight how even simple everyday places like parks can hold history and connect communities.

Kenilworth Park is located close to Reed on SE Holgate Blvd, just a 14-minute walk from campus, though there is no better public transit route. The park was acquired by the city in 1909 and sits on a little over eight acres. It is situated between a school and a residential neighborhood, so it is a very active area. The park includes an “​​Accessible Picnic Area, Accessible Play Area, … Softball Field, Tennis Backboard, [and] Volleyball Court,” as well as restrooms and water fountains, according to Portland.gov, which also states that dogs must be leashed throughout the park. The Pacer App website has a loop route in the park that is 0.3 miles (1,000 steps), which has next to no elevation change and is rated as an easy walk. There is street parking around the park and paved paths throughout. The park is open 5:00am-midnight daily and sports field reservations are available by calling 503-823-2525. To learn more visit its section on Portland.gov. So, go out and touch grass in Kenilworth Park!