Tom McCall Waterfront Park, Portland

Tom McCall Waterfront Park forms a long green corridor beside the Willamette River, with broad lawns, paved paths and open views of bridges, boats and the opposite riverbank. Its esplanade is popular for walking, cycling and jogging, while the grassy areas host picnics, festivals and other outdoor events. Salmon Street Springs adds a playful feature, using computer-controlled jets and mist to create several changing water patterns.

The park occupies land once covered by Harbor Drive, a waterfront highway closed and removed in 1974. Governor Tom McCall formed the Harbor Drive Task Force in 1968 to consider alternatives for the riverfront. The completed park opened in 1978 and was renamed in his honour in 1984. Its development became an influential example of replacing an urban freeway with public open space.

At the northern end, the Japanese American Historical Plaza was designed by landscape architect Robert Murase. Bronze artworks, engraved stone markers and poetry recall the forced removal and incarceration of Japanese Americans during the Second World War. The plaza also contains 100 Akebono cherry trees, which produce pale pink blossoms in early spring. Nearby, the stainless-steel Friendship Circle uses an electronic sound system to play music influenced by traditional Japanese instruments.