Second Street Pocket Park, City of Hood River

Award-winning design

The Second Street Pocket Park was created in the fall of 2000. It is located in downtown Hood River, north of Overlook Memorial Park, just a few feet from Oak Street, the City’s main street.

During Urban Renewal construction in 1998, wider sidewalks were created on both sides of Second Street, allowing for placement of large planters. On the street’s west side, unsightly power transformers needed to be screened. This led to the creation of the pocket park, just west of the utilities, incorporating several benches with the chosen robust, durable planters. The sloping street and sidewalk necessitated the construction of a large concrete pad, surrounded by metal railing, to create a level, safe surface for the planters and benches enveloping the small park. The entrance is handicapped-accessible.

The sturdy, attractive terra cotta-colored planters are made of glass-fiber reinforced composite stone and fitted with a self-watering system. They contain a water reservoir that requires only weekly refilling during the summer.

The plant palette in the planters includes dwarf conifers, small shrubs, ornamental grasses, perennials and bulbs. The plants were chosen for their superior foliage and texture and long blooming period. They display warm, bright and earth tone colors, fusing planters and paint colors of nearby buildings. The plant combinations furnish low-maintenance, continuous and close to year-round interest and echo the natural qualities of the Gorge surroundings.

The Pocket Park was designed by Marion McNew, and the planters and plantings were installed by Mount Hood Gardens. The space was designed as a harbor shape, resulting in a private, comfortable seating area partially screened from the street. The miniature park provides an inviting and surprising place to sit and enjoy a cozy lunch or respite, just seconds away from the hustle and bustle of Oak Street.

The Second Street Pocket Park and Marion McNew received an Honor Award (First Place) from the Perennial Plant Association in 2003, in their national landscape design competition. View announcement.

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