wasteland fun

Triangle Park, North Portland: during its industrial lifespan (early 1900's to about 1990), this property served as a lumber mill, concrete packing plant, ship building facility, dry dock, ironworks, and power plant. Suspected contaminants on the property include PCBs, hydrocarbons, PAHs (whatever those are), and heavy metals. After almost a century of nasty soil, groundwater, and Willamette River pollution - the public can readily trespass on this toxic wasteland. Grafitti artists use walls, skateboarders find challenging terrain among the loading docks and refuse, and others just wander, ride bikes, or drink beer. All of this will change when the University of Portland and federal, state, and city taxpayers start paying for environmental cleanup in the near future. The University will purchase the property to relocate and expand its athletic facilities. It won't be a toxic wasteland anymore, but sadly it won't be as interesting either.

Photos copyright Gazelle 2007

http://www.up.edu/expansion/triangle.htm