Portland's Popular Fountains

How many fountains does Portland have?
The Portland Water Bureau maintains 17 decorative fountains (not including our world famous Benson Bubblers).

What are the best fountains for swimming in?
You can't actually swim in any of the fountains, per se, but you can splash around in them. The most popular ones for doing that are Salmon Street Springs (SW Portland) , Jamison Square (NW Portland), Holladay Park Fountain (NE Portland), and McCoy Fountain (North Portland).

Is the water safe to drink?
Not unless you like drinking swimming pool water! Our fountains have about as much chlorine as public swimming pools.

Don't they waste water?
No. To conserve water, most of our fountains recycle / reflow the water (another reason not to drink it).

How often are the fountains cleaned?
The fountains are cleaned and maintained regularly.

What time are the fountains open (turned on)?
Most fountains operate spring through fall from 6:30 am to 8 pm. The fountains are turned off in winter, and when they require maintenance and repairs.

Are they safe to play in?
We do not have lifeguards at any of our fountains, and people should use caution when splashing around. This particularly applies to children. Slippery surfaces, rapidly moving water, and pools of water require careful attention to ensure safe fun.

Where can I find more information about Portland's fountains?
The Portland Water Bureau created a self-guided tour of downtown Portland's fountains. You can download it here.

Information Courtesy of Sarah Bott, Sr. Community Outreach & Information Representative for the Portland's Water Bureau and Portland Parks and Recreation.

Jamison Square's History

Historical Information (Courtesty of Portland Parks and Recreation)

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From the beginning of the planning efforts for the Pearl District in the early 1990s, the creation of a network of open spaces was an important goal of both the neighborhood and the City. In 1998, a conceptual plan for the new parks and open spaces was proposed by the Tanner Creek & Water Feature Steering Committee and approved by City Council. Those recommendations served as a point of departure for planning the district's parks.

In June 1999, Peter Walker & Partners, a landscape architecture firm, was retained to provide concepts for three new parks between Tenth and Eleventh Avenues in the River District. They developed and refined plans for the parks with input from a Project Steering Committee and two public workshops. The final plan is characterized by a series of recurring elements which strengthen the connection between each of the three parks.

Located between NW Johnson and Kearney, Jamison Square was the first to be developed. It is named in honor of William Jamison, whose presence was pivotal in the development of the River District. He was an exceptional person in his ability to influence and connect with a wide variety of people. His personal magnetism, in addition to the size and scope of his art gallery, drew many people into the Pearl District.

The focal point of the park is a fountain which simulates a shallow tidal pool. Water cascades from stone joints into low pools as the fountain continuously recirculates treated water with energy efficient pumps and motors.

In 2006 artist Mauricio Saldaña, commissioned by the Portland Pearl Rotary Club, created a red granite sculpture modeled after a brown bear. The bear's name is Rico Pasado, meaning "rich past," in reference to the history of the bears that once roamed this area as well as the Rotary International Centennial. This is why the sculpture is also referred to as the "centennial bear."

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Another art installation in the park is Contact II, the 1972 metal sculpture by Alexander Liberman that was donated to the City of Portland in 2002 by Ed Cauduro in memory of his parents.

Portland, OR: 50 Things to Do With Your Kids Before They Grow Up

We recently came across a blog on Alpha+Mom titled "50 Things to Do With Your Kids Before They Grow Up". Intrigued, we read on...

The blog written by Asha Dornfest of Parent Hacks and Blythe Butler of The Blythe Spirit outlines 50 things to do in portland with kids that will really give you a flavor for what Portland family life is all about. Many of the ideas are free. All of them are fabulous. Who knew there was an annual "Big Truck Day"? As Portland mom's ourselves, we have ventured on many of these outings and thoroughly enjoyed them. More importantly, we are thrilled to now have several new outing ideas. Asha and Blythe thank you for this great list!!!

We hope you don't mind us borrowing your great ideas!

Here is a copy of the original post From the Alpha+Mom blog Published 10.14.2008...

By Asha Dornfest of Parent Hacks and Blythe Butler of The Blythe Spirit.

In our biased opinions, Portland is a family paradise. Kids here love the outdoors in its leafy summertime brilliance and its wintry, puddle-soaked glory. They can learn to do almost anything, from cooking vegetables grown in a neighborhood garden to swinging from a trapeze. And they do it all in a city that’s criss-crossed by trains, streetcars, buses, and even an aerial tram. Let us show you around:

1. Spend an afternoon at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI), including a tour of the USS Blueback Naval submarine.

2. Splash in the “tidal” fountain at Jamison Square.

3. Drink a heavenly seasonal Burgerville milkshake, made with local huckleberries, caramel apples, or chocolatey hazelnuts.

4. Slide down the waterslide at the indoor Southwest Community Center pool.

5. Take a free children’s gardening class at one of Portland’s Community Gardens.

6. Eat elephant ears and dance to live music at the Portland Saturday Market.

7. Get a bird’s-eye view from the Portland Aerial Tram.

8. Visit Packy at the Oregon Zoo.

9. Play in the brook at the Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden.

10. Watch the ducks at Laurelhurst Park.

11. Climb up Mount Tabor -- an extinct volcano in the middle of a neighborhood with a playground at the top.

12. Eat a homemade Ruby Jewel ice cream-and-cookie sandwich at the Portland Farmers Market in the Portland State University park blocks.

13. Go to a free Oregon Symphony Neighborhood Concert.

14. Eat cotton candy, ride the bumper cars, and roller skate on the wooden rink at Oaks Park Amusement Park.

15. Eat a single Moonstruck Chocolate truffle.

16. Grab a slice of pizza and watch a $3 second-run movie at McMenamins Kennedy School.

17. Take a downtown Portland fountain walk. A self-guided tour map is available at the Visitor Center in Pioneer Courthouse Square.

18. Hang out in the children's section or take in storytime at the Central Library.

19. Take a free streetcar ride in downtown.

20. Watch a minor-league Beavers baseball or Timbers soccer game at PGE Park.

21. Take the MAX train to Washington Park.

22. Watch July 4th fireworks over the Willamette River.

23. Go to the Children's Museum.

24. Watch the Vaux Swifts' return to the Chapman School chimney every night in September.

25. Pick fresh berries and peaches on Sauvie Island. In the Fall, visit the pumpkin patches and corn mazes there.

26. Stake out a prime sidewalk viewing spot for the Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade.

27. Paint your own pottery at Mimosa Studios. Afterward, walk down Alberta Street and eat a lavender syrup crepe at Tour des Crepes (It's charmingly housed inside an old garage, and the crepe-cooking happens in an Airstream trailer out back).

28. Pick up some gifts at Thinker Toys or Annie Bloom's Books in Multnomah Village. Walk around the corner to the candy shop for a sweet treat.

29. Take a hike in the middle of the city in 5,000-acre Forest Park.

30. Take in the views of the city from Council Crest Park.

31. Walk along the elevated boardwalk in the Japanese Garden.

32. Relax with a cup of tea and some snacks in the pavilion at the Classical Chinese Garden.

33. Don your slicker and rain boots and walk through the puddles just about anywhere in Fall. The busy squirrels and the falling leaves will keep you distracted.

34. Take a day trip to see the midsummer snow on Mt. Hood.

35. Do some holiday shopping on NW 23rd Avenue, and enjoy the sparkly trees.

36. Eat a Grape Ape or a Dirt Doughnut at Voodoo Doughnut.

37. Keep an eye out for miniature plastic horses tied up to metal rings along neighborhood sidewalks.

38. Share a dozen Saint Cupcake mini cupcakes with friends.

39. Cheer the bands in the Rose Festival Junior Parade, or dress up and join it yourself.

40. Visit Mill Ends Park, the smallest park in the world according to the Guinness Book of World Records.

41. Bike along the Eastbank Esplanade.

42. Unleash your inner American Idol at Airplay Café’s Open Tike events – open mikes for kids under 12.

43. Pick up some bargain dress-up duds at the huge Catlin Gabel School Rummage sale, one of the largest rummage sales in the world.

44. Meander down Peacock Lane the last two weeks of December and see a streetful of spectacularly lit homes.

45. Take in a children’s show at the Ladybug Theater.

46. Climb on the big wheels at Big Truck Day at Conestoga Rec Center.

47. Put on your best finery and enjoy Little Sippers afternoon tea at the Heathman Hotel.

48. Invite nine of your friends and schedule a backstage tour of the Rose Garden Arena home of the Portland Trailblazers.

49. Swing from a trapeze in a DO JUMP! theatre class.

50. Walk along Tom McCall Waterfront Park and enjoy the view, rain or shine.

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Thanks again Alpha+Mom for bringing this to our attention. We're off for a year of adventure around the portland area!

Cheers!