Blue Lake Park Revisited - Fairview - 8.7.25

 It's been nearly 19 years since I first photographed the playgrounds at Blue Lake Park, and 10 years since my last visit. 

So... what does it look like now?

I'm not going to lie. It's kind of sad.

For one thing, there really isn't anything new. The three play structures that we saw in 2015 are still there. Only one of those is new since 2006.

The nature area (from 2015) lost a few items, including the log crossing, the sandbox, and the bird's nest.

It did, however, gain this random boat...

The musical instrument is still there...

And these cool rocks...

And whatever this is...

The splash pad is looking a little more colorful. This is what it looked like in 2015...

And now in 2025...

Nearby, there's a sadder one. I haven't previously photographed it, but you know it's been there a long while...

The nature area has grown up a bit, and looks nice...

Though calling it a "play area" is a bit generous.

You may recall that the waterfront play area that I so adored as a child -- and that still remained as of 2006 -- was gone by 2015. 

I was able to figure out where it had been, though!

From 2006:

From 2025:

Man, that's just depressing.

But there may be hope on the horizon...?

Renovating...?

New playgrounds...?

The sign is from 2019, though.

And so I leave with you some photos from 2025, with a faint hope for the future, and a tear for the beauty of the past...

Blue Lake Park Revisited - Fairview - 2015

 Blue Lake Park was one of the first places I ever photographed on this wacky journey, back in October, 2006. 

I visited again in 2015, but as it was a rainy day and I didn't get many good photos, I never did a post for that one. Now that I've visited the park again (2025) I decided I may as well post the 2015 photos, so you can see what the park looked like in the "in between" times...

In 2015, the purple, blue, and teal structure was still there. ^

There was a "new" play structure (that already looked pretty loved)...

There were also two new "nature" areas. One was a play area, where they had this bird nest on a tall pole (you could not reach it/play on it.)

Sorry for the blurry photo below, but it's the only one I have of this area from the time. Notice the shelter, the log crossing (better photo below), the bird's nest, some tree stumps, and some yellow seating.

This area also included a large musical percussion instrument and a sandbox...

Nearby, there was also this random sculpture...

There was also a garden area, with little trails and info. signs and some things growing...

They'd also installed a splash pad. Every so many years, Blue Lake is closed to swimmers because of algae/grossness, so a splash pad was a nice addition...

The large red, blue, and teal structure was still there...

But, sadly, between 2006 and 2015, we lost three things:

The yellow, blue, and wooden structure was gone.

And so was the waterfront play area with the rope swing.

We also lost the metal dome/bars.

It's been 10 years since these photos. Check out my next post to find out what's... changed....?

Parklane Park Revisited - SE Portland - Spring 2025

 When I last photographed Parklane Park in 2011, it was looking pretty sad -- and that wasn't because it was old or anything -- it just had an air of melancholy to it. I rarely ever saw more than a couple kids playing on it at any given time. 

I brought my niece there once around 2016. She toddled up the steps, crossed the bridge, and gave the slide the side-eye. 

Now, in 2025, a new playground -- multiple playgrounds -- have taken shape. In fact, the whole area (remember, if you will, the quarry-turned-landfill of yore) are now part of a sprawling grassland oasis that includes basketball courts, a skatepark, walking trails, and more.

Parklane Park is now bustling.

Prior to the ribbon cutting, we visited the finished-but-fenced playgrounds. I aimed my camera through the barriers and took these photos...

Some teens had gone through a gap in the fence and made a nest at the top of the play structure. My nieces were intrigued. The teens didn't stay long after we got there. Uh, sorry?

The new playground has lots of accessible equipment. Besides this spinner there's an accessible swing, musical instruments, and a variety of other things that can be enjoyed from any level.

A lot of the structures do require climbing mobility, though.

The playground officially opened on May 29, 2025, and a month or so later we went back...

The park was now bustling, and there were kids and families galore. Several picnic tables were prepped for birthday shenanigans. 

My nieces weren't thrilled with the crowds. Said one (paraphrasing): "No one else was on the spinner, so I got on it, and then a bunch of kids came over, and then an adult started spinning it faster and faster and I couldn't do anything about it!"

So we went and got ice cream and called it a day.

* * *

Parklane Park borders Main St. and Millmain Drive, and is sort of centered between 148th Ave and 162nd Ave. in SE Portland.