Portland's Washington Park would normally teem with visitors on a three-day weekend. You probably won't face the typical crowds during this upcoming Memorial Day holiday, but the park is preparing for summer's unofficial kickoff by rolling out some new resources for visitors.
First, all roads leading to the park in Southwest Portland are scheduled to reopen Friday, May 22. Those routes were closed two months ago to discourage large gatherings of visitors and prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Workers are also installing new hand-washing stations throughout the grounds next week and reopening two public restrooms that had been off limits.
While popular attractions like the Oregon Zoo and Portland Children's Museum remain shuttered, you can still walk through the International Rose Test Garden, which has rerouted pathways to ease congestion, and other natural areas. There is no set date to reopen all of the park's amenities.
Regardless, that should be enough to encourage Portlanders to spend the holiday at home rather than traveling to reopened counties.
Visitor services kiosks are still unstaffed due to the pandemic. Call 503-319-0999 for assistance, or check out the COVID-19 information page on Washington Park's website.