Walnut Street Park
{{Short description|Park in Hillsboro, Oregon}}
{{Infobox park
|name= Walnut Street Park
|photo=Walnut Street Park - Hillsboro, Oregon.JPG
|photo_caption=
|type=Public, city
|location=Hillsboro, Oregon
United States
|coords = {{coord|45|31|32|N|122|59|14|W|type:landmark_region:US|display=title,inline}}
|area= {{convert|2.5|acre|m2}}
|created= 1998
|operator=Hillsboro Parks & Recreation Department
|visitation_num=
|status=open
|parking=On-street parking
}}
Walnut Street Park is a small municipal park in Hillsboro in the U.S. state of Oregon. Opened in 1998, the park covers {{convert|2.5|acre|m2}} along southeast Walnut Street several blocks east of Tenth Avenue in a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood.
History
The park was built around 1998 in the mainly Hispanic neighborhood southeast of Downtown Hillsboro.{{cite news|url=http://blog.oregonlive.com/hillsboro/2010/03/hillsboro_park_of_the_week_wal.html |title= Hillsboro Park of the Week: Walnut Street |last= Stevens |first= Michael O.|date= March 29, 2010|work=OregonLive.com}} During a gang fight in 2001 at the park, one person was hospitalized with a stab wound,{{cite news |title= Community Snapshot: Public Safety |date= May 8, 2001|newspaper= The Oregonian |page=West Zoner D2}} and around 2005 a picnic table was stolen from the park. The park was added by the Hillsboro School District to the list of parks used for the district's free summer lunch program in 2006.{{cite news |title= Neighborhood Roundup: In parks, there is such a thing as a free lunch |date= July 6, 2006|newspaper= The Oregonian|last=Demlow|first=Kay|page=Metro West Neighbors 9}}
Walnut Street Park was the scene of a shooting in March 2008,{{cite news|url=http://www.katu.com/news/local/16420571.html |title= Gunshots fired in Hillsboro park strike teen |last= Wingo |first= Melanie |date= March 8, 2008 |work=KATU}} and an arrest for a stabbing in July 2011.{{cite news|url= http://www.kptv.com/story/15133698/hillsboro-police-investigating-stabbing |title= Hillsboro police investigating |date= July 22, 2011 |work=FOX 12}} The shooting was considered gang related, while the stabbing was a domestic disturbance at a nearby home after which the suspect hid in the park. Sexual Minorities of Washington County adopted the park in 2009 as part of the city's Adopt a Park program.{{cite news|url= http://www.oregonlive.com/news/argus/index.ssf?/base/news/125087705590480.xml&coll=6 |title= Hillsboro park adoptions bring multiple benefits |date= August 21, 2009 |newspaper=The Hillsboro Argus}}
In 2012, a federal grant paid for improvements at the park, including a splash pad.{{cite news|url= http://www.oregonlive.com/hillsboro/index.ssf/2012/09/hillsboros_walnut_street_park.html |title= Hillsboro's Walnut Street Park debuts new splash pad Friday for water play |last= Fuller |first= Kathy |date= September 27, 2012|newspaper=The Hillsboro Argus}} Other improvements paid for by the $175,000 grants included new park benches and grass. The park received new sod in October 2012 as part of the same renovations.{{cite news|url= http://67.205.23.189/ht/117-hillsboro-tribune-news/116369-stadium-work-includes-recycling-material |title= Stadium work includes recycling material |last= Redden |first= Jim |date= October 4, 2012|newspaper=Hillsboro Tribune}} The used sod came from a former softball field at the Gordon Faber Recreation Complex that was removed to make way for the new Hillsboro baseball stadium. A man was arrested in March 2014 for firing gunshots in the park.{{cite news|last=Bailey Jr.|first=Everton|title=Man who claimed he was going to 'take over Oregon' arrested in Hillsboro park shooting|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/hillsboro/index.ssf/2014/03/man_who_claimed_he_was_going_t.html#incart_river|access-date=26 March 2014|newspaper=The Oregonian|date=March 25, 2014}}{{cite news|last=Woolington|first=Rebecca|title=Hillsboro police look for possible gang member who showed girls gun, fired shots in park|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/hillsboro/index.ssf/2014/03/hillsboro_police_look_for_alle.html|access-date=26 March 2014|newspaper=The Oregonian|date=March 19, 2014}}
Amenities
The {{convert|2.5|acre|adj=on}} park is in a residential neighborhood, surrounded by housing, and does not have any natural areas. Walnut Street Park does have many older deciduous trees throughout, along with grassy areas. Other features of the park include sidewalks, picnic tables, a children's playground, picnic shelter, soccer field, and a basketball court.{{cite web|url= http://www.ci.hillsboro.or.us/ParksRec/ParksnTrails/WalnutStreetPark.aspx |title= Walnut Street Park |access-date= October 26, 2012|work= Hillsboro Parks & Trails |publisher=City of Hillsboro}} The park only has on-street parking along Walnut Street.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Hillsboro Oregon}}
Category:1998 establishments in Oregon