Central Eastside

Congressman Earl Blumenauer attends the Esplanade's opening on May 25, 2001. Note the red ribbon behind the speakers on the new Steel Bridge walkway. (Seated left to right: City Commissioner Dan Saltzman, Mayor Vera Katz, Congressman Blumenauer, citizen Barbara Walker, and Central Eastside Industrial Council President Mike Bolliger.)

Staff from the City's Bureau of Environmental services celebrate the Esplanade's opening by kayak. Connecting citizens with the river and its fish is an important message.

A view from east to west from one of the Esplanade's many scenic promontories.

A view north from the slurry where leftover concrete was dumped in constructing the Morrison Bridge.

Historic paddleboats tour the river in this view from one of the Esplanade's urban markers. The markers are placed at the city's street grid and help give a sense of location. They also contain interpretive panels giving history of the eastside riverfront.

A view of the 1,200 ft. floating walkway. Caps on the top of the pylons keep birds from perching thus keeping the walkway free of bird droppings.